6 signs your brand should invest in digital product sampling with Sampl

Effective product sampling is the key to getting potential customers to fall in love with your product. But traditional sampling methods — like sending freebies with every order — often fall short. They lack targeting precision, clear ROI, and robust, accurate data.

That’s why innovative brands are going digital — transforming inefficient campaigns into powerful acquisition channels with proven ROI. This sampling method matches samples with engaged buyers through targeted ads and premium media channels. So you reach the right audience every time and unlock powerful first-party data.

Here are 6 signs your brand is ready to benefit from Sampl’s data-driven digital product sampling solution.

1. You have sample-ready products that need to reach the right audience

Sample-ready products are items that can be mailed directly to customers for quick and convenient sample campaigns. Think sachets, mini bottles, or trial sizes that can fit through a letterbox.

Small, sample-ready fragrances, skincare, food, pet supplies, or health and wellness goods are ideal for these campaigns. With tools like Sampl, all the heavy lifting is done for you, verifying that all samples head to deliverable addresses for maximum campaign efficiency.

Take Revlon, for example. Representing more than a dozen fragrance brands, Revlon needed a scalable solution that could efficiently manage the sheer volume of their sample-ready vials and their global customer base. Revlon found that partner in Sampl.

While larger products that don’t fit in small parcels may be best suited for in-person sampling, Sampl can find workarounds to help you execute a digital campaign. For instance, by partnering with Sampl, the paint brand Dulux operated a campaign, providing vouchers for a free can of paint that customers could redeem at a local shop.

Unsure whether your product is a good fit? Sampl can help you find a solution.

2. You want to drive both reviews and sales

A successful sampling campaign will boost revenue and your company’s social proof. Sampl’s methods surpass the product awareness and brand impacts of traditional sampling by:

• Generating reviews: Sampl asks for reviews from all customers receiving the sample, allowing reviews to come from individuals who have tested and become familiar with products.
• Driving marketing opt-ins: Sampl campaigns target customers through channels that are most likely to get attention and generate valuable leads.
• Increasing conversion rate: With Sampl’s NearStore, brands can link digital sampling with in-store locations that carry those products, helping customers find convenient avenues to purchase your full-sized products.

Amberen, a leading perimenopause and menopause supplement brand, reached a 13% review rate and 14% conversion rate after their Sampl campaign. These reviews were then syndicated across retail partners using Bazaarvoice. With customers more likely to purchase reviewed items, Amberen’s increased social proof helped reduce buyers’ hesitancy to try their new products. Using Sampl’s methods, every sample distributed contributes to building social proof while also driving measurable conversions and revenue growth.

‍3. You want to grow your base of owned customer relationships

‍Sampling is a powerful tool for growing and nurturing a healthy marketing funnel of potential customers. Sampl enables first-party data capture and marketing opt-ins through the value-exchange model. This approach incentivises customers to share their information (not just their name and email, but their preferences) in exchange for a free product.

Sampl will send multiple emails to interested customers throughout the campaign to educate them about your brand and your product. The initial zero-party data offered up by respondents will give you access to high-quality behavioural information, such as communications preferences or purchase intentions. This will help inform marketing decisions and communications personalisations.

The social reach of your brand is borrowed when focusing on existing followings on social media. Instead, using Sampl’s methods, you will form direct, consented relationships with your audiences that are yours to keep and nourish. By removing the uncertainty and risk of a rented audience, you will build a framework of first-party data customers that will be highly valuable for segmentation.

However, even if you don’t have a CRM or sell D2C, Sampl will help boost awareness among new audiences. For instance, Revlon had limited opportunities to collect data since they sell through retailers and had no existing CRM. Through their Sampl campaigns, they saw a 10% increase in brand awareness across their 20+ fragrances by selecting customers that fit the objectives, such as new-to-brand customers.

‍4. You’re looking to lower customer acquisition costs

‍Digital sampling can significantly reduce CAC compared to traditional marketing through more efficient targeting and the high value of free products.

Free product trials — like Sampl’s — convert better than traditional marketing methods, such as email blasts. Customers pay nothing to receive, try, and decide whether the sample product is right for them, leading to a 10%+ higher conversion rate.

Instead of casting a wide net to a range of potential customers, SamplMatch lowers your CAC by strategically selecting only the most qualified customers to receive products, filtering out freebie hunters and duplicate requests. Using your ICP, the tool also ensures the product is a good fit for the chosen customer.

In a campaign with Good Patch, a wellness brand offering discreet, wearable protection against life’s daily challenges, Sampl first surveyed customers to learn if they were affected by ailments like stress, sleep issues, and menstrual cramps. Respondents were then selected for products based on their specific areas of concern. By ensuring customers received only the most relevant samples, the wellness brand achieved a 74% intent to purchase rate and reached 96% new customers.

‍5. You need better data measurement and marketing insights

‍Sampl’s platform delivers actionable customer insights that traditional sampling simply can’t support — like demographics, intent to purchase, and product sentiment. This real-time data allows for more comprehensive marketing and product decision-making.

For instance, Grenade, a UK-based performance nutrition brand, needed to understand where customers purchased their high-protein bars and drinks when launching in Australia. The brand surveyed customers on their favourite purchase locations, indicating Coles as their preferred grocer. Grenade then used these results to secure a major retail listing at the store. Additionally, survey responses surfaced tangible insights Grenade’s team used to prioritise protein bar flavours based on consumer preferences.

In another example, Nikwax, a brand producing waterproofing and cleaning products for outdoor gear, used customer feedback to confirm they were on the right track with their new wetsuit deodoriser's scent. The survey revealed that 77% of respondents liked the smell. But beyond that, the survey allowed customers to suggest scents they would like to see. Nikwax passed this feedback to their product development team to inform new scent lines in the future.

‍6. You need a partner to help you scale — not just a platform

‍Successful sampling at scale requires high levels of expertise and support. Brands need a partner who can manage complexities and drive results, all while reducing your internal workload.

That’s why Sampl offers comprehensive campaign management from start to finish, not just a self-serve platform you have to figure out on your own. Our team of experts will guide your brand toward the most effective campaign for your goals. Then, lay out the plans to execute it.

When Revlon’s team expressed concerns about the workload of running their sampling campaigns in-house, Sampl stepped in — leading to a 200% increase in campaigns in just three years. These campaigns aren’t just about getting products out the door; they require a deep understanding of both the brand and its goals.

In NIVEA’s award-winning influencer-driven campaign, the brand needed a partner to help them reach Gen Z audiences and reposition their product as a household staple. Sampl implemented targeted Meta and TikTok ads, sent samples in elevated parcels with educational content, and created an engaging customer journey — from the initial request to email follow-ups. The result? Over 150,000 opt-ins and 4500+ new reviews.

‍Get more out of your sampling strategy with Sampl

‍Digital sampling isn’t just about getting products into hands — it’s about turning every sample into a measurable marketing impact.

With Sampl, you can precisely target the right customers, build strong relationships as a D2C or retail funnelled brand, and clearly visualise your ROI and campaign insights to make strategic marketing decisions.

Our team of dedicated experts are here to guide you through the process from start to finish. Book a demo to explore how Sampl can accelerate your sampling strategies today!