When I was a child growing up in Pennsylvania, we had a Baskin Robbins ice-cream parlor close to our home. The chain’s policy was that you could sample the flavors to your heart’s content. Unlimited, no questions asked. Okay I’ll admit that kids, myself included of course, went a little bit overboard; oftentimes I would have so many samples of their 31 flavors that by the time I finished tasting them all, I was so filled up I didn’t need to order. More than twenty-five years later, the policy of this ice-cream chain still influences me:
Ever since I began this writing business of mine, I have held firmly to a single principle more than any other. Quite simply, I refuse to talk money or accept a client until he or she is satisfied with an initial sample.
To each and every customer I explain something about writing: each and every writer has a different style, a different approach, different ways of expressing things and different attitudes and emotions which he or she, either consciously or unconsciously, injects into writing. I believe that the time to discover that my writing does or does not not fit a prospective client’s expectations is sooner rather than later, thus the sample. I’ll take the risk of making a bad pun here, but true to the expression, quite literally, it’s seeing if we’re "on the same page."
If the piece in question is a CV or corporate bio, I am more than happy to produce a paragraph or two "on the house." If it is website content, again, I’ll be more than happy to provide several paragraphs. If the work is longer, such as a manuscript which needs to be edited, I’ve been known to present a page or two as a sample.
Upon presentation of the sample, I typically tell the prospective client that I will await instructions on whether or not to continue. "Take your time and get back to me either way," I say. And if the client has not already visited my website, I direct them to the "Pricing/Getting Started" page, where the following words can be found: "A free no-obligation sample of your work is available by request. Yonatan will provide you with a paragraph, several paragraphs, or even a page of your project. If you are satisfied and wish to hire him, simply say, "Nice work Yoni, please continue." If, for some reason, you are dissatisfied, simply say, "Thanks for the sample Yoni, however, I choose to take my business elsewhere." Should the former be the response, I will work my heart out to present work of the highest quality and level of craftsmanship. Should the latter be the response, I will hold no grudges nor will I bear any ill-will, nor will I request even a single shekel for the work I have done. That is my guarantee.
I have had clients specifically approach me for business after reading this clause on my website with one in particular stating, "Why should I go to someone else and take a chance when with your sample I will see exactly what I’m getting." It’s proven not only to be a principle to live by, but also a very effective marketing tool!
There are parallels in the business-world as there are in life. Most ice-cream parlors have little "sample spoons" for prospective customers; they offer tastes of the various flavors before a customer has the option of choosing, or even leaving to go elsewhere. Car dealerships offer a test-drive before a commitment is made. Lawyers offer free consultations. I’m told some coaches do as well. And of course no one is expected to decide whether or not to marry someone else before first going out on dates.
If you offer no-obligation samples, you have probably discovered what a great tool it can be for attracting prospective clients and showing them your capabilities up-front. If you have not tried offering samples, and you feel that your business might need a little "umph" from a marketing standpoint, why not give it a try?
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Dear Reader,
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It is my sincere hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. If so, perhaps you would be interested in reading my most recent article. In it you will find out why a portfolio and testimonials are indispensable tools to landing your next job or client:
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