How to develop a sustainable sampling campaign?

Being sustainable is perhaps the most important goal for many businesses right now. With 60% of consumers globally rating it as an important factor in purchases it clearly makes business sense, but even more so it’s all of our moral imperative to look after the world and those around us. A teacher of mine once told an assembly that, “we don’t own the world, we just look after it for the next generation” (and no, she wasn’t paraphrasing Patek Phillipe. Or maybe she was. Who knows?!). Being about 10 years old it really didn’t mean much to me at the time, but it now seems like one of the most important lessons we were taught at school.

So, what’s this got to do with sampling? Sampling is a proven way of bringing new customers to a brand. Let someone try your product and see how wonderful it is, and surely they will be tempted to part with their cash. Right? It is, but unfortunately sampling, especially when done en-masse, can also generate a lot of waste and inefficiency. This creates conflict with the sustainability pledges and net-zero goals that many brands are working towards. So what can you do? Well, here’s how to develop a sustainable sampling campaign…

Get your samples into the right hands

Getting your samples into the right hands is one of the first steps in developing a sustainable sampling campaign. But what does this mean? To us, it means a few things:

1. People who align with your target audience.
2. Those who want to try your product because it fits a need or desire that they have.
3. Consumers who are genuinely interested, and not just out for a freebie.

When deciding on the strategy for your product sampling campaigns you should consider how each option ensures that it is addressing these three points. Sampl does so by integrating with your digital media to target relevant consumers and inviting them to request a sample. Every request runs through SamplMatch, our unique algorithm. Individual requests are approved or filtered based on each consumer’s suitability to your product. 

Create long-term relationships through sampling

Part of the issue with traditional sampling is that often you end up reaching the same people over and over again, and you don’t even know you’re doing it. For a more sustainable sampling campaign, ensure that you know exactly where and to whom your samples are going. Use a sample to connect with someone and bring them into your ecosystem through the request process and you know who they are. With their consent, you’re able to nurture them and develop a proper relationship over time.

Using this data-driven approach you can introduce people to new products you know they are likely to be interested in. If they don’t bite straight away then offer a sample to get them over the line. Conversely, being more in control you can choose who not to offer samples to, helping to ensure your sampling campaigns are efficiently aligned with your goals and you’re reaching more of the right people. 

Choose a sampling partner that has sustainability at its core

We’ve already covered how to ensure you’re getting samples into the right hands and the benefits of creating long-term relationships through sampling. You also should be thinking about the sustainability credentials of your partners. Sustainability isn’t just about being ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’ but also about acting in ways that are moral. From treating staff fairly and encouraging employee ownership to minimising travel and increasing the availability of vegan options within catered facilities, there are many things companies can do.

When considering your options, explore what your potential partners are doing across their businesses. How do they treat their staff? How are they managing their supply chains? Are their suppliers acting sustainably and making a conscious effort to achieve net zero? Is all their packaging sustainably sourced? How green are their delivery options? 

Also consider how you currently measure the environmental impact of your sampling campaigns. Once you know the impact you can start to work out what steps you can take that will have the biggest impact towards reducing it. 

We’d love to talk to you about your sampling campaigns and what you can do to make them more sustainable. Drop us a line sayhello@sampltech.com or get in touch via our website to find out more.