Sampling Home Run...

We went to a minor league baseball game and came home with a loaf of Sara Lee's new White Wheat bread.

I found bread a funny thing to give away at ball game. But I guess most people eat bread. And it was a great way to get people to try their new product.

Look at the math: let's say the bread costs them 25 cents a loaf to make, not counting marketing and distribution costs or the cost of waste.

And let's assume the company paid the ballpark a dime each to hand out the samples.

That puts a full loaf in each prospect's hand for less than the cost of a first class stamp.

Perhaps they could have got more exposure for that 35 cents each in TV or Radio commercials or Newspaper or Magazine ads.

But they would not have been able to make the same impact.

I'm sure I saw ads or read PR about the new bread. I may have even made a mental note that I wanted to try it.

But with all of life's distractions, It never really made it to our grocery list.

Here was someone handing me a loaf of bread to try at my convenience. How could I forget that?

If I liked the bread I would be sure to remember to put it on my shopping list. And even if I didn't like it they got my full attention. Unlike an ad which I can skip over. If I liked the product, the marketing worked and I'd buy more. If I didn't like the product, no amount of persuasive marketing could get me to buy it.

How can you get your prospects to sample your product? If it's inexpensive and consumable, think about events where you could give away samples. If it's an expensive product, how can you demonstrate your product to more customers? Just getting a prospect to see your product does not guarantee a sale. (You can't always bat .1000). But when you connect with the right customers, if can help you hit one right out of the park.

And it didn't hurt Sara Lee that everyone was feeling good that the home team won.

- Phil Sasso