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June 2, 2009 | dentalproductsreport.com
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Try before you buy

Many manufacturers offer samples of their products allowing you to make sure they deliver on promises and fit your practice before you make an investment.

by Noah Levine, Senior Editor

If you were about to make a major investment in your personal life such as buying a new house or car you’d be sure to tour the property and check the foundation, or kick the tires and take a test drive before signing anything. There’s no reason you should treat investments in your dental practice any differently.

Similar test drives are important before investing in major new technologies such as a cone beam system, or a laser, and the manufacturers are often happy to provide demonstrations at tradeshows or even in your practice. However, testing new products prior to purchase doesn’t need to be reserved for big-ticket technologies as many manufacturers of materials and instruments offer free samples of their products.

“Sampling an integral part of our sales and marketing strategy. In terms of communicating with our customers, that’s a key element of what we do,” said Steve Hardy, national sales manager for Ultradent Products Inc. “It’s a great opportunity to put the product in the hands of our customers. It gives them an opportunity to use the products, compare them to other products, and it really supports the claims we make about a particular product.”

Advantage for customers
Product samples have been a key part of Ultradent’s marketing strategy since the beginning when company founder Dr. Dan Fischer drew attention at tradeshows by drawing his own blood to demonstrate the efficacy of his Astringedent® hemostatic solution, said Ultradent Public Relations Manager Ida Baghoomian. Being so upfront about letting clinicians try their products helps Ultradent build confidence in the claims they make and trust in the company, Hardy added.

Samples have also been a key marketing strategy at Axis Dental, and the program has only grown since they began offering the samples through their Web site in 2008. While visiting the site, clinicians also can access technique guides and trial packs of the rotary instruments they offer. For Axis the sample program is about connecting directly with customers to make sure the tools they provide meet the needs of clinicians, said Marketing Manager Carrie Nelson.

“It’s not about giving the products for free, it’s about the relationships you develop with people,” she said.

In a similar effort to ensure customers have access to try its array of products, 3M ESPE makes a wide range of samples available at tradeshows, via the company’s Web site and on occasion through direct mail campaigns. Marketing & Professional Relations Operations Manager Keith Haig said the product samples programs at 3M have been operating in one form or another for at least 25 years, and they offer dental professionals valuable, no risk opportunities to, “learn about the latest product innovations in their own office.”

Advantage for manufacturers
Product sample programs do offer benefits both ways, and the companies providing them find the programs to be just as valuable as the doctors who receive the free goods. Because Axis sells their products through distributors, Director of Marketing Helith Sofer said the free samples through their Web site provide a direct connection to their customers. This creates a valuable line for feedback that can help shape the future direction of the company and its products.

“We have seen really high traffic when we have multiple samples on our Web site,” Sofer added.

For Ultradent the value of product samples is found in both the trust and the feedback the company receives from customers. This feedback opens a two-way line of communication with the company listening to the customers’ thoughts on how well the product performed and answering any questions about the product or its use that customers may have, Hardy said. Haig said the programs at 3M ESPE offer similar benefits to both customer and company.

“It is a Win:Win situation,” he said. “The dental professional is provided a valuable, no risk trial from a trusted and respected dental partner and in turn, 3M ESPE may gain new customers as well as potential insight for future product improvements.” 

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