INTERVIEW Dhruv Kalra
GoTry gives a boost to targeted marketing I
ndia’s first multibrand sampling platform GoTry builds a strong connect between brands and shoppers. It has taken the brand experience to a new level with its efficient sampling and feedback process which aims at precision targeting and 100 per cent feedback. GoTry has launched a pilot in 4 cities namely, Dhruv Kalra, Founder & Director, Go Try Marketing talks to Ankur Gaurav of Pitch about why he saw the need for a separate wing for sampling and how the process works.: What made you launch Gotry and create a separate wing for sampling? Sampling has been an integral part of marketing especially for FMCG brands. The process has usually been expensive for the brands and till now brands were unaware about the receiver of the samples. Till now, Sampling comprised of installing special stalls at malls. Both the methods proved to be inaccurate and rather expensive. To solve these problems with sampling, we came up with this multi-brand sampling format called ‘Go Try’. How do you ensure that the samples reach the right hands? At our Kiosks we have installed various ipads on which one has to create a profile before we offer him any sample. After the customer fills in a simple form that has profiling questions, we categorise which product is relevant for him, and only those products are offered as samples. For example, when Surf Excel launched a special product only to be
used in a washing machine, we had this question ‘whether you own a washing machine’. Only those consumers who owned washing machines were offered the surf samples and this is where our format proved to be right on target. Filling up of forms and answering a lengthy questionnaire can be deterrents for the consumers. How do you
How do you keep away competitive brands from approaching the kiosk?
In order to distribute samples at a kiosk brands needed to spend around INR 100 per contact. With our multi-brand sampling kiosks, the cost has reduced by 80 per cent manage to keep the audience interested and engaged during the process? It is true that the audience shies away from tedious forms, but we use ipads and have lesser number of questions. We do not bombard the customers with all the questions at once. In the first instance we ask 5-6 basic questions like name, age, genre, marital status, etc. The second time when they approach us, we take a feedback for the last samples which is mandatory and we ask another set of 5-6 questions. As of now, we have completed one lakh registrations. How is this beneficial for the clients? It is a lot cheaper for brands. Earlier, when a brand would distribute samples at a kiosk installed in a mall, they needed to spend between INR 80 to INR 100 per contact. Now with our multi-brand sampling kiosks, the cost has reduced by 80
Till now, Sampling comprised of installing special stalls at malls. These methods proved to be inaccurate and rather expensive 44
per cent. Apart from cost-effectiveness, accuracy in reaching out to the right customers has great benefits. It has greater potential to increase sales for the brand. Lastly for brands we are a ready to use model. They can get the sampling done without deputing their own manpower.
We have this rule of booking a category, which means if we are sampling a product from a category, we do not allow other brands from the same category to get featured at our kiosk. In other words, we also promote the brand and while doing so we cannot have other brands in the same category at the kiosk. This certainly comes at a cost to business, but that’s how the model functions. We give the brand and its potential consumers a perfect place to sample the product. What are your charges and who are your clients? We charge our clients based on the services we offer. We charge a minimum of INR 35,000 for one month. If the brand or product needs any other services or technological support, it means extra charges. As of now, we are catering to 55 brands out of which most of them are FMCG and Food n Beverage brands. Some of the biggest FMCG and F&B Brands like Pond’s, Knorr, Quaker Oats, Nivea, Veet, Mother Dairy, Real Juice, Vanish, Comfort, Lifebuoy, Horlicks and
Pitch | November 2013