To Sample or Not to Sample

A big part of network marketing is building a team of fellow business builders under you.  That's where the leverage comes in.  But an equally important part is getting customers.  After all, not everyone is meant to be in this business and if you don't have a product line you can promote, you shouldn't be either.  So how do you get customers?  Well, when I first started out, I thought I had a fool-proof method.  I would go to the networking events I already regularly attended.  And I would hand out samples of my products.  I just knew that once people tried these wonderful products, they would be ringing my phone and filling my inbox with orders for more.

I am sorry to say, that was not the case.  Oh, I did get a few orders.  But mostly I just spent a lot of money letting others use my products for free. 

How do you promote your products if samples don't work?  The same way you promote your business opportunity.  Sell your prospects on the value of what you have to offer and they will happily line up to order.  If the company you are associated with does not have marketing material designed to help you sell the products, then I suggest it is time to look for another company.  (Remember the warning signs of a pyramid scheme?  More attention to recruiting than products is a dangerous thing). 

Does this mean you should never give a sample?  Not necessarily.  You just need to do it wisely.  For example, I often provide a sample pack of products as a door prize a business conferences.  In exchange, I receive some free publicity from the conference sponsor.  I do the same when local non-profits are having a fundraiser.  In the pack, I include all of my contact info and information about the business opportunity as well.  I have not only gotten repeat orders from the recipients, but the free publicity has also generated new customers and partners.

I will also give a sample if I know my product will make an instant difference to someone.  An example of this is giving True Essentials Joint Solutions to people I know that suffer from joint pain.  The results are almost always so dramatic that I usually get a repeat order before they are even finished with the sample bottle.

Another way to offer a sample is to offer a 30 or 60 or even 90-day (depending on your product) free trial.  Only when you sign them up for the free sample offer, make sure they sign up for auto-ship of the product once the trial is over.  You are almost guaranteed to gain customers.  Isn't this dishonest, I have been asked?  No.  You must inform your prospect that they will receive regular shipments of the product once the trial period is over.  The reason it works is that most people will not go through the trouble of contacting you to place an order unless they have seen an instant, dramatic result from your product (e.g..  Joint Essentials).  Likewise, most people will not go through the trouble of calling you to cancel their order (unless they truly dislike the product).  If they are satisfied with it, they will continue to use it as long as they keep receiving it. 

If you really do feel that samples will help your business, then use them as a reward for a specific action.  Buy a product, get a sample of another.  Join our mailing list, get a sample.  Refer a friend, get a sample.  But I highly discourage just handing out samples to any and all who ask for one.