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526
Part Five Developing the Integrated Marketing Communications Program
Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
V. Developing the
Integrated Marketing
Communications Program
Consumer-Oriented Sales
Promotion Techniques
Figure 16-2 Types of
consumer promotions used
by packaged-goods
manufacturers
16. Sales Promotion © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
Sampling
Marketers use various sales promotion techniques to meet the
objectives just discussed. Figure 16-2 shows the extent to
which these consumer promotions are used by packagedgoods
companies.
Sampling involves a variety of procedures whereby consumers are given some
quantity of a product for no charge to induce trial. Sampling is generally considered
the most effective way to generate trial, although it is also the most expensive. As a
sales promotion technique, sampling is often used to introduce a new product or
brand to the market. However, as Figure 16-2 shows, sampling is also used for established
products as well. Some companies do not use sampling for established products,
reasoning that samples may not induce satisfied users of a competing brand to
switch and may just go to the firm’s current customers, who would buy the product
anyway. This may not be true when significant changes (new and improved) are made
in a brand.
Manufacturers of packaged-goods products such as food, health care items, cosmetics,
and toiletries are heavy users of sampling since their products meet the three
criteria for an effective sampling program:
1. The products are of relatively low unit value, so samples do not cost too much.
2. The products are divisible, which means they can be broken into small sample sizes
that are adequate for demonstrating the brand’s features and benefits to the user.
3. The purchase cycle is relatively short, so the consumer will consider an immediate
purchase or will not forget about the brand before the next purchase occasion.
Benefits and Limitations of Sampling Samples are an excellent way to
induce trial as they provide consumers with a risk-free way to try new products. A
Promotion Type
Couponing—
consumer direct
Cents-off
promotions
Couponing in
retailers’ ads
Couponing—in-store
(shelf dispenser, handouts)
Sampling
new products
Sampling
established products
Money-back offers/
other refunds
Premium offers
Electronic retail
promotions
Sweepstakes
Internet promotions
Contests
Prepricing (on
product package)
Other
Percent of Respondents
27%
58%
66%
78%
78%
78%
76%
73%
71%
88%
85%
93%
100%
98%