Sampling is one of the best ways to introduce a new product to your audience. Everyone loves a freebie, and with a promo vehicle acting as the showcase, you’ll soon be ready to excite the crowds. But if you’re new to product sampling events, you may need some help with building a plan.
These tips will help get your mobile sampling campaign off the ground, so you can see meaningful results and grow your customers.
Set out your sampling objectives
What must your sampling campaign achieve? It could be brand awareness, sign-ups, a specific number of freebies handed out, or all of the above. You should also consider:
- What are you sampling? If you’re handing out ice creams, there are various options to choose from, including artisanal flavours.
- Are you encouraging guests to provide feedback or sign up to a newsletter?
- Will you be demonstrating your product before giving guests the chance to try it out? If so, think about any equipment or space limitations.
- Are you targeting influencers? You could run a doorstep campaign or visit media houses to create a buzz around your product.
- How much can you spend bringing your product sampling events to life? See our tips on creating a campaign budget for expert advice.
Choose a vehicle that’s perfect for sampling
The right promotional vehicle can help you stand out, even in busy city centres. For sampling, these tend to be mid-sized, making them ideal for festivals, parks, high streets, and even rail stations (where space is limited!).
Citroen H-Van – A favourite among big brands, including the likes of Sunglass Hut, Asos and Footlocker. The corrugated sides and tall frame are perfect for branding, and why it’s used for product sampling events across the UK.
Renault Estafette – Bring French style to your mobile sampling campaign with this classic vehicle. People love the unique front cab, which contrasts with its box-like frame. Popular with Starbucks and more, it’s a strong contender for events with limited space.
Below: A classic H-Van and Renault Estafette.
Piaggio Ape – As a smaller, three-wheeled vehicle, it’s the ideal choice for indoor activations. And while there’s not enough room for someone to step inside, it does make a great backdrop – and there’s plenty of space for a product sampling display.
Ice Cream Van – Perfect for summer sampling, choose between various nostalgic models to suit your promotional campaign. Ice cream vans are great for branding, and you could even add a rooftop sign to stand out even more!
Modern Sampling Van – Want ample serving space and great mobility? There’s no better choice than one of our more modern vehicles. Unlike the vintage options, these are built for today’s roads and offer a smoother driving experience.
Once you’ve chosen your vehicle, secure it early so it’s reserved for your campaign!
Below: A Piaggio Ape used for awareness and sampling.
Put your branding everywhere!
Product sampling isn’t just about giving out treats in the hopes that people will buy from you later. A good mobile sampling event will reach far and wide, often thanks to your company branding! Branded items, such as packaging, could potentially be seen all over town, causing passers-by to flock to your event.
Examples of branded items can include tubs, napkins, wrappers and wet wipes.
Your branding can also extend to campaign extras, available in the Raccoon store. Run by our sister company, this was set up to provide branded signs, banners and other collateral – all fully customisable for your convenience!
Pick venues based on your target audience
Successful product sampling events attract a lot of people quickly. To do that, you’ll need to know where your audience is and at what time. You can attract busy professionals by running your event during rush-hour, in a central area like a city train station. You may even run out of samples sooner than you expect!
If you’re more about the guest experience, then consider holding your sampling campaign at the weekend near a shopping centre or park.
See our guide to the top product sampling locations for help deciding.
Spread the word online
A strong content strategy can attract people to your event, help with engagement, and ensure your campaign reaches a wide audience.
Pre-event teasers
Get the word out on social media during the lead-up to your campaign to so people know where to find you. You could even hold a landmark tour or live studio day to snap professional shots of your sampling vehicle.
Encourage sharing
Your vehicle can double as a selfie magnet, generating content that’s shared across social media. A QR code adds an interactive element that takes guests to a website or info page, or display a hashtag to make sharing easier.
Evergreen content
Take photos and videos to show your brand at its best, engaging with guests, and putting the customer first. You can then post this content online to squeeze as much value as possible from your product sampling event.
At Promohire, we can arrange all of this for you. Learn about our content capture services and get in touch for high-quality pics and reels that showcase your brand!
Ask for help with sampling and fulfilment
If you think that product sampling events are challenging to run, you’re not alone. That’s why brands often come to us for help with sampling and fulfilment. You’ll likely have a large stock to hand out, but until your event, these must be stored at the right temperature. Just tell us in advance and we can manage this for you!
We can then send part of this stock with your vehicle and restock via support van so that your campaign can carry on without downtime.
Click the button to see what our sampling and fulfilment service can do for you!
