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96 DAYSPA | OCTOBER 2014 PROFIT CENTER Sampling Success Learn how to turn product samples into moneymaking ventures for your spa. By Kevin Mathews Who doesn't love a free gift? These days, it's fairly standard in the spa industry for clients to go home with a small product sample. In addition to serving as tokens of appreciation, these items also represent business savvy—so long as there is thought put be- hind the action. In fact, spas that pass out sample-size products as casually as supermarkets dole out cubes of cheese are missing the point. "Product trials drive brand awareness, engagement, retail purchases and loyalty," says Maritza Rodriguez, global VP of marketing & communications at Pevonia. "I would be so bold as to say that I think it's impossible to truly build a business' brand to a successful level without sampling." Rodriguez speaks from experience: she attributes the success of her company's new Stem Cells Phyto-Elite cream largely to the sampling efforts of its spa and sa- lon partners, who made a conscious push to get those samples into the hands of likely consumers as part of Pevonia's ongoing strategic marketing campaign. "Strategy" is the key word, and that means hav- ing a plan to dispense the right samples to the right people under the right circumstances. "When a com- pany samples excessively without a solid marketing plan, this is equivalent to posting its bank account in- formation online: it will be drained in minutes, if not seconds," asserts Rodriguez. Rose Fernandez, VP of sales for Jurlique North Amer- ica, is all for previewing a product before its offi cial re- lease, and shares that this is her favorite type of market- ing campaign. Why? Because it consistently works. The company recently sent out hundreds of advance sam- ples of its Triple Action Brightening Treatment Mask to spas and salons, and it created a buzz that has helped make the mask one of Jurlique's best sales performers. "We feel that the beauty of Jurlique is in experi- encing the product," explains Fernandez. "Sampling is one of our largest investments and we see great success with conversion from trial to purchase. Our sampling strategy is driven by our marketing focuses." HOW SPAS CASH IN It isn't just beauty companies that profi t from sampling: spas can boost their own bottom lines this way as well. © TURQUETI/GETTY