Marketing Buzz 08/03Giving out free samples to attract more business

Worth a Try
For years, cosmetic companies have used sampling as a way to buildtheir businesses. But have you ever thought about stealing thistechnique from their makeup bag?

Don't be afraid to offer a free sample, even in the servicearena. Maureen Murphy, president ofDirectEffectz, adirect-marketing consulting firm in San Diego, offers a freemarketing audit. "It gives them a taste of what I can do forthem," she explains. And Monika Meszaros ofSweetReflections Inc., a custom-chocolate company in Carlsbad,California, distributes boxes of chocolates at networkingevents.