Why “Try Before You Buy” Can Be A Genius Way To Acquire Paid Customers

"Try before you buy" has emerged as a powerful strategy for businesses seeking to transform strangers into paid customers. Thanks to abundant choices out there, decision-making has become a difficult thing to do for the people hunting for real value. To us, we believe this “try before you buy” tactic can be an effective way to overcome the challenge—allowing potential customers to experience a product or service firsthand before committing to a purchase. This approach minimises perceived risk, fosters confidence, and ultimately encourages conversions. 

In our case, as a marketing advisory firm, our Experience It program allows businesses to experience our expertise and personalised approach before engaging our services for a full project. This not only allows them to assess the firm's capabilities but also provides the firm with an opportunity to understand the client's specific needs and tailor their services as early as possible before the actual engagement starts.

This somewhat demonstrates the confidence in the products or services offered, reducing the inherent risk aversion of consumers. This indirectly promotes trust and credibility, essential elements for building lasting customer relationships. Moreover, when customers experience the benefits of a product or service firsthand, they develop a deeper appreciation for its value proposition, making them more willing to pay. 

“Try before you buy” drives conversions better too. It allows businesses to overcome common objections by providing tangible evidence of a product's quality and suitability. Furthermore, when individuals use a product or service, even temporarily, they begin to feel a sense of ownership, strengthening their connection to the brand. This psychological phenomenon, known as the endowment effect, can significantly influence purchasing decisions. 

To implement this “try before you buy” program effectively, businesses must focus on creating a compelling trial experience. This involves offering a genuine representation of the product's value proposition and ensuring the trial process is easy and accessible. In other words, delivering the promises as per the expectation truly matters here. On top of that, providing excellent customer support during the trial period is also critical for addressing questions and guiding users, further solidifying their decision to purchase. Finally, running the follow-up communication is essential as well to nurture the conversion. 

Again in our experience with Experience It, the conversion rate can go up to 80 per cent. If you didn’t notice, software companies commonly offer ‘try before you buy’ in the form of free trials or freemium versions, allowing users to explore functionalities before committing to subscriptions. Streaming services like YouTube also use free trial periods to give viewers a taste of their content libraries. 

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