5 tips to ramp up in-store shopping with Holiday "Sampling Saturdays"!
Sampling is a tried and true way to get customers in the door and buying more. Studies show repeated sampling events can multiply sales!*
1. Make a fun repeating event your customers can look forward to!
• Set up 2-5 sampling stations on the same day through the holidays, and launch your program with a name: such as “Sampling Saturdays” or “Tasting Tuesdays” or “Menu ideas Monday”.
• Make it a big deal: promote the event in newsletters, on social media, and in store so customers know when to come join the fun!
• Download our holiday sampling GIF HERE for your digital campaigns.
2. Save money on sampling by engaging brand owners in your dynamic program
• Make sampling cost-effective by enticing brands to host holiday sampling events in your stores via this promoted program.
• Hire spunky students to pass samples made in the deli.
• It’s a win-win-win: brands get visibility, your store gets customers, and shoppers get new ideas in their baskets!
3. Inspire your customers to impulse buy with menu ideas
• Give your customers the perfect idea for a simple dish to bring to that upcoming holiday event.
• Present a sample with a simple way to jazz up a holiday side dish recipe, such as: "Add cranberries to your stuffing or yams for an appetizing pop and hint of sweetness!"
• Display the other ingredients nearby or offer in-store coupons to encourage bigger baskets with impulse buys!
4. Create a fun, cozy, nostalgic vibe at your demo table so customers want to come back to your store for more
• Include props to help create good associations with the food, such as autumnal tablecloths, flower displays from your floral department, and themed props like bowls, trays, or oven mitts.
• Demo team can wear festive touches like a seasonal hat or headband, or an inexpensive, cheery holiday necklace or apron.
5. Earn customer loyalty by showing you care about sustainability
• Show off your sustainability focus by offering samples with compostable disposables.
• Use eco-friendly supplies such as toothpicks, EcoTaster compostable tasting utensils, and EcoTensil renewable and compostable fiber cups.
• Plate samples directly on an EcoTaster to save money and reduce waste by eliminating the cup.
• Print out a “COMPOST HERE” sign for your trash bin to further convey your sustainability efforts! You can even tape your sampling supplies to the sign to help customers and highlight your efforts.
*According to a study in the Journal of Retailing, the use of repeated sampling events can increase sales multiplicatively.
