Give out some free samples
The Wegmans by my apartment was giving out some free samples yesterday. When you know you have a quality product, giving out small quantities of your product, especially when it is relatively inexpensive to do so; is a sound business practice. It makes selling a multi-sensory experience. When a company decides to run a sample promotion, they’ve set aside a certain amount of that product and say “this is what I’m willing to lose in order to raise awareness to the quality of our product”. I think we need to take the same approach to our social lives. What are you willing to risk to convey your value?
These companies are playing the long game on spreading brand awareness. There are factors to why a free sample may not lead to an immediate sale that are outside the company’s control. I didn’t buy the full size item because I’m about to be out of town for a week, so I was only going to the store to buy a specific item. Even though I liked the product I sampled. Under different circumstances, I would have made an immediate purchase. Which makes me wonder how often I think too short sighted and operate under incorrect assumptions based on incomplete information. How often do we make a gesture, not get the result we want, and we stop giving out samples?
Maybe you extend an invitation for someone to get to know you and they reject the five minute version of you. Let me be clear, if they’ve only known you for five minutes; that’s all they can even reject. They don’t know how complex and articulate of a human you are. You never got the opportunity to showcase your depth, so the rejection was only surface level. Don’t treat it as anything, but a surface level rejection. Don’t add to the story. Instead, change the narrative of what’s happened. It’s a story of your bravery in extending kindness to those around you. The results are irrelevant. You’re exercising your social muscles and you got some reps in. That’s a win. The more you do it, the more comfortable you are in initiating dialogue. So, regardless of the outcome of that conversation, it’s a story of you leveling up your social skills. Never stop giving away samples of your kindness. The world needs more of it.
— Jim