Sampling... does it work?

This post is actually a response to an experience that I had last night at the Rogers Cup with my good friend and fellow marketer Adam...

Sampling is arguably one of the best ways to induce trial of your product. More often than not, people don't know what they're missing if they haven't experienced something new.

There are really only two possible outcomes that can come from sampling:

1) Consumer tries product. Consumer likes product. Consumer continues to buy product.

2) Consumer grabs as much "free stuff" as possible. Consumer tries free stuff. Consumer habits don't change.

Having executed all kinds of sampling in the beer, wine and spirits industry, I can tell you that in order to significantly increase your chance at converting a consumer, there needs to be some kind of experience tied in with the sampling.

Anyone can hand something out free on the street, but if you offer something - anything - that might capture the consumer's attention or leave a lasting impression, there is a significantly higher chance of triggering a response in that consumer that builds enough brand loyalty to hook them.

Let's look at a couple of examples:

Last week I was driving through Yorkville to get to a meeting. At the corner of Yonge and Bloor, I saw a woman holding a bag and handing out samples of (what looked like) laundry detergent. She was not branded. She did not really engage anyone. She simply walked up to people on the sidewalk and handed them a small package if they would take it.

I could write a long spiel about all the things wrong with this, but it seems painfully obvious.

Now let's talk about our experience from last night:

Adam and I are at the Rexall Centre for the Rogers Cup. Prior to the main match, we sit down in the beer garden for a couple of Coronas. A menu board listing the available beverages calls out "Pimm's No 1 Cup" and refers to it as a Tennis Tradition.

I've heard of Pimm's but have never tried it. I'm also not a tennis guy, so thinking that the Pimm's "tradition" might be akin to sipping a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby, I ask the bartender what the drink is all about.

She explains that while she hasn't tried it, it's a cocktail made with Pimm's, lemon-lime soda, fresh mint and cucmber. She then asks if we want to sample a mini version.

Long story short, we enjoyed the cocktail and despite the premium price ($6.85 for a Pimm's cocktail vs. $5.35 for a Corona) we stuck with them the rest of the night. It was so enjoyable that we'll be buying 2 bottles of Pimm's to make these for our friends at the cottage this coming weekend.

Why did this sample convert me? You could argue that I'm a lush... and you would be right. But let's consider the facts.

1) Place - a professional tennis match will probably attract a good chunk of people that enjoy a complex cocktail. A UFC match... not so much.

2) Experience - intentional or not, I got sucked in by the whole "tennis tradition" bit. If this cocktail has a history of being part of tennis, I want to maximize my experience. It's the same as grabbing a beer and a dog at a baseball game.

3) Engagement - the bartender was not there to sample Pimm's. She was not a brand ambassador and admitted to never having tried the drink. But she knew what was in it and the brief conversation we had around the drink engaged me to the point where I became curious.

It doesn't take much to turn a sampling program into an experience. A little thought around where you're sampling, who you're sampling to and how you're going to sample can make all the difference in the world.