New Trends, New Ideas
A new trend is beginning to emerge in today’s modern world, thanks to the Internet. This trend is beginning to show that people are beginning to write to companies for free products. Over the past few months, I have encountered “The 39 Dollar Experiment”, and other websites and blogs that tell us of their results in writing to companies. Thousands of people are reporting great results by writing to companies, and learn that you don’t have to participate in spammy surveys or websites to receive samples. You don’t have to spend one penny on writing to them either.
As outrageous as this may seem, results tell us that it really does work. You simply write a letter or email to a company’s customer service and they could possibly send you some samples. The chances of you receiving samples is relatively high, provided you know who to write to. I have written to many companies and some companies were pretty cross about me writing to them and refused rather bluntly but the rest sent free samples and full-sized products.
This kind of activity has always been kept a secret, only the lucky few knew that writing to companies for some free samples would get them results. I am here to expose the truths and how to best tackle the letter.
Based on the facts above, it is relatively easy to write to companies for free products. This guide will teach you how exactly to do so, how to write the email or letter, what companies to write to and the results to my experiment.
Why Do Companies Send Samples Anyway?
Most blogs and websites have reported that they have received the most free samples from cosmetics and makeup companies. Why is this?
Manufacturing samples and even full-sized cosmetics is relatively cheap for the company so they can easily afford to send samples to those that ask.
You may want to try out the latest product of theirs, but ask for a sample to ‘try before you buy’. If you like the sample, chances are you will probably buy the product afterwards and maybe recommend it to family and friends. This will boost profits for the company and generate more sales.
Cosmetic companies generally include samples of their latest products when you order online and purchase some items. These samples are stocked and ready to be shipped if someone writes to them asking to try out a couple of their products.
If you ever try writing to companies for free stuff, I would recommend writing to cosmetics/personal care companies because they are the most likely to send samples.
What Kind Of Products Can I Receive?
“What’s in it for me?”, you may ask. “What can I receive?” Excellent question!
There is a huge variety of the kind of product samples you can receive depending on the company that you choose to write to. In the personal care area, you can write to so many companies wherever they lie on the spectrum.
Sometimes, companies may like your letter or email so much that they may even send you full-sized products, not just small 5ml pouches. It really depends, I have been sent full-sized products many times before. DermOrganic sent me “samples” when they were actually, 50 ml bottles.
Here are some of the products you can potentially receive by doing the method that will be taught in this guide.
How To Begin?
The easiest and best way to receive free samples from companies is to write to them. You will find it surprisingly easy to do so because companies are very willing to send out samples. There is no need to fill out dodgy surveys or questionnaires, which usually amount to nothing and should be avoided. Here is a step by step overview to how to do so.
Get your list of companies and addresses
Write out your email/letter
Send it and receive!
1. Who To Write To
The first part of the writing and receiving process is to decide who to write to. There are literally hundreds of companies across the world that could potentially send you samples so don’t feel limited. I have written to about 15 companies and I will be mentioning here who sent me free samples and who didn’t, so you know that they may or may not send samples.
To get inspiration, take a look at some cosmetics or personal care products in your home. Or, take some ideas from this hub here. Some companies I recommend writing to are;
Carmex – Known to send samples in the U.S
Burts Bees – Can send samples in the U.S
DermOrganic – Send lots of samples
REN – Send samples
Juara – Can send samples sometimes
Once you have an idea of some of the companies you would like to write to, it is time to search for those address. The best way to do so is to enter their website, click on the “Contact Us” or “Help” or “About Us” links at the bottom or top of the page that usually contain all the details you need. Some companies may only have their email, others may have their address and some require you to fill out a form if you want to get in contact with customer service. Make sure to choose the correct email, some companies have different emails for different departments, eg: Tech Support.
2. Write An Email/Letter
The essential part of the process is to write an excellent letter which will make the company think, “Wow!” and send you free samples. It sounds difficult and can be if you don’t have any template. Here is a template to writing an email or letter to the company of your choice. I believe in giving compliments to the company and then, asking for some free samples. That method usually works a lot better than the complaint route (unless you have a legit complaint with proof of purchase).
Dear Sir/Madam, – A polite and formal greeting works best.
Introduction – Say that you are writing to tell them what a great range of products they have. Give many compliments about their company, from how their products always work wonders on your skin to how their products deliver each time. I bet you love using one of their products whether it is your favourite cleanser or eye shadow so now is your chance to tell them what you think. They really do value our (the consumers) opinions. Tell them how much you enjoy using their products.
Personal Experience – Add a short experience that you had with their cosmetics. It could be how glossy your hair is after using their shampoo or how their skin cream cleared up the dry skin on your hand. This adds more reality and personality to the letter.
Ask for samples – Do not say it bluntly, it does not work. Mention that your hairdresser recommended their shampoo range or that you want to “try before you buy” and see which work best on you.
Skin Type – Some skincare companies require you to tell them your skin type/condition so they know which samples to send.
Address – Tell them your address.
Gratitude – Say thank you for taking the time to read your letter and that you would be so grateful if they send you samples. Say that you are looking forward to their response.
Sign off with; “Yours faithfully”, “Kind Regards” or “Best Wishes”.
Phrases To Stick In
If you are feeling a little stuck on what to write, here are some phrases you can use in each of the sections. You can alter the phrases by filling in the blanks or changing the words according to the product you are talking about.
Introduction:
I am writing to say how much I adore your skincare/makeup products.
I believe that … are the creators of the finest hair/skin products in the world.
I am such a fan of your company!
It is nice to know that your products will always deliver every time.
My personal favourite is the … which is my saviour! Thanks to this amazing product, my skin glows so radiantly!
I like the way that your company combines natural botanicals with science to create a truly powerful yet organic and natural product.
Personal Experience:
My friends and family always say how soft my hair is when I use your shampoo!
My skin is usually dull and dry but after using your cleanser, it regains its youthful self!
I use … every day. Without it, I could not survive!
Asking For Samples:
My hairdresser recently recommended that I should try out your shampoo range because it works most effectively with my hair type. I would love to try some of the hair products in your range, just to try before I buy. Thank you!
I would love to sample some of your other products.
I would like to try out some of your products just to see which work best on my skin/hair.
Sample Email
Here is a sample email to a fictional skincare company. You can use this template for any personal care company you write to, but make sure to change the parts accordingly.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a dedicated fan of your company because I love the way that you combine such pure techniques with science to create such wonderful skin care products! I absolutely adore your products because they always deliver what I need, whether it is to give my skin more vitality or to cleanse. Each product always delivers, I value your experience in creating such stunning products each and every time.
I was recently recommended by a friend to try out some of your bath products and some of your skincare products. I would love to try some products out before I buy and see which work best on me and which I love using.
Could you please send me some samples of some of your products in the skin care or bath products ranges? I would be so grateful if you could. I would be very happy with any samples at all. My address is … Thank you! I am looking forward to trying them out!
Yours faithfully,
Your Name.
3. Send It Off
The final step to complete is to send your letter or email to the company of your choice. Make sure to send it to the correct address and department. Emails or letters that are sent to the wrong department in customer service are more likely to be discarded than sent to the relevant department.
I would recommend that you wait for a couple of days for a response via email up to two weeks for your samples to be posted in the mail. Sometimes, it can take up to two months for any response at all so be patient. I usually give up waiting after a week, but it really varies on the company.
What To Expect?
The majority would send free samples, since beauty and personal care have the most samples to give away and you are the most likely to be sent samples. A positive and well-written letter is the key to success. For an approximate number, I would say that 1 in 2 beauty cosmetics will send samples. Perfume companies usually always send sample of their perfumes. Try Lacoste, Boss and other perfumeries as they usually have plenty of samples to give away.
An Experiment
Just to show and prove that this method actually works, I followed in the footsteps of the 39 Dollar Experiment and write to a few companies. I will showcase my results on what I received, complete with photos of all the samples.
DermOrganic: Talk about fantastic customer service! I wrote an email to them and after two hours, they replied immaediately and said they would send samples. They were also pretty happy about my compliments too. A few days later, I received samples from them including products from their hair care range and skin care range plus a coupon. Nice!
Further Reading
Are you interested in writing to companies for free samples but want to know more? Here are the top sources of information that I recommend you to read if you want more information and tips on this topic.
The 39 Dollar Experiment – Tom Locke conducts a famous experiment in which he writes to 100 companies asking them for free stuff. He pays $39 for stamps (of course, you could use email) and sends them off. His website details who he wrote to, what he said and his results. This is a great reference for anyone who wants to write to food companies, or any other for that matter that would like to receive free products.
How To Get Free Stuff and Products From Companies – In this article, I outline in-depth how to write to virtually any company, be it a food company to a tech company. Every step of the way will be detailed and I write to more companies. Sample letters are included.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this guide and that it will encourage you to try it too. Just try for yourself and see what results you can reap.
I appreciate any comments or questions on this hub, thank you for reading!