Product Sample & Evaluation Request Form

Please remove this form template insights section before publishing.

Component Breakdown & Strategy

1. Identity Verification (The Header)

This section is about Lead Scoring. By asking for a company name and a professional email address, you can quickly distinguish between a "freebie seeker" and a genuine business partner.

• The Job Title Field: This tells you if you are talking to the "End User" (who cares about features) or the "Decision Maker" (who cares about price and bulk logistics).
• Website/Social Links: Use these to verify the scale of the requester's business before you commit your inventory.

2. The Scope of Request

Specificity prevents waste. By forcing a requester to choose a specific SKU or variation, you ensure they have actually researched your catalog.

• Quantity Limits: Explicitly asking for the quantity needed allows you to push back if a request seems excessive for a "sample." It sets a standard that these items are for testing, not for stocking their shelves.

3. Intent & Projection (The "Vetting" Core)

This is the most valuable part of the form for your internal data.

• Primary Purpose: This categorizes your leads. A "Content Creator" needs high-resolution assets and brand guidelines, while a "Wholesale Partner" needs spec sheets and bulk pricing.
• Projected Volume: This helps you prioritize your shipping budget. You should send a sample faster to a lead projecting 1,000 units a month than to one projecting 10 units a year.
• Success Criteria: Knowing what they are looking for (e.g., "durability," "scent longevity," or "ease of assembly") gives your sales team the exact talking points they need when following up.

4. Logistics & Accountability

Small businesses often struggle with the cost of shipping samples.

• Shipping Accounts: Offering a field for their own courier account (FedEx/UPS) is a subtle way to filter for serious professional entities. A business willing to pay for the shipping of a free sample is highly likely to convert into a paying customer.
• The Timeline: By making the requester commit to a timeframe for their evaluation, you create a natural opening for your follow-up call. You aren't "pestering" them; you are checking in on the date they provided.

Please remove this mandatory questions recommendation before publishing.

Mandatory Field Analysis

Below are the essential fields for a Product Sample & Evaluation Request Form and the operational reasons for their inclusion.

1. Full Name and Professional Email Address

• The "Why": You need a direct line of communication with a specific individual. Generic emails (like @gmail or @yahoo) are often used for personal samples. A professional domain (e.g., name@company.com) validates that the request is coming from a business entity.
• Operational Benefit: This allows you to perform basic due diligence by looking up the sender on professional networking sites to confirm their authority to make purchasing decisions.

2. Company Name and Website

• The "Why": A business cannot evaluate a product for commercial use if the business doesn't exist. The website serves as a portfolio of their current work or retail presence.
• Operational Benefit: It helps you understand their brand positioning. If their website doesn't align with your product's quality or price point, you can decline the request before wasting inventory and shipping costs.

3. Primary Purpose of Request

• The "Why": You must know if the sample is for internal quality testing, social media promotion, or a potential large-scale contract.
• Operational Benefit: This determines which "department" in your small business handles the lead. A request for "content creation" requires your marketing materials, while "bulk purchase" requires your wholesale price list and lead times.

4. Projected Purchase Volume (Post-Evaluation)

• The "Why": This is the most critical metric for your Return on Investment (ROI). If a sample costs you $50 to send, but the potential client only needs 5 units a year, the math may not work in your favor.
• Operational Benefit: It allows you to rank requests. You can prioritize shipping to the "Big Fish" leads who have the capacity for high-volume orders.

5. Evaluation Success Criteria

• The "Why": You need to know exactly what "pass" or "fail" looks like for the customer. For example: "Must withstand 200°C" or "Must be hypoallergenic."
• Operational Benefit: If their success criteria are something your product cannot meet, you can inform them immediately. This saves the cost of the sample and prevents a negative review later.

6. Expected Evaluation Timeline

• The "Why": This sets a firm date for the conclusion of the trial. Without a deadline, samples often sit on a desk forgotten.
• Operational Benefit: This populates your sales calendar. It gives your team a specific date to call the lead and ask, "The 14-day trial you requested is over; are we moving forward with a purchase order?"