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Here's a riddle: How can you sell more by selling less?
The answer: Whet prospective clients' appetites by abandoning the sales pitch and providing them instead with a free sample of your good or service.
Many prospects may be fearful of committing to a purchase because of the risk inherent in doing business with someone they aren't familiar with. By eradicating that skepticism and doubt, you can create a business atmosphere in which not only people will buy more from you, they will buy more often than they otherwise would have if you hadn't created an entrée with your complimentary offer.
When you offer a sample of your product or service, you create a fantastic opportunity for people to test your products and services firsthand before they make the decision to buy from you, helping you to break through the fear barrier that might have led to a "No" in a typical sales pitch scenario.
If yours is a service business, you may be wondering how you can put the free-sample tactic in play if you don't offer a product than can be handed out or mailed.
One exciting and creative trend involves opening a "pop-up" shop - a temporary store for displaying wares or featuring services in either high-traffic commerce centers, or in remote areas via mobile units. These gallery-like shopping spaces/exhibits appear suddenly, draw in crowds and then disappear, hence their name.
In such venues, you can offer a free consultation to prospective clients, which enables you to showcase your expertise. Not only can you use this as an opportunity to learn about their business needs, you can supply advice and demonstrate how you can help. You've also put a face with your offering, thereby personalizing it. Even if you don't win a customer, you've established an important new contact.
Sure, this tactic might make you a little nervous - you didn't go into business to give your offering away. But consider it an investment that can yield a potentially high return. And yes, plenty of people will take the free sample and fail to make a purchase, but you as the business owner will have gotten the chance to present your offering to people who would never have bought without a free taste first. These are the same folks who may go on to become some of your best customers.
By choosing the geographic venue for your pop-up shop carefully, creating a strong and intriguing impression with your display and promoting follow-up offers to keep the relationship going, you can put your offering into the hands of your target clientele. It is a method that is bound to help you to grow both your sales and your customer base. So have fun with it!
Adapted from "Pique Interests With a Sample," Entrepreneur.com, March 9, 2010
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