- Ingredients are vitally important in anything going onto or into a body. "Flavor oils" is usually not detailed enough as an ingredient. I am allergic to artificial sweeteners, for example, so I need to know if your items contain them, even the lip balm. Frequently the flavor oils include things like this, though not always, so it would be a good thing to know.
- First impressions are KEY. Packaging and presentation are hugely important. If your promotional sample looks a mess, what will your product look like? And why would I send you money for something like this, if you obviously don't care? Along the same lines, make sure your site matches with your samples. There is nothing more disappointing than getting an awesome sample, running to a website, and seeing stuff that is nothing like what you just got in a box.
- CLEARLY label your product, what it is, and where it came from. Make it easy for us to find you later. Clearly label where your items come from with a business name and website address, even when including a free sample in with a purchase. I had an experience this morning where I tried to use a wax tart as soap. There was no label anywhere on the product telling me WHAT it was, just what scent it was, so I guessed, and guessed WRONG. You may think it is obvious what you are selling, but it isn't always. From now on, if I can't figure out what it is, it gets trashed.
- Whenever possible, include instructions. Not everyone is familiar with sugar scrubs, wickless candles, melting body butter, paraffin hand treatments, that special kind of tea blend you just sent, or whatever. If I can't figure out how to use it, I am not going to. That is a potential lost sale for you. If you are the one who tells me how to use something I am unfamiliar with, and I love it, I am going to buy from YOU. Instructions also put you HIGH on the "repeat buyer" list.
- The best things to include in samplers are things that need to be purchased relatively regularly. Give us just enough to be addicted (for me it takes about a week). When we run out, we will run to your store and buy. The next best thing to include in samplers is things that make great gifts. When Aunt Sally has her retirement party, I will know who to go for for that uniquely perfect thingamabob.
- Food scented home, bath, and body products make a lot of people nervous. Especially chocolate and/or sugary treat products. Also, food SHAPED non-edible products are not always the best thing to send in a sampler. I have had to stop my kids from eating more than my fair share of wax tarts.
- Propaganda of any type is evil. No matter how strongly you feel about something, it is not professional to include it in your packaging. If I don't agree with you, I will be turned off. If I agree with you, I will still be turned off by your need to preach.
- If you send something scented, please wrap it up, at least in a Ziploc bag so the scent doesn't get everywhere. I will get sick of the scent before I use the item, and I may decide to throw it out if I worry the scent will contaminate other things, or is overwhelming in the small box or drawer I have it stored in.
- Please give more than a month on coupons, if you are going to include them. I don't always get to the sample right away, and it i discouraging to see that I could have saved money on someting I want to buy because I didn't use it right away. I can't use everything all at once, so please give me some wiggle room. Also, please pack the coupon separately from the packaging of your item. If I want to give those earrings to my sister as a stocking stuffer, I don't want her seeing I got them in May with a coupon that expired May 21 on the card they are attached to.
- Free samples (especially coordinating ones) tossed in a box with a purchase are awesomeness. They can be given to a friend to show them how great your stuff is, and it always eaves a good taste in the receiver's mouth.
Showing posts with label samplers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label samplers. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Revised Sample suggestions.....the LONG version
About 10 months ago, I posted my suggestions on what to do (and NOT do) when submitting samples to sampler boxes, and the value of tossing free samples in with a purchase. Recently, this came up again on places like facebook, so I decided to revise my original list to account for some things that have come up over the past year, and post again. Please indulge my vanity in thinking I know these things.
First, some background. I buy 2-4 sampler boxes a month. Every month, I try to make at least one purchase from someone who has sent something in a sampler, though it is not always that month's sampler. I am a huge bath and body person, so there is a definite slant to my purchasing.
Sampler packs are the best way for handmade afficionados like me to find you. In the last year, I have bought from over 20 sellers I found through samplers, some orders were huge (We're talking over $500 huge), some were a single bar of soap or lip balm. My family is NOT wealthy, and money is tight, but I try to put aside some money every month to make these purchases. Almost ALL of the money I make on etsy ends up going directly out of my bank account to other sellers. I like supporting handmade, and I only buy things that I love. I am also a repeat buyer if you are a great seller.
I am also one of those buyers who keeps a list. I have a whole file of business names from companies I have gotten great products, service and/or samples from, what I got that I loved, any other thing special about them, and what type of products they have. I keep this list because I have a surplus of some things, and the list helps me remember sellers I have loved in the past for future purchasing, especially around gift giving holidays and events. I also have a list of people who I will not buy from for various reasons.
As you may know from this blog, I also write reviews of sellers who really impress me. Often, these reviews are based off of a sample I have used and gotten from a sampler. Whether this leads to sales, I do not know, but any publicity is good. Also, though I may not always buy from you, but at least I know who you are, and can tell someone else about you.
So, without further ado, these are my top 10 suggestions to consider when putting together samples:
I hope that this is helpful. I LOVE samples and LOVE samplers. Some of my favorite sellers who I buy from all the time I found through samplers. I love handmade, and want you to be successful at your craft! Thank you so much to all of the handmade artisans out there, and keep up the good work.
Also, readers, any other suggestions I may have missed?
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Case for Multiple Samplers
Ok, I admit it. I am one of those horrible people that contributors to samplers secretly have a serious dislike of. Yes, it's true, I am a "multiple sampler buyer" (cue Psycho shower music).
For those of you not in the know, I am talking about home made item samplers, like Little Black Boxes or Sampler Village. They are boxes of sample sized (and sometimes full sized) products that have been donated to these samplers as a means of promotion. Sellers send samples to these box sellers in the hopes that, by providing samples to potential customers, this will lead to future purchases of full sized products.
I am all about samplers. I think they are an awesome idea. I have discovered sellers who I buy from almost religiously through finding their products in samplers. I also love that some of the samplers are more geared towards a certain type of buyer, (for example, The Sampler tends to have more card and jewelry samples). I even like a lot of the themes the sampler sellers have come up with for cohesion of items.
Now, the idea is, a seller buys a sampler box, they use the usually awesome samples in the box, and then they go off and buy more items they liked from the sellers that are in the box. For the sellers, the more people who are exposed to their products, the more likely a sale will result from their donations.
So, because of this, I know sellers are not too thrilled with people who buy multiple boxes of samplers filled with their donated items. Less exposure is never a good thing in advertising and promotion.
However, every month I find myself buying multiple boxes from at least one seller. Yes, I do feel vaguely guilty about it, but I am going to continue doing it. Why? For a number of reasons.
Multiples of the same sampler do not always contain the same things. Some sellers send in multiple scents. I may not like one of them. If I get 2 boxes, and one is a scent I do not care for, but one is, higher probability that I will buy. Some samplers, you do not get everything in one box, multiples expose me to more sellers. and sometimes, if it is something relatively small, an extra is a good thing to help me decide to buy. I also sometimes get a sample of something I think someone I know would love, and there's nothing better than having an extra sample to pass along to someone who may eventually buy.
Since money is tight here, I have a certain amount of money put aside every month for purchases of items from samplers. Yes, I do get a backlog eventually of all of the great things I want, but I love having lots of options. I also love discovering new items to review and new sellers to buy from.
So, I encourage you to buy from the sellers in the boxes when you buy the samplers. Keep this great idea alive, and support handmade. And if you buy multiple boxes, be sure you are doing so to aid future purchases, not so you can just have more soap in the house. The actual producer of that sample sent it to the sampler for free. Let them see some return on your use of their product.
For those of you not in the know, I am talking about home made item samplers, like Little Black Boxes or Sampler Village. They are boxes of sample sized (and sometimes full sized) products that have been donated to these samplers as a means of promotion. Sellers send samples to these box sellers in the hopes that, by providing samples to potential customers, this will lead to future purchases of full sized products.
I am all about samplers. I think they are an awesome idea. I have discovered sellers who I buy from almost religiously through finding their products in samplers. I also love that some of the samplers are more geared towards a certain type of buyer, (for example, The Sampler tends to have more card and jewelry samples). I even like a lot of the themes the sampler sellers have come up with for cohesion of items.
Now, the idea is, a seller buys a sampler box, they use the usually awesome samples in the box, and then they go off and buy more items they liked from the sellers that are in the box. For the sellers, the more people who are exposed to their products, the more likely a sale will result from their donations.
So, because of this, I know sellers are not too thrilled with people who buy multiple boxes of samplers filled with their donated items. Less exposure is never a good thing in advertising and promotion.
However, every month I find myself buying multiple boxes from at least one seller. Yes, I do feel vaguely guilty about it, but I am going to continue doing it. Why? For a number of reasons.
Multiples of the same sampler do not always contain the same things. Some sellers send in multiple scents. I may not like one of them. If I get 2 boxes, and one is a scent I do not care for, but one is, higher probability that I will buy. Some samplers, you do not get everything in one box, multiples expose me to more sellers. and sometimes, if it is something relatively small, an extra is a good thing to help me decide to buy. I also sometimes get a sample of something I think someone I know would love, and there's nothing better than having an extra sample to pass along to someone who may eventually buy.
Since money is tight here, I have a certain amount of money put aside every month for purchases of items from samplers. Yes, I do get a backlog eventually of all of the great things I want, but I love having lots of options. I also love discovering new items to review and new sellers to buy from.
So, I encourage you to buy from the sellers in the boxes when you buy the samplers. Keep this great idea alive, and support handmade. And if you buy multiple boxes, be sure you are doing so to aid future purchases, not so you can just have more soap in the house. The actual producer of that sample sent it to the sampler for free. Let them see some return on your use of their product.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Some thoughts from a sample consumer
As someone who is a regular purchaser of Little Black Boxes, and who LOVES free/low price samples, I have some thoughts I figured I would share with anyone who is thinking about submitting samples to a sampler pack and/or offering free or inexpensive samples in some sort of capacity.
First some info about me: I buy at least one Little Black box every month (If there are a lot of people in the box, I will double up for a bigger cross section, especially around the holidays). I also shop etsy for sampler packs from sellers I find interesting. The category of things I most frequently buy from the samples is bath and body items.
If you send me a free sample of something else yo make with a purchase I already made from you, I will be more likely to return to you for future purchases. If I get a sample I don't like/won't use, I usually put it into a little gift basket I put together for hostess gifts/teacher gifts/last minute gifts, etc.
I have used samples to direct my purchases (or dissuade me from purchasing) many times. Though I do not have a lot of extra income, I do like to pamper myself with handmade items, and whenever possible, prefer to purchase handmade items.
An important piece of advice on samplers: Make sure your item is clearly and securely labeled who it is from. It's always annoying to have to connect business cards with products. If your item is well and clearly labeled with your business, website, and product line, I will be more likely to choose your website of the many I have to choose from to look at first for whatever it is I am looking for.
The biggest place I go to to discover new handmade sellers is Etsy. the next place is eBay. I am not a fan of Artfire, though I am trying. If you supply a sample and you only have a personal website, make sure it is labelled as such, so I can go check it out.
Ok, let's get to it. This will be rough for a while while I just get my thoughts down....
the things I love to get free/cheap and that will almost certainly lead to my making a larger purchase if I love them and they meet my requirements, and why:
Soap - I love handmade soap. It tends not to dry my skin out, and sample sizes are usually the perfect size to use before I get sick of the scent. Offering a lot of samples for sale is a great idea if you sell soaps, because I like to see how a soap goes before committing to a whole bar. Make the sample a decent size, enough for about a weeks worth of washes, so I can get a good idea of how it washes, and if you are providing one sample, please provide a popular scent. If it smells nasty, I will never use the soap. Also (and this is VERY IMPORTANT), include an ingredient list, including the scents you used. I have family and friends who are allergic to nuts, pine, certain herbs, etc. You don't need to tell me the amounts, but would you rather tell me what scents you used and get a customer, or have your soap hit a trash can because I can't know whether or not using it would require an epi pen?
incense - I know this is not a common item to offer in a sample, but if your incense burns clean and maintains the smell it is supposed to, I'll love you. If you make incense, toss a stick or cone into a box with a purchase. I recently had a store do this for me with my permission. I was back the NEXT DAY buying a 20 pack of that incense.
tea - I am a huge tea drinker. EVERY free tea sample I have gotten, except for one has led to a large follow up purchase by me. Again, please say what herbs/spices are in the tea.
perfume - a small one ounce sample using a non-nut oil or alcohol base is best. If it smells good and wears well, expect an order from me....it may be a while if I am using a perishable perfume I need to finish up, but you will hear from me. If it is a scent I do not like, I will gft it to someone I think WILL like it, and if she likes it, she will likely want more.
bath salts - It is so hard to find good hand made bath salts, so if you make them, let us know! Same suggestions as with soap regarding ingredients.
candles (with wicks) - I not only burn a lot of candles, I give a lot of them as gifts. Not everyone likes and/or uses wickless candles, and I got tired of having to explain to people how to use them (they can also be very messy if you only burn them for a short while). I tend to stick with traditional candles, but if you make both, I understand the wickless or tartlet samples, just let people know in your insert/card both how to use them appropriately and that you do wick-ed candles, too.
shampoo/conditioner - Do you know how hard it is to find good quality, handmade hair products? If it works well with my limp, baby fine, super oily hair, I will love you forever.
**A word of advice on bath and body product scents: it makes me and many people I know nervous to use/wear food (Especially chocolate and/or sweets) scented products. I constantly worry I will attract bees, wasps, and/or mosquitoes,a nd that the soaps near the sinks will attract bugs into the house. Chocolate makes me the most nervous. I find I don't even wear Aquolina Pink Sugar because of this. Normally, I would blame my own paranoia, but talking to some other women I know, I find I am not alone in this fear.***
**another word of advice: It's impossible to smell over the internet. I know, duh, but I can't really go by "OOOOh, this smells so decadent" or whatever your description. describe the undertones of the scent, and maybe some of the major things it smells like ("lemony with a hint of amber"). Even better: offer a low-cost sample, if feasible. Sell one tea candle or one soy tart in the scent. Sell a 1-oz sample of the soap. Whatever. heck, I am one of those people who would LOVE to buy your soap ends (and orphan tea candles). Label them up and offer a random 5 pack of .5-1 oz ends for the same price as a 4oz bar. I may not love all of them, but if I like one, it will have been worth my cost, and may net you a bar purchase or 4....you weren't going to do much with those random bar ends anyway, were you?****
Things I like receiving that I MIGHT make a follow up purchase from:
body scrubs - EVERYONE seems to make these. NO ONE includes directions for using them. Also, rubbing sugar on my body seems weird, especially if I don't fell like I am using it right. Aren't I just asking for bugs that are attracted to sugar water? I did end up buying a huge lot of whipped soap for one family member who I gave a sample to, and she went ballistic over, though.
Pet foods/treats - If a friend of mine with dogs likes the sample I give her, I give her the name of the company and/or buy her some for the holidays. I have 3 cats, so I use the kitty treats and toys. If my cats love them, expect to hear from me over the holidays.
lotions - Again, everyone seems to make them. I have very oily skin and live in land of humidity, so I don't use a lot of lotion. A lot of handmade lotions also tend to be very rich and heavy. Unless you do lotion well, be careful about the lotion being your only exposure to a consumer. It takes me a LONG time to get through that little sample jar, even of the whipped stuff, whereas I will blow through your soap in a week. Since I get 2-3 lotions a month, I tend to give these away a lot, too. An exception to this is if you either have those sealed little packets or those tiny twisty jars that are great for taking with you on a plane and only last about a week, or if you send me a coordinating scented sample with a purchase. Again, INGREDIENTS ARE IMPORTANT.
makeup - this includes lip balm. If the make up is good quality and doesn't bother my skin, I might be back, especially if you offer colors/flavors that I haven't seen elsewhere, or if your prices are great. Lip balm is a favorite stocking stuffer for me, and I love flavors that are fun and tasty with balms in creative packaging/labeling that are sturdy. Remember, LIST YOUR INGREDIENTS!!! I am very allergic to artificial sweeteners. I know others who are allergic to other things. ANYTHING that goes on my body, I need to know what's in it.
food/candy - if it's awesome, I will be back. (AGAIN, ingredients are VERY IMPORTANT. I cannot repeat myself or stress this enough)
crocheted items - if you are selling something I need or thing a friend will like, I will appreciate a sample. If it is something a little bit different or creative, I will remember thee xtra time you put into your sample, and it will stand out. Make sure your sample is WELL MADE!! If it falls apart when I wash my face with it, or the colors bleed onto my laundry, face, or countertop, I will not be buying your washcloth set for my friend who is getting married or baby sweater for my other pal's new baby.
sewn items - again, it had better be great quality. If I have a need for something you make, I will remember you and check out your site.
Pens - I know, nobody makes pens, but if you make some sort of item that sending a sample isn't really the most feasible idea, a pen with your website URL, business name and a brief description of what you do is a great idea. I keep the pens and use them. If I am using your pen and look at your business name, and it is for something I might want to get for someone (or myself), there you are right in front of me. I especially love free pens with purchases.
Things (Not already listed above) that I have given to others that have led to sales:
Cards - I am not a card person (I buy Christmas cards 2 boxes for a dollar). Some of my friends and family are. I always make sure if I get a card in a sampler, and give it to someone, where I got the card from is available to them. Many of them have turned around and purchased.
magnets - my fridge is stainless steel and not magnetic. I have given magnets as little gifts and on the tops of gifts as a little topper. At times this has led to turn around sales.
calendars - same as with magnets.
bookmarks - I love to read, but I am again the type to mark my place with a business card. You send a free bookmark sample, I will use it and love it. If someone sees it, I will tell them where I got it.
Keychains - Keychains are a great thing to use to put together a gift, and aree awesome as a sample that coordinates with a purchase. Unfortunately, how many keychains does one need? I usually end up using them in gift packaging.
Things I love to receive in sampler packs that almost NEVER lead to a follow up purchase...though if you include them as a supplement to a purchase I have already made, I will remember you and put you higher on my list for return business:
Jewelry of any type - Jewelry is just too personal a thing, and the samples are always nice, but nothing to make me feel compelled to buy from YOU and not someone else. Also, you just gave me a piece of jewelry, now I don't need one of those. True, if I get a sample from you, I might check out your site when I wouldn't have otherwise, but the likelihood that I will buy from you is very low. If you include a free little pair of earrings or something with a necklace I just bought from you, however, I will DEFINITELY remember you and return if I have a need for another piece.
recycled paper notebooks and/or envelopes - Again, I am not a card person. Most of the little notebooks are too little to really use, and crush easily in my purse. If you make larger, more functional journals, please make it clear in your packaging, (though I rarely buy those either). I basically give those little notebooks to my 6 year old to shut her up when she whines that everything in the mail is for me.
insignificant discounts - a little card with 5% off expiring next month, at best will become a bookmark. 5% off will not drive me to check out your site. 20% plus will. Also, time constraints are tough. I understand the need for them, but allow a few months, especially if I am giving these as a gift to someone who might then wish to make a full-fledged purchase.
Anything that I cannot figure out what it is, how to use it, or what it is for - I think this is pretty self explanatory.
Things that, if you include them in your packaging, I will specifically NOT buy from you again. EVER.:
-religious propaganda
-political propaganda
-lifestyle propaganda
-feedback threats
-why _____________ is wrong/evil/a bad idea
-why _______________ is smarter/better/more ethical
-pretty much anything that is not either a "thank you" note, a receipt, a catalog or list of your goods, a business card, a discount card, and/or a free sample.
Thank you all of you wonderful people who make items. Artisan, crafter, whatever you wish to call yourself, thank you. I have received some of the most fabulous items ever from small independent artists. Please keep up the great work. And thank you so very much for that little gift and/or thank you note. it is ALWAYS appreciated.
Ok, I will edit soon. Please forgive the rambling, redundancy, and tangents.
First some info about me: I buy at least one Little Black box every month (If there are a lot of people in the box, I will double up for a bigger cross section, especially around the holidays). I also shop etsy for sampler packs from sellers I find interesting. The category of things I most frequently buy from the samples is bath and body items.
If you send me a free sample of something else yo make with a purchase I already made from you, I will be more likely to return to you for future purchases. If I get a sample I don't like/won't use, I usually put it into a little gift basket I put together for hostess gifts/teacher gifts/last minute gifts, etc.
I have used samples to direct my purchases (or dissuade me from purchasing) many times. Though I do not have a lot of extra income, I do like to pamper myself with handmade items, and whenever possible, prefer to purchase handmade items.
An important piece of advice on samplers: Make sure your item is clearly and securely labeled who it is from. It's always annoying to have to connect business cards with products. If your item is well and clearly labeled with your business, website, and product line, I will be more likely to choose your website of the many I have to choose from to look at first for whatever it is I am looking for.
The biggest place I go to to discover new handmade sellers is Etsy. the next place is eBay. I am not a fan of Artfire, though I am trying. If you supply a sample and you only have a personal website, make sure it is labelled as such, so I can go check it out.
Ok, let's get to it. This will be rough for a while while I just get my thoughts down....
the things I love to get free/cheap and that will almost certainly lead to my making a larger purchase if I love them and they meet my requirements, and why:
Soap - I love handmade soap. It tends not to dry my skin out, and sample sizes are usually the perfect size to use before I get sick of the scent. Offering a lot of samples for sale is a great idea if you sell soaps, because I like to see how a soap goes before committing to a whole bar. Make the sample a decent size, enough for about a weeks worth of washes, so I can get a good idea of how it washes, and if you are providing one sample, please provide a popular scent. If it smells nasty, I will never use the soap. Also (and this is VERY IMPORTANT), include an ingredient list, including the scents you used. I have family and friends who are allergic to nuts, pine, certain herbs, etc. You don't need to tell me the amounts, but would you rather tell me what scents you used and get a customer, or have your soap hit a trash can because I can't know whether or not using it would require an epi pen?
incense - I know this is not a common item to offer in a sample, but if your incense burns clean and maintains the smell it is supposed to, I'll love you. If you make incense, toss a stick or cone into a box with a purchase. I recently had a store do this for me with my permission. I was back the NEXT DAY buying a 20 pack of that incense.
tea - I am a huge tea drinker. EVERY free tea sample I have gotten, except for one has led to a large follow up purchase by me. Again, please say what herbs/spices are in the tea.
perfume - a small one ounce sample using a non-nut oil or alcohol base is best. If it smells good and wears well, expect an order from me....it may be a while if I am using a perishable perfume I need to finish up, but you will hear from me. If it is a scent I do not like, I will gft it to someone I think WILL like it, and if she likes it, she will likely want more.
bath salts - It is so hard to find good hand made bath salts, so if you make them, let us know! Same suggestions as with soap regarding ingredients.
candles (with wicks) - I not only burn a lot of candles, I give a lot of them as gifts. Not everyone likes and/or uses wickless candles, and I got tired of having to explain to people how to use them (they can also be very messy if you only burn them for a short while). I tend to stick with traditional candles, but if you make both, I understand the wickless or tartlet samples, just let people know in your insert/card both how to use them appropriately and that you do wick-ed candles, too.
shampoo/conditioner - Do you know how hard it is to find good quality, handmade hair products? If it works well with my limp, baby fine, super oily hair, I will love you forever.
**A word of advice on bath and body product scents: it makes me and many people I know nervous to use/wear food (Especially chocolate and/or sweets) scented products. I constantly worry I will attract bees, wasps, and/or mosquitoes,a nd that the soaps near the sinks will attract bugs into the house. Chocolate makes me the most nervous. I find I don't even wear Aquolina Pink Sugar because of this. Normally, I would blame my own paranoia, but talking to some other women I know, I find I am not alone in this fear.***
**another word of advice: It's impossible to smell over the internet. I know, duh, but I can't really go by "OOOOh, this smells so decadent" or whatever your description. describe the undertones of the scent, and maybe some of the major things it smells like ("lemony with a hint of amber"). Even better: offer a low-cost sample, if feasible. Sell one tea candle or one soy tart in the scent. Sell a 1-oz sample of the soap. Whatever. heck, I am one of those people who would LOVE to buy your soap ends (and orphan tea candles). Label them up and offer a random 5 pack of .5-1 oz ends for the same price as a 4oz bar. I may not love all of them, but if I like one, it will have been worth my cost, and may net you a bar purchase or 4....you weren't going to do much with those random bar ends anyway, were you?****
Things I like receiving that I MIGHT make a follow up purchase from:
body scrubs - EVERYONE seems to make these. NO ONE includes directions for using them. Also, rubbing sugar on my body seems weird, especially if I don't fell like I am using it right. Aren't I just asking for bugs that are attracted to sugar water? I did end up buying a huge lot of whipped soap for one family member who I gave a sample to, and she went ballistic over, though.
Pet foods/treats - If a friend of mine with dogs likes the sample I give her, I give her the name of the company and/or buy her some for the holidays. I have 3 cats, so I use the kitty treats and toys. If my cats love them, expect to hear from me over the holidays.
lotions - Again, everyone seems to make them. I have very oily skin and live in land of humidity, so I don't use a lot of lotion. A lot of handmade lotions also tend to be very rich and heavy. Unless you do lotion well, be careful about the lotion being your only exposure to a consumer. It takes me a LONG time to get through that little sample jar, even of the whipped stuff, whereas I will blow through your soap in a week. Since I get 2-3 lotions a month, I tend to give these away a lot, too. An exception to this is if you either have those sealed little packets or those tiny twisty jars that are great for taking with you on a plane and only last about a week, or if you send me a coordinating scented sample with a purchase. Again, INGREDIENTS ARE IMPORTANT.
makeup - this includes lip balm. If the make up is good quality and doesn't bother my skin, I might be back, especially if you offer colors/flavors that I haven't seen elsewhere, or if your prices are great. Lip balm is a favorite stocking stuffer for me, and I love flavors that are fun and tasty with balms in creative packaging/labeling that are sturdy. Remember, LIST YOUR INGREDIENTS!!! I am very allergic to artificial sweeteners. I know others who are allergic to other things. ANYTHING that goes on my body, I need to know what's in it.
food/candy - if it's awesome, I will be back. (AGAIN, ingredients are VERY IMPORTANT. I cannot repeat myself or stress this enough)
crocheted items - if you are selling something I need or thing a friend will like, I will appreciate a sample. If it is something a little bit different or creative, I will remember thee xtra time you put into your sample, and it will stand out. Make sure your sample is WELL MADE!! If it falls apart when I wash my face with it, or the colors bleed onto my laundry, face, or countertop, I will not be buying your washcloth set for my friend who is getting married or baby sweater for my other pal's new baby.
sewn items - again, it had better be great quality. If I have a need for something you make, I will remember you and check out your site.
Pens - I know, nobody makes pens, but if you make some sort of item that sending a sample isn't really the most feasible idea, a pen with your website URL, business name and a brief description of what you do is a great idea. I keep the pens and use them. If I am using your pen and look at your business name, and it is for something I might want to get for someone (or myself), there you are right in front of me. I especially love free pens with purchases.
Things (Not already listed above) that I have given to others that have led to sales:
Cards - I am not a card person (I buy Christmas cards 2 boxes for a dollar). Some of my friends and family are. I always make sure if I get a card in a sampler, and give it to someone, where I got the card from is available to them. Many of them have turned around and purchased.
magnets - my fridge is stainless steel and not magnetic. I have given magnets as little gifts and on the tops of gifts as a little topper. At times this has led to turn around sales.
calendars - same as with magnets.
bookmarks - I love to read, but I am again the type to mark my place with a business card. You send a free bookmark sample, I will use it and love it. If someone sees it, I will tell them where I got it.
Keychains - Keychains are a great thing to use to put together a gift, and aree awesome as a sample that coordinates with a purchase. Unfortunately, how many keychains does one need? I usually end up using them in gift packaging.
Things I love to receive in sampler packs that almost NEVER lead to a follow up purchase...though if you include them as a supplement to a purchase I have already made, I will remember you and put you higher on my list for return business:
Jewelry of any type - Jewelry is just too personal a thing, and the samples are always nice, but nothing to make me feel compelled to buy from YOU and not someone else. Also, you just gave me a piece of jewelry, now I don't need one of those. True, if I get a sample from you, I might check out your site when I wouldn't have otherwise, but the likelihood that I will buy from you is very low. If you include a free little pair of earrings or something with a necklace I just bought from you, however, I will DEFINITELY remember you and return if I have a need for another piece.
recycled paper notebooks and/or envelopes - Again, I am not a card person. Most of the little notebooks are too little to really use, and crush easily in my purse. If you make larger, more functional journals, please make it clear in your packaging, (though I rarely buy those either). I basically give those little notebooks to my 6 year old to shut her up when she whines that everything in the mail is for me.
insignificant discounts - a little card with 5% off expiring next month, at best will become a bookmark. 5% off will not drive me to check out your site. 20% plus will. Also, time constraints are tough. I understand the need for them, but allow a few months, especially if I am giving these as a gift to someone who might then wish to make a full-fledged purchase.
Anything that I cannot figure out what it is, how to use it, or what it is for - I think this is pretty self explanatory.
Things that, if you include them in your packaging, I will specifically NOT buy from you again. EVER.:
-religious propaganda
-political propaganda
-lifestyle propaganda
-feedback threats
-why _____________ is wrong/evil/a bad idea
-why _______________ is smarter/better/more ethical
-pretty much anything that is not either a "thank you" note, a receipt, a catalog or list of your goods, a business card, a discount card, and/or a free sample.
In case you were wondering, YES, I do have a "black list"
Finally, a thank you:Thank you all of you wonderful people who make items. Artisan, crafter, whatever you wish to call yourself, thank you. I have received some of the most fabulous items ever from small independent artists. Please keep up the great work. And thank you so very much for that little gift and/or thank you note. it is ALWAYS appreciated.
Ok, I will edit soon. Please forgive the rambling, redundancy, and tangents.
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