Marketing Buzz 08/03 Giving out free samples to attract more business

Worth a Try
For years, cosmetic companies have used sampling as a way to buildtheir businesses. But have you ever thought about stealing thistechnique from their makeup bag?

Don't be afraid to offer a free sample, even in the servicearena. Maureen Murphy, president of DirectEffectz, adirect-marketing consulting firm in San Diego, offers a freemarketing audit. "It gives them a taste of what I can do forthem," she explains. And Monika Meszaros of SweetReflections Inc., a custom-chocolate company in Carlsbad,California, distributes boxes of chocolates at networkingevents.

Insperience Studio, an appliance showroom in Atlanta, letsconsumers wash a load of laundry, chill a bottle of wine or evencook a meal. And Coffee Ambassador, a B2B coffee delivery service inSan Diego, has its salespeople brew a pot of coffee for potentialcustomers as an introduction to the product. "It letsprospects experience our product firsthand," says CEO SeanCurtis.