The idea is simple- encourage potential customers to try a small sample of your food product for free, which in turn increases the likelihood of them purchasing the product for themselves in the future. It may sound self-explanatory, but there are many tips and tricks to ensuring that your food sampling event is a success!

Food sampling promotional events are proven to boost sales, increase brand awareness, and get consumers talking about your product! Everyone, especially us Brits, love a freebie, and so food sampling is a tried and tested marketing strategy used across the country by iconic household brands. Here at Push Promotions, for example, we have previously supplied food sampling staff to work with Walls, John West, Pork Farms, and Mentos.

EventTrack’s 2015 Consumer Survey Report reported that 80% of consumers said that they were more likely to purchase a product after trying it first! A whopping statistic and proof that food sampling events have the potential to make a huge impact. Keep reading to discover our top tips for a successful food sampling campaign:

1. Know Your Target Audience

An important part of any promotional campaign is knowing your audience. If your product is baby food, target people who have children, if your product is protein or gym-related, target those who look like they go to the gym. It may seem obvious, but targeting those who may have a direct interest in your product will really make a difference. Often with food products, your potential customers are widespread and universal (allergies and food intolerances permitting), but if you are targeting a niche audience, make sure that your promotional material reflects this. 

2. Timing

When sampling inedible products, for example, pens, goody bags, stress balls, etc, the timing of your event should be based around when you will have the highest footfall. When sampling food products, however, you should also consider where your product fits best into the public’s day. For example, breakfast bars will be best distributed in the morning, whereas more stodgy heavy products (e.g. pork pies) may be better suited to lunchtime or later in the day. 

3. Location

Location is very important to a product sampling event. Commuter links (e.g. train stations) with high footfalls are great places to raise mass brand and product awareness, as well as high streets and shopping centres. Food sampling outside or even within a store that sells your product is also an effective location; this increases the chance of somebody trying and then immediately buying your product! Sampling in locations near your target audience is also beneficial; protein bars near a gym, vegan products near a vegan market, etc. 

4. Product Presentation

Presentation is key! Nobody is going to want to try your product if it doesn’t look visually appealing or well-presented. Having good, clear packaging will also help to make your product easy to spot in the shops if (fingers crossed) the consumer decides to go and buy your product after sampling it. 

5. Hygiene

Make sure that all of your hired food sampling staff are clean, presentable, have long hair tied back, and wear gloves when handling food. Hand sanitiser and serviettes should also be available at the event for consumers to clean their hands before and after sampling the product. Samples should also be easy to eat and not messy, for example, anything that may melt (ice cream or chocolate) should be stored in a chilled environment so that potential customers do not end up with melted product dripping over their clothes.

6. Food Sampling Staff 

Having the right staff really can make or break an event! Effective food sampling staff are enthusiastic and engaging to encourage the public to take a sample, knowledgable about the product and company so that they can answer any questions, and professional to ensure that they represent your brand positively. Staff should be able to connect with members of the public, create a rapport with them, and increase sales and brand recognition.

7. Clear Product Information

It is very important that all product ingredients are readily available at a food sampling event so that the public is fully aware of what they are consuming. In particular, any dairy or nut traces should be highlighted as these are the most common food allergies/intolerances in the UK. Moreover, the inclusion of any alcohol in your product should be made clear, and depending on the volume of alcohol, may mean that the product can only be sampled by those over 18s.

8. Offers & Discounts

Consider handing out discount codes or coupons alongside your product samples! Not only will this be a physical reminder of your product and company, but it will also act as an incentive for them to go and purchase your product for a discounted price. In turn, this will increase the likelihood of the consumer purchasing your product again, and becoming a fully-fledged customer.

9. Data Capture

Food sampling events are not only important for increasing brand awareness and boosting sales, but they are also the ideal location to collect data and feedback on your product. Do consumers like the product? How would they improve the product? How much would they be willing to pay for it? What size portion of the product would they prefer? These are all questions that can help you to improve your product, as well as your relationship with your customers. Push Promotions can supply specific data capture staff to work at sampling events and collect the data that you need.

10. Clear Branding

Make sure that your brand is clear at your food sampling event! There is no point in getting hundreds of people trying, and wanting to buy your product, if they do not know the name of the product/company and where to buy it. Consider having banners, flags, and free-standing boards with your company name and logo on them, as well as branded t-shirts or hats for your sampling staff to wear. 

So there you have it! 10 tips to help you plan a successful and effective food sampling event! Considering the huge benefits such an event can have, they are hugely cost-effective with a large ROI.

Push Promotions

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Push Promotions have previously supplied food sampling staff to a variety of well-known UK brands to work at their promotional events. To read case studies about these events, click here.

All of our staff are enthusiastic, skilled, and experienced, and understand the importance of working sensibly and professionally at a food sampling event. Many of our staff members also hold Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificates and are available to hire upon request.

This article is brought to you by Push Promotions; a promotional staffing agency that supplies staff nationwide to support some of the UK’s largest brands at their promotional events and campaigns. We can supply a variety of promo staff including brand ambassadors, product sampling staff, data capture staff, and promotional models. We work closely with brands and agencies to ensure that we deliver the staff that you need!

For more information check out our website or get a quick quote here