3-min read
Digital sampling as a way to drive trial is the new hot thing. Sampling programs are not cheap, but offer a bunch of additional benefits that you can use to encourage repeat and understand your consumer better. For a primer on what digital sampling is and if you even want to do it, read last week’s post.
To get the most out of digital sampling, you have to identify your objectives. I’m going to review two programs, Social Nature and Sampoll, to provide some context around objectives. This is not an exhaustive review, so don’t write me saying I left a bunch of stuff out. I’m going to focus on a click-to-brick campaign where the method is in-store purchase by consumer respondents in the program.
When you really want product feedback
If your objective is to get specific product attribute feedback beyond liking and purchase intent, then Social Nature is the way to go. Their interface is more like a consumer insights survey that also allows for open ends.
Higher trial rates and reviews
Sampoll is a redemption program, meaning their respondents get product for free by being reimbursed after purchasing the product themselves via receipt upload. Social Nature is a paper coupon program, where a respondent needs to opt-in to become a member and then receive a coupon in the mail to redeem at checkout when purchasing the product. Social Nature gets ~60% coupon redemptions (with reviews!) vs Sampoll’s 10-20% completions. Remember these are rates so balance that with the total number of offers being sent out. Which brings me to an important point: Sampoll does not guarantee number of participants, while Social Nature does. Sampoll recruits via social media. They provide influencers with a link to share with their followers to get them to sign up for the program. Social Nature taps the > 1 million community of members they have built who generally are coupon users.
Easier set up
Sampoll is a turn-key solution for brands. They act as the clearing house and the creative, both of which you have to organize yourself if you go with Social Nature.
When you want consumer targeting
I’m always a little suspicious of programs that promise they can target any demographic. Technically yes, target parameters can be set, but you have to know the population you’re pulling from. Getting to certain demos might be hard when coming exclusively from social media or digital ad respondents. So just know there could be bias in the targeting.
Better for number of email opt-ins
Sampoll gets a 45% email opt-in (these are new consumers opting in to your email list) vs Social Nature’s 25%. I think this is because of Sam, their super cute bot that walks respondents through the questions.
Post campaign features & repeat
Sampoll is an influencer-generated program, so social content that is generated is yours to be used throughout and post campaign. Sampoll does a post-campaign email drip, which encourages repeat. With Social Nature, once the campaign is over, it’s over.
Affordability
Pricing is variable depending on the cost of your product and the scope (size) of the program. That said, I’ve not seen a program go for less than $15K all-in. Reality check on KPIs: if you get 1000 completions on a $15K program, that is $15 CAC (cost to acquire a customer), which is typical!
Before starting out on a digital sampling campaign, align on objectives and have realistic KPIs. Remember there is nothing wrong with regular demos if your primary objective is trial!
All my best,
Jennifer