以下是杰夫斯奈德，创始人和Inspira营销集团的首席启发官员的旅客帖子。
When the pandemic first hit the United States, shoppers prepared for lockdown by stockpiling their pantries with essentials, including nonperishable foods, paper products and cleaning supplies. In turn, supply shortages forced people to try products and brands outside of their usual picks; McKinsey & Co. research found that75% of consumers与替代品牌互动或探索的新杂货履行方法，如送货服务和路边拾取选项。尽管暂停了店内产品采样，但所有这些实验都发生了所有这些实验。
数字实现方法得到普及nd trips to the store became less frequent, brands had to adapt to the digital world to connect with consumers. Through virtual experiences and other online marketing tactics, brands sought to reach consumers where they were: on their screens. Those that adapted successfully became part of the$95.82 billion2020年在线杂货销售繁荣，由Emarketer识别。2021年，这个数字到达977亿美元，根据砖头的说法点击。
The growth of online grocery shopping throughout the pandemic reminded brands that it’s time to invest in online customer experiences. Behavioral trends are changing, so CPG professionals need to meet customers where they are.
Expanding audiences through positive consumer experiences
Online grocery shopping sales are expected to represent销售额的20.5％在未来五年内，根据Mercatus和InciSIV的报告。虽然人们将继续使用杂货送货服务，但在流行之前的数据，需求必将减少随着越来越多的人再次舒适地购物。在这个新的环境中，参与谁和在线观众是成功的关键。
品牌也需要记住，许多购物者今年正在努力省钱。尽管有明确的经济复苏迹象，但普华永道报道了大流行消费者is still price-conscious。Brands can’t count on consumers picking more expensive options just because they’re considered reliable. As a result, sampling will be necessary to introduce consumers to new products and alternative options.
According to research by SheSpeaks,92% of shoppers梅说积极的体验产品n reason they’d consider buying them. This experience can come in many forms, but sampling has always been an effective tool for food and beverage brands. Sampling drives a 57% increase in brand awareness, a 48% increase in purchase intent, and a 55% increase in recommendation intent, according to SheSpeaks. Just one question remains: How can food and beverage companies connect with customers via sampling in a post-pandemic world?
Sampling opportunities for today’s consumer
Before the pandemic, in-store shoppers experienced new food brands through sampling experiences in grocery aisles. This fun and fruitful way of piquing interest in products has been around for decades, but some consumers may be resistant to this method of experiential marketing in today’s environment. As a result, food and beverage brands need to rethink how sampling looks moving forward. Here are some potential opportunities:
Send free samples to people’s homes.According to a survey by Morning Consult,70% of respondentssaid they would be interested in signing up to receive free food and beverage samples by mail. And there’s no reason to stop at samples. During the pandemic, some brands sent out entire meal kits to consumers to prepare during a virtual cooking class. For example, meal delivery service Sunbasket gave away food gifts and offered free shipping so customers could try its products at no extra cost.
Pursue partnerships.展示产品的一种方法是通过与其他品牌合作，以证明他们在自然背景下的使用。例如，基于科罗拉多州的启动展位通过Airbnb和Vrbo主机连接品牌，将样品放在家中。品牌受益于HALO效果，它为使用样品的客人创造，同时在放松和度假模式时。形成这些联盟的公司可以获得洞察力into consumer behavior, how their products are perceived, and more.
这种策略不限于travel industry; the opportunities for partnerships are endless. For example, food and beverage brands looking to connect with fitness enthusiasts might consider partnering with a gym or a fitness studio to offer samples of sports drinks or protein bars.
拥抱体验营销。根据一个团结的人才学习，96％的消费者一旦被视为安全，计划返回现场活动。随着大流行相关的限制，全国各地宽松，运动，音乐会和节日等现场活动提供了创造采样努力的完美机会。
这类experiential marketing提供许多好处，包括参与和建立与消费者长期关系的机会。通过将产品与人们兴奋的现场活动相关联，品牌可以提高人们对这些产品的看法。
消费者渴望回到现场活动和他们在大流行前享受的经验，品牌将不得不准备送货。这包括通过独特的采样方法向客户推出新产品。
