Ted Karkus of ProPhase Labs discusses value of sampling
NEW YORK — There’s no better way to drive trial of a product than placing that product in the consumer’s hands. Unless, of course, it’s a doctor placing that product in the consumer’s hands at the point of care, which is how Brandperx samples products. That’s better.
“We’re always looking for new ways to drive trial because we really believe in our product,” said Ted Karkus, CEO ProPhase Labs, who discussed the value of sampling in the first installment of the DSN Marketing Innovation Showcase. “At the end of the day if the consumer doesn’t try the product, they’re not going to buy the product,” he said. “Our sales have grown dramatically over the last three years, and Brandperx has been a significant portion of that.”
Brandperx delivers samples and educational material in heat-sealed bags to patients, right in the doctor’s office at the actual point of care. “Point of care is important to me for several reasons,” Karkus said. “The most important of which is the fact that consumers are coming in when they’re not feeling well. … Also, because it’s a doctor’s office that’s handing out the sample, you’re getting the implicit endorsement of the doctor, which is critical in this world of dietary supplements and over the counter drugs [where] there’s so much confusion.”
ProPhase Labs markets Cold-Eeze Cold Remedy and at one time provided samples of Cold-Eeze in a big jar, where consumers could grab three or four samples at a time. “When you think about the efficiency of sampling, it’s really important to figure out what it’s really costing you on a per sample per consumer basis,” Karkus said. “When you figure out the true cost on a per consumer basis, it’s actually much more efficient to sample through Brandperx.”
An additional benefit of working with Brandperx, Karkus noted, is that Brandperx actually educates the doctor and their office staff regarding a product before it’s sampled. “They don’t simply ship the product to the doctor’s office,” he said. That means that doctor’s office may recommend Cold-Eeze to their patients long after all of the samples are given out. “[That’s] an additional benefit compared to your traditional sampling methods,” he concluded.