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Posts Tagged ‘freebies’

Go forth and get your free samples!

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

Free samplesIt seems like just yesterday that we’ve first written about free samples, when we told you how to search for freebies and samples online.

Many blog entries later and now we feel like we’re confident enough that you know enough to start collecting your free samples. Always remember the following tips:

  • Keep a follow up log of your freebies
  • Read up on freebie scams so you can avoid them, and never pay for a sample
  • Keep your antivirus up to date
  • Never give your information other than your name and address

Just keep these simple pointers in mind, and you’re on your way to becoming a professional freebie collector. You can also reread our old blog entries on free samples for more detailed information and tips on collecting freebies.

Even freebie scams can exist!

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Freebie scamsFreebie scams sound impossible; after all, how can you get scammed if you’re just asking for something a company is giving away for free, right? But freebie scams do exist, and if you’re not careful enough you might become a victim of it.

Fortunately, there is a way to spot these false and misleading offers. If the offer is too good to be true, then it probably is. You should check the fine print for offers such as this, because there you can find out what the catch is.

For example, you come across a company giving out a free laptop. Then you go read the terms and conditions and see that to get the “free” laptop, you need to give out personal information, complete a 20-30 minute survey, and then join their sponsored offers, which can cost you money (sometimes even for thousands of dollars!).

What’s worse is that in the end, the company will find a loophole, and you won’t be able to get the free computer. Additionally, with the company now holding your personal information, it’s going to be fairly easy for you to become the victim of identity theft.

It’s better to avoid freebie scams like this instead of taking chances, because you often lose more than you gain.

Have extra freebies and don’t know what to do with them? Here’s what you can do with those extra free samples.

Or read more about paid survey scams.

What do you do with extra free samples?

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Free samplesIf you’ve been following our blog closely and practicing our tips then you should have a nice stash of free samples by now. Some of these samples you can use, some you can save for when you need them in the future. But occasionally you’d find those samples with expiry dates too soon for you to use them all, if you even find a use for them at all. What do you do with these free samples you can’t use?

Donate them to those who need them more
You can always donate unused samples to shelters or food banks. They’re not only appreciative of food but also of personal hygiene products such as soaps and razors, and household cleaning products. Just remember to check the expiry dates! You don’t want to send them stuff they can’t use, after all.Occasionally you may get a sample of a product you know you won’t use. What do you do then? If the product is a food or beverage you could donate it to a local shelter of food bank.

Gift to a friend or family member
You can also request for samples you don’t need, such as baby items if you don’t have a kid or dog food if you don’t have a dog. That way, when you have somewhere to go to, such as a baby shower, you can use your freebies for baby as a gift.

These are only two of the things you can do with your spare free samples. Samples are free, anyway, so there’s nothing for you to lose.

Lost track of how many samples you’ve requested? Make a follow up log to keep yourself organized. If you then find that there’s something missing you can always follow up samples.

Keeping a follow up log for your freebies

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

Follow up logA follow up log for freebies can really come in handy. With the follow up log, you’re able to notice missing samples and thus be able to follow up samples by email or phone.

When making a log, make sure that you document correspondences and any follow-ups made. Also remember to jot down the date you called, emailed, or contacted the company, as well as the response they gave you. You might not know it but many companies will go out of their way to make you happy because this is their way of keeping a customer. Don’t always expect this from all companies, though, as you’ll sometimes get a company who won’t be offering you anything to replace or exchange your lost sample.

Even then, don’t be discouraged easily; always remember that even if one company doesn’t give you anything for a lost sample, there are tons of other companies that are willing and would love to send you some free stuff. In these cases, you can either include the follow up information in on your original spreadsheet, or create a new follow up log entirely for this.

Follow up samples by email, phone

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

Follow up samplesMissing samples? You can follow up samples that haven’t gotten to you just yet by email or by phone.

If you want to follow up samples by phone, but don’t know what to say exactly, you can use the following script:

“On (insert date) I requested a sample through your website. I was supposed to receive(insert the sample), but I haven’t received it yet.”

If you’re looking for a sample email template for following up on samples, you can base your email on this:

To Whom It May Concern,

On (insert date) I filled out a sample request at (insert website address) for a (insert thesample here). As of (today’s date) I have not received my sample, and I wish to check the status. Thank you for any assistance you can offer.

Your Name Here
Your Address
Your Address Continued
The email address you used when requesting the sample

Remember that it’s always important to stay calm and be polite when speaking to a representative over the phone. It’s not the fault of the representative that your sample didn’t arrive, plus the nicer you are, the more they would want to help you. No one’s inclined to help a disrespectful customer, after all. If you’re lucky, the representative can say that the samples haven’t been shipped yet, or that they can send a replacement, or maybe even coupons. Of course, it’s your choice to accept the coupon or not, but isn’t it better to receive something than nothing at all? However, if the company has already run out of samples, there’s little the representative can do. Don’t get mad at them because of this! It’s always important to learn how to follow up samples properly.

On the case of the missing samples

Saturday, April 23rd, 2011

Missing samplesIn freebie hunting, we can’t avoid the random missing samples. Sometimes, a sample will never arrive. But what do you do when faced with missing samples?

Remember that on average, free samples take 2-6 weeks before they arrive. If the freebie is from overseas, meanwhile, it can take anywhere from 2-4 months before it arrives at your doorstep. What’s important for all freebies is to be patient and wait. But what if you have been patient, and it still has yet to arrive? What did you do wrong?

It’s not about you, really. There are some reasons a sample may not arrive, which include:

  • A mail mess up.
  • A company running out of samples.
  • Samples being backordered.
  • Incomplete sample request.
  • Computer glitch.

Communication is the key here: you can contact the company by phone, email, or letter. When contacting them, remember to let them know when you requested the sample, what sample you requested, and ask for the status of your sample. If you’ve made a log for your samples, then it should be relatively easy to find this information.

Visit our blog again next week for more in-depth articles about writing to the companies about the missing samples.

Interested in getting freebies? You can either get freebies and samples online or acquire freebies from companies directly.

Creative social network: a freebie goldmine

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

Creative social networkThe many different uses of social networks has created a more creative social network interaction for everyone. This creative social network has also opened up new ways for getting the word around about different freebies.

If you’re on the way to becoming a more serious freebie hunter, you’d definitely need both a Facebook and Twitter account! Hundreds of companies are offering free samples, gifts, and vouchers when you “Become a Fan” on Facebook. Meanwhile, with Twitter and it’s real-time updating, you can be the first to know about new samples and freebies. If you don’t have an account, sign up for one now! Both sites are really easy to join and, best of all, are free for everyone!

But what do I do after getting an account?

First off, check each of your favorite companies to see if they have a Facebook page and/or Twitter account. You can usually see this as soon as you enter their site, at the footer, or at the contact page. When you find their account, remember to “Like” their page on Facebook or “Follow” them on Twitter. Check your Twitter and Facebook accounts regularly to see if the companies have posted about their freebies! Using social networks for various intentions, including claiming freebies, has indeed created a creative social network.

Interested in getting freebies? Learn how to get freebies from companies.

Or get you freebies and samples online.

How to get freebies from companies, mail style

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

Freebies from companiesGetting freebies from companies can be done online. Moreover, freebies from companies can also be received when you call the company directly. But did you know that you can also contact the company to request for freebies or samples via electronic or snail mail?

Here’s a typical format for an email requesting for a freebie:

To Whom It May Concern,

I am emailing you to request a sample of (insert the product name here). I would greatly appreciate any samples or coupons that you currently have available for consumers. My contact information is listed below.

Sincerely,
Your Name Here
Your Address
Your Address Continued
Email Address

Of course, if you prefer to send snail mail instead, that can work too. You can either have it handwritten or printed to a computer. However, please remember that it might take a while for the company to respond.

Here are some tips for writing a letter requesting freebies from companies:

  • Type your letter in Times New Roman font size 12 for easy reading.
  • Always include your address at the top of the letter.
  • Be sure to include the date so the company has a record of when you made your request.
  • Make sure you put in your letter exactly what you want (samples,vouchers…).
  • A department is not required when addressing your letter to the company, but can help get your letter to the right person faster.
  • Don’t include your phone number unless you want to start getting phone calls from companies.

Here is a sample letter to the company you’re going to write to:

Your Address
Your Address Continued
Your Email Address
Date
The Company Name
Company Department If Applicable
Company Address
Company Address Continued

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to request a sample of (insert the sample here). I (have or have not) tried your products before and would be interest in receiving any samples you have available. I would also be interested in voucher and special promotions.

Thank you for your time and any assistance you can offer.

Sincerely,

Your Name

How to get freebies from companies: the telephone script

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Freebies from companiesGetting freebies from companies directly can actually happen; you just have to have the guts to call the company directly. Calling companies can be a great alternative or addition to searching for freebies and samples online.

But how do you even start the conversation? Here is a sample script you can use when trying to call for freebies from companies. The fictional company will be called “XYZ Cosmetics” for convenience.

XYZ Cosmetics: Thank you for calling XYZ Cosmetics. How can I help you?
You: I’m calling to request a sample.

At this point, the XYZ Cosmetics representative would probably respond with either one of the two:

XYZ Cosmetics answer one: We currently don’t have any samples available.
XYZ Cosmetics answer two: Sure, let me get your address.

So what can you do if they don’t have any samples available? You can still try to ask for a voucher or a coupon:

You: Well, do you have a voucher or coupon you can send instead?

Again, they can answer either one of the two:

XYZ Cosmetics answer one: Sorry, we don’t have a current coupon.
XYZ Cosmetics answer two: Yes, we can send you a coupon, let me get your address.

So what do you do if they don’t have either a sample or a coupon? That’s fine; you can simply say thank you and hang up, or sometimes they would ask for your address in case a sample or coupon becomes available. Leaving contact information is, of course, completely up to you.

If you’re a bit nervous, just remember that customer service agents aim to keep customers happy, so they’re almost always nice and polite. You won’t lose anything if they say no, but how awesome would it be if these freebies from companies are sent your way?

How to get freebies from companies: Part one

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

Freebies from companiesDid you know that, aside from searching for freebies and samples online, you can also get freebies from companies directly?

Let’s say that you love a certain brand of perfume, but you can’t find anything on their site that talks about free samples. No need to stop there; you can always contact the company itself!

To get freebies from companies, you can try one of these ways to get in touch with them:

  • Phone the company. This is usually the fastest way to get in touch with them.
  • Email the company. Emails are usually answered within a few days.
  • Send a letter to the company’s mailing address. This is the slowest way to get in touch with a company, and it’s difficult to tell when a company can be able to respond.

You can usually find these contact details on the company’s website or on the packages of the product. In the website, look for a “contact us” page or read the small print at the bottom of the webpage.

Before you call the company, keep in mind what you want to achieve with that call. Do you want a free sample? Would you like a coupon? Or are you wondering whether the company has special promos? Run the conversation through your mind to better prepare yourself for how the flow of the call will go. Companies get phone calls often all day long, and they would love to hear from their customers.

But what if you want freebies from companies but have problems thinking of what to say or how to say it? Next week, we’ll discuss some tips on how a conversation with a company’s customer service representative goes.

Interested in more freebies? Digital freebies might be of interest to you as well.