.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Last week, we started a conversation about building and maintaining a pipeline to bring in new clients. Having a new-business system is a sign of a healthy and forward-thinking company. Let’s keep that discussion going by looking at giving away what you normally sell.

Outlandish? Outrageous?

Maybe.

Effective? Definitely.

It’s really no different than the scene in most grocery stores every Saturday. You walk up and down the aisles and eat. The logic is simple. People are more likely to buy something they know they’ll like. It doesn’t just apply to food. What do you sell that people could sample?

Could you offer a free seminar? Teach an adult-ed class? Bring samples to a day care or church? There are lots of ways to give people a taste.

McLellan Marketing Group’s weekly e-mail marketing tip is a good example. Every week, subscribers get a peek into how we think and work. They experience the kinds of insights and counsel we offer clients every day.

Here’s one of the big advantages of the sampling tactic. One of two things will happen: They’ll either love it or they won’t. If they love it, your cold prospect just warmed up. If they didn’t value it, you know without expending any more energy that they are not a good fit for your company. That’s an invaluable insight.

One of the keys to making this work is that you have to genuinely want to offer the sample. If you try to cheap out or give it grudgingly, your prospects and clients will spot that right away.

But do it with an open hand and heart, and they’ll flock to you. Who doesn’t want a new business tactic with that sort of result?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan