It’s amazing how the word “FREE” brings out the sparkle on the eyes of almost every buyer.
This is because people are easily drawn to “free” things that even those with no any great use to them at all might be considered interesting just because it’s free. Studies also show that the word “free” generates an effect to people’s mind by the time they see it. While for most retailers, it talks about the costs of free products to them and to their business.
However, this is actually a great strategy that can lead to a great boost in sales that can exceed not just 100, but even 1000-2000% in some cases. So what are the other benefits of freebies than just mere take-home to window shoppers?
Of course, before you start giving everything away you might want to understand first how this can help you attract and hook paying customers.
First, here are some uses of free samples:
- It can inspire loyalty with your existing shoppers and improve your relationship with them.
- Develop the customers’ knowledge about the products and services that you offer.
- Assure repeat buyers and more sales of current as well as new products.
Earning necessary attention for your brand or even to an upcoming event. Most especially it is effective in introducing products to new audiences unfamiliar with your brand to expand your buying population.
While these are just some of all great results that you can get for your business and your sales, this also requires great investments and efforts from you as a retailer.
Knowing the right strategy can lead you to effective and beneficial ways of providing samples to your audience. Now, it is important to know the power that lies within your hands. It all starts with your need of a direct hack to your buyers’ decision process.
After knowing what they need to purchase, there are still a lot of considerations on their mind. These are the price, availability, and even personal preferences or biases that they have.
So, as “social proof” plays a big role to influence them on whether what to buy and what not to buy based on others experiences, having the ability to make them experience it directly with your free samples can finish this off and give them a more rational sense of decision-making which can give you a better chance of swaying them in your favor.
Do not also forget the concept of give-and-take.
When you have a business that is giving free samples generously, it is actually a way to put into their thinking a sense of “giving back” because of your nice and generous deeds.
The pressure is now on the buyers to do something for your brand.
Aside from this, free samples are not solely for gaining new producers or familiarizing people with your products. Giving freebies to people can also encourage their loyalty to you and to your brand.
One good example can be found on businesses who offer free tastings. A study found out that people who enjoy it was not only more likely to spend more money on it, but also highly likely to buy to again from this business in the future.
Now, after knowing all these, you might also want to be cautious. Though giving freebies is highly beneficial when wisely done, it can also be disastrous when done too much.
You have to remember that providing an overwhelming number of free options to your buyers will more likely drive them crazy and away from you. So be careful not to stack it all up at the same time.
The last thing you might want to keep in mind is that, there is not only a single way to do it. Having someone standing on the boutique smiling all day to people is not the only option because the magic of freebies isn’t just for physical retailers.
You can have it online as long as you have a physical store or you can hand it to your customers. It still depends on you. There are a lot of creative ways and systems where you can work on a way of giving freebies that can lead you to the maximum positive result.
May your sales sail high!