8 minute read
Top Tips for In-Store Sampling
by Jenna Movsowitz
For the past two years, COVID-19 halted a grocery shopping favorite of consumers and brands alike: in-store sampling. This pause in oneto-one experiences significantly reduced opportunities for consumer feedback and trial – a frustration for established brands, but a potential growth stunt for emerging brands. Luckily, as restrictions now ease across the country, we will start to see a sampling comeback. I spoke with Daniel Quinones of Front Page Retail, a retail marketing solutions company, to learn his top tips for emerging brands to make the most of their return to, or perhaps first-ever, in-store demos.
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YOUR BRAND AMBASSADOR IS EVERYTHING
At an in-store demo, it all starts with the individual you bring on board as your brand ambassador. “Tis person should be quick to share information and get people to listen to it,” says Quinones. Brands ofen make the mistake of having people in stores who fear approaching consumers. While Quinones says it is true that consumers typically don’t like to be sold, “they are craving information.” Within 10 seconds, the brand ambassador must be able to communicate the most critical information to the consumer – a message that will translate into sales for your product or brand.
ASK A QUESTION THAT LEAVES THEM THINKING
“Te most successful demos we have worked on are the ones where we ask consumers a question that will leave them thinking,” Quinones notes. Any product should be able to come up with a question that communicates what is the most unique attribute of the product against what is already in the market. Tis instills a sense of intrigue, but more importantly, leaves the shopper feeling that they cannot miss out on this unique opportunity. For example, when the Front Page team was sampling Craize corn crackers, the brand ambassadors would stop shoppers to ask: “have you ever tried a corn cracker before?” Tis simple question instantly communicates the products USP, and gives the consumer a reason to pause and think. In that time, the brand ambassador would feed additional details. “Once they are there, it’s very rare they will walk out without trying your product.”
CHECK THE BOXES UPFRONT
While eight in ten consumers now report being willing to participate in one-to-one in-store experiences (Winsight), today’s consumer has expectations that need to be met upfront. “You have to check more boxes than ever as a product,” says Quinones. “If you don’t meet their criteria on product claims – non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, low-to-no sugar, etc. – they will be fne walking away from anything free.” In the Craize example, the brand ambassador would use the time afer the pause-worthy question to highlight that this product was not only unique, but also vegan, gluten free, nonGMO, and had 4g of sugar for 9 crackers. Brands may fear that this quick drop of information can feel salesy; in reality, it demonstrates the brand’s consideration for the consumer upfront. Te shopper should never have to inquire about these baseline attributes – they should feel that the brand cares about their dietary restrictions or preferences.
MERCHANDISING IS KEY
“Your merchandising partners (or internal merchandising team) should be taking care of the follow-through needed for stores to order enough product to sell during the demos, any potential secondary display opportunities and ensure sale tags are placed if your product is on promo during that period,” says Quinones. Regardless of who is in-store for the sampling opportunity, your merchandising partners will be the ones building trust from associates in stores with your brand. This sampling opportunity is not a one-of experience, but another key touchpoint with your store partners that can build upon your existing relationship. “With so many supply chain challenges these days, clear and constant communication with stores is key – leadership in stores need to know that your brand is supporting them when they need it the most. They don’t want to associate your brand with the ones that they see or hear from only once or when it is convenient for them.”
TIME YOUR DEMOS TO CREATE A BRAND OCCASION
While there is no across-the-board “right” time to demo, Quinones believes that the brand can use demoing as an opportunity to demonstrate an occasion for your product. For example, if your product is a kid’s snack, the end of summer is an important time to showcase that your product will fit seamlessly into the shopper’s new back-to-school routine. Quinones suggests starting demos at least one week prior to the occasion’s peak, while the occasion is already top-of-mind, but before routines have been set in stone. If your product doesn’t have an immediately obvious occasion, demos can be an opportunity to create one. Your fruit-favored sparkling water, for example, is probably perfect as a non-alcoholic option for summer gatherings. Time your sampling a week prior to Memorial Day to communicate this use-case without having to explicitly state it.
ASK OPEN QUESTIONS
Of course, the most important takeaway from in-store sampling is consumer feedback. Once the shopper is sampling the product, your brand ambassador can take a back seat. Rather than continuing to tout brand attributes, use this time to ask open questions. “Avoid answering for consumers, but provide a bit of guidance with open questions if they are hesitant to share openly,” Quinones says. He also notes that this is an opportunity to give the consumer a sense of meaningful contribution or impact: “Let them know that any feedback is good feedback, and be transparent with how the brand will use that information.”
BE ON THE SAME TEAM AS THE STORE
While you may be eager to bring all feedback to your team, remember to also share your experience with the store that aforded you the opportunity. Quinones suggests that your brand ambassador go back to their store buyers to let them know about performance, clever feedback from consumers, and how it compares to other store’s performance in the region. “If you don’t let stores know how the demos went, how do you expect them to show up for you when you really need their support?”
DETERMINE WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR YOUR BRAND’S DEMO
Recent research from Advantage Customer Experience concludes: “The chance for consumers to try before they buy remains a powerful infuencer on the decision to make a purchase, with nearly 9 in 10 (87%) saying if they enjoy a sample, they’re likely to buy the product during that store visit. Nearly as many (78%) say they’re likely to buy the product during a later visit to the store, and 6 in 10 (58%) are likely to pick up the product at another store” (Winsight). While this data powerfully indicates the potential for increased sales, there are a variety of KPIs for demos, and they all depend on the goals and scale of the brand. “Some brands focus on trial and awareness, others really need the sales, some need consumer feedback to proof a new line, some need to show support to the retailer to nourish the relationship with the buyer,” Quinones notes. “All of them are valid. But ultimately, focus on the consumer. If you do, not only will your relationship with the buyer or account improve, but so will your sales. You will get new consumers to try your product, and connect with the ones who already support you.”
TAP INTO YOUR EXISTING FAN BASE
While demos are a great time to attract new customers, Quinones notes that very few brands fully take advantage of the opportunity by letting their existing fan base take part. “Defnitely let your current customers know what the goal of these demos are – for example, giving out samples of your newest favor – and invite them to stores.” At the end of the day, everybody wants to be invited to the party. An invitation to meet the brand they’ve been supporting from afar, or have early access to a new favor or SKU, will create a sense of community and help consumers feel that they are a part of the brand’s journey. Further, existing fans are the most likely to buy your product once they are in front of the table, which will create intrigue for passersby. A crowd around your table encourages other consumers to get closer or be open to listen to what is happening. “FOMO (or fear of missing out) is a real thing, and it works magic in retail.” And thanks to the human desire to be seen as a source of recommendation, your existing fans may even ofer testimonials to the newcomers on the scene.
