No offence to any other industries, but pharmacies probably throw the best work Christmas parties!
And what’s their secret weapon? The tasty food? The seriously killer DJ who just keeps playing my jams.
No. Their secret weapon…a very generous goodie bag.
Seriously, remember how every party you used to go to as a child you received a ‘Party Bag’?
When did that stop? And why?
Anyway…back to the story. Last year, I got invited to a pharmacy client’s Christmas party Lovely night. Nice food. Great people.
And when I left I was given an amazing Party Bag with a whole bunch of amazing products.
Among the items inside was a tinted sunscreen I’d never heard of before. I gave it a try… and I’ve since bought it six times. Six. Times.
Let me reiterate that before this Free Sample I wasn’t someone who even “had a brand” of favourite sunscreen.
Now I’m writing a blog about it. I’m ride or die Sun Bum Mineral Tinted Sunscreen.
That’s the power of a Free Sample. Not a gimmick. Not something for tyre kickers. Just a low-risk way to try something new — and realise you love it.
And as I rubbed the hydrating, yet non-shiny cream onto my skin I was reminded of something.
Man, this stuff glides on like butter, acts as a lightweight primer, and leaves a matte finish…
Sorry…I mean I was reminded of something that is super relevant to all the service industry clients that I have.
Something that I think we forget too easily in service businesses: people are hesitant to buy what they don’t understand. If you want them to trust you, give them a way to experience what you’re like before they commit.
Not a product business? You still need a sample.
If you’re thinking, “That’s great Abi, but I don’t sell sunscreen,” hear me out.
Your sample just looks different.
Maybe it’s a killer case study. A great piece of content. A sneak peek behind the curtain. Something that lets people say, “Ah, now I get what you do — and why it works.”
You don’t need to give everything away. Just enough to build trust and reduce risk.
Try before you buy — without the awkward hard sell
When someone comes into your world — visits your website, reads your posts, watches your video — are they getting a sense of how you think? How you work? What it feels like to be your client?
Or are you expecting them to sign up for a call with no idea what’s coming?
The brands that feel easy to buy from are often the ones that make it easy to try first. That’s not by accident. It’s strategy.
The bottom line
Sometimes your best marketing move is to stop selling — and start showing.
Because a sample doesn’t just give people a reason to buy.
It gives them a reason to believe.
And as someone who now swears by a brand of sunscreen I previously didn’t even know existed… I can tell you, it works.