I was introduced this week to some of the essays in REWORK, the business manifesto by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson. One of their more colorful recommendations suggests that marketers emulate drug dealers by offering free samples to customers.
Product sampling, of course, has been around for decades. Maybe centuries. Even in today’s age of web data and social media, it’s still not unheard of to get small packages of cereal, hand lotion or shampoo in the mail. Consumer events regularly feature sponsors handing out free trials of new beverage and snack products. Even the venerable test drive could be considered a sample offer from big auto.
Take a look at a typical B2B trade show. Marketers push plenty of free swag in their exhibits but how many companies offer samples of their own products or services? Do Fried and Hansson have it right? Does the corner drug dealer understand human behavior better than today’s marketers?
What new opportunities might a free product sample open up for your company’s next trade show?