There are many ways to get the attention of direct mail recipients, but few are as effective as including a free gift with the mailing. The addition of a free sample is a great way to ensure the mailing will be opened, and a great way to keep your business at the top of the customer’s mind.
There are many types of businesses that may be able to benefit from this type of freebie marketing. From makers of personal care items like shampoo and cosmetics to laundry detergent companies and office supply stores, providing a small sample of their wares is a great way to get the attention of would be customers. Customers who open and use the products and find them of high quality are much more likely to purchase those same products in the future. In addition, those happy customers are likely to tell their friends and family members about the great new product they just tried, providing the type of word of mouth advertising that can’t be bought at any price.
Of course this type of marketing can have its problems as well. One of the most important considerations for free sample marketers to consider is the cost. Not only is providing all those free samples rather expensive, but the added weight can add to the cost of postage as well. It is important for companies to carefully weigh and measure the finished packaging in order to keep costs down and control the overall cost of the campaign.
It is also important to carefully target the free sample mailings to those who will be most receptive to the message. Before embarking on such a direct mail marketing campaign it is important for companies to obtain an accurate, up to date and highly targeted list of prospects. This type of tightly targeted marketing will help to keep costs down and response rates high. And that is good news for the company, its workers and its products.