{"id":629,"date":"2017-03-16T15:09:42","date_gmt":"2017-03-16T15:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anatol.com\/2017\/03\/16\/providing-samples-for-your-customers-how-to-make-it-worth-your-effort\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T11:46:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T11:46:49","slug":"providing-samples-for-your-customers-how-to-make-it-worth-your-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anatol.com\/es\/providing-samples-for-your-customers-how-to-make-it-worth-your-effort\/","title":{"rendered":"Providing Samples for Your Customers: How to Make it Worth Your Effort"},"content":{"rendered":"
Samples can be a great way to show off your work! The key to making samples worth your effort is to have a planned approach to providing samples: Know your objective when you create samples, set limits on providing samples, make sure your customers know expectations regarding samples, put your best foot forward and know how you\u2019ll factor samples into your overall profit strategy.<\/p>\n
Before you print your samples, you have to have an objective for those samples. Are you printing samples for a customer who isn\u2019t sure which fabric they\u2019d like to use or wants to be sure that their graphic will turn out well? That\u2019s a fairly straightforward objective that can be completed by providing a few samples of your customer\u2019s desired screen print. Are you trying to lure new business by showcasing your work to local companies, clubs or events? Before you start printing, you have to consider what items they would be likely to order, which items best showcase your work and which products would reap the most profits for your shop.<\/p>\n
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Even we equipment manufacturers like to
\nshow off our samples every now and then!<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s a simple objective or a more complex one, you have to know your endgame for printing samples before you move forward to avoid wasting time and money by producing samples that won\u2019t lead to sales.<\/p>\n
Too often, screen printers who are eager to show their work overdo it on samples, making it difficult to profit off of the time and cost of producing those samples. Make sure you set clear limits for your customers and yourself to avoid this trap. Printing a shirt or two at a customer\u2019s request so they’re sure of their order quality is good customer service. When the customer starts requesting five or six samples, that\u2019s a costly proposition. Have a clear policy in place so customers know how many samples you will supply for free and what the charge is for providing additional samples. Similarly, have a policy in place for yourself, or your sales team, of how many samples you will create when trying to attract a new customer to avoid overspending.<\/p>\n
When you do provide samples to customers or potential customers, make sure they know your expectations. If you will be charging for samples, let them know the cost up front. If you will provide samples that can later be used to fill their exact order quantity, let them know how that process will work. If samples must be returned by a certain date to avoid a charge, have that date clearly established, and attach a written reminder to the sample order. If you’re providing samples to prospective clients, make sure they know whether those samples are gifts or whether you expect to have them returned if an order isn\u2019t placed.<\/p>\n