“Product Seeding” is the act of brands sending custom product kits or gifts to a carefully selected group of influencers who are relevant in either their niche or industry. Seeding marketing is designed to expose your brand to new customers who learn about the product through influencers that post photos and reviews on social media. It is an ideal way to promote a product without seeming too “salesy” or aggressive. There are a number of important guidelines you should know in order to ensure your seeding kit projects are done right and deliver results.
Product Seeding Kit Budget & Timeline
No matter the type of marketing campaign, creating and maintaining a budget and timeline is a vital part of the process. This is especially true with seeding kits because making them is labor intensive, research heavy and, in most cases, a costly undertaking.
- After you identify your target audience, you will need to research all the materials and giveaways needed in your kits. Then you’ll need to seek out appropriate influencers who are admired and followed by that audience. Do as much of this as research as you can before briefing in your seeding kit creative team, it will save time and money.
- Most seeding kit campaigns are executed in low quantities. In turn, this increases the price per kit since there is not an efficiency created through mass production. Being open and specific with your seeding kit designer / manufacturer is helpful here and could save you money by eliminating concept presentations that are ultimately beyond your budget. An appropriate budget would be telling your kit partner you have “X-number of dollars in the budget to create Y-number of kits that will have Z-type of products included in them”. A good seeding kit producer will use this info for maximum impact when designing and building the kits. Also, don’t forget to account for any design and shipping costs in your budget, as these are often above and beyond a “per kit” production price.
- Everything mentioned in the budget factors above will also impact the time it takes to complete the project. The more items there are included in the kit, the longer it can take to produce. In addition, any research that needs to be done sourcing unique substrates or products may delay the production timeline.
- Be generous and realistic when thinking about cost and timing as it relates to a product seeding kit campaign.
What goes in your seeding kit?
Conceptualizing your product seeding kit is the fun part. Here are a couple important factors to consider during the design process.
Kit Packaging: The packaging is the first impression with the recipient and is where their unboxing experience begins. Depending on your budget and the final design of the kit, the packaging can be a simple cardboard box, or it can be an important element of the giveaway such as a custom bag, backpack, or a collectible box. Be creative!
Kit Content and Messaging: The product inside the kit is what you want everyone to talk about once they open the packaging. Make sure the packaging and product complement each other and make for an impressive unveiling experience when opened. Consider including a personalized card or unique messaging specific to each recipient so they can relay any important product highlights or relevant hashtags on their social media.
Seeding Campaign Targets
While almost anyone loves to receive free stuff, we breakdown 3 of the main recipients that are typically good targets for product seeding kits:
Customers Let’s face it - One of the main purposes of any marketing strategy is to get the eyes of the public on your products and gain them as customers. It is easier to break through the sales lead barrier when you send out a customized seeding kit that gets attention and sets you apart from the competition.
Media & PR Traditional press releases are an old-fashioned way of gaining the attention of the media. Sending a kit to the media will stand out from the mountain of press releases they receive on a daily basis. Great press from the right outlets can deliver a big ROI on the cost of sending a product seeding kit.
Influencers As the popularity of influencers continues to grow, companies are doing their best to engage with them in a variety of ways. Sending a kit means you are creating the content for the influencer to share with their audience. The better the items in the kit, the more likely you are to gain positive social media exposure for your brand.
Contact us today to learn more about designing product seeding kits that create a conversation about your brand.
