Free Samples for Dietitians: Everything You Need to Know – from how to get them, what to do with them, and are you required to post?
Let’s be real… who doesn’t love getting free samples?
Food and wellness brands constantly look for credentialed experts to try out products, recommend them to clients, and post about them on social media.
So, how can you find free samples as a dietitian?
In this blog post, we dive into where you can find free samples for dietitians, how you can use your samples, and what the brand expects from you in return.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about free samples for dietitians!
Why Do Brands Offer Free Samples for Dietitians?
Let’s start with the basics…
Since dietitians are leading nutrition and health experts, brands want to connect with you and have you try their products.
Free samples are a two-way street, as they benefit both the brand and the dietitian. The brand gets an increase in recognition among influential experts, and you get samples to try yourself or share with clients.
Whether you’re in private practice, outpatient clinical, or nutrition communications, you can receive samples from brands!
While free food samples for dietitians are the most common, you can receive tons of different sample products.
Types of samples you can receive:
- Food products
- Beverages
- Supplements
- Protein powder, multivitamins, collagen
- Kitchen gadgets
- Air-fryer, toaster, pots and pans
- Health technology
- “Smart” scales, continuous glucose monitors
- Fitness products
- Access to health and wellness apps, such as meal-planning software
Where Can Dietitians Find Free Samples?
Now that you know more about the types of samples dietitians can receive, the next big question is where can you find them.
You can connect with brands to receive free samples by attending food and nutrition conferences, joining RD ambassador programs, or reaching out to them directly.
Utilize The RD Link (that’s us!)
Are you looking to take the guesswork out of finding free samples?
The easiest way to connect with brands for partnerships and samples is through The RD Link!
Brands frequently run campaigns for free samples or to join their ambassador programs. You can also message them directly to learn more about their company and products or request samples to try or share or share ideas for partnership, too! They’re looking to connect with dietitians like you.
Sign up for a free account here!
5 Ways to Use Free Samples for Dietitians
So you’ve gotten free samples… now what? While you can absolutely enjoy your samples on your own, there may be other ways to use your samples effectively to help grow your business.
Here are five easy ways to use free samples for dietitians!
#1 Post your samples on social media
For many reasons, posting your free samples on your social media accounts is a great idea.
First, it builds credibility among your followers to have trusted brands reaching out to you. It also shows other brands that you are open to receiving samples, that you work with other brands, and it gives them an idea of what your branded content may look like if they were to work with you.
Lastly, posting the samples on your page and tagging the brand helps to foster the relationship. If the post performs well, you can use that as leverage when seeking future opportunities!
However, just because a brand sends you the product, you are not required to post on social media. Keep in mind that for many small companies, shipping product can be a big cost for them. As a thank you, it is polite to share a quick story frame tagging the brand. This also makes you look good if you are hoping to seek out paid partnerships with the brand in the future! Be sure to follow up with a thank you message as well.
Quick tip: Post your free samples on your Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and more. Bonus points if you create an eye-catching video or picture showing how you like to use the sample.
#2 Give away samples at an event
Do you have an event coming up? Consider giving out your free samples!
If you’re at a conference booth, handing out free samples incentivizes people to come up to your table and speak with you. Tape a business card to the sample so future clients can reach you.
Further, if you’re putting on your event, you can put together free samples in a takeaway bag. Remember to advertise this when selling tickets to increase interest and value in your event!
#3 Hand them out to clients and display them in your office
Giving out your free samples to clients who may be interested in the product helps to create trust between you, the client, and the brand.
You can also put your free samples on display in your office space for anyone who happens to stop by and may be interested.
#4 Recipe testing
It’s a great idea to use your free samples to test out your new recipe ideas. Then you can share these new recipes with your clients or audience on social media, your blog, etc.
#5 Share with friends and family
Do you still have samples left? Share them with your friends and family! Trust us when we say they will be very thankful.
Warning: Red Flags Around Dietitian Samples
Warning: red flag alert! Not all free samples for dietitians are created equal, and we want to discuss a few warning signs to look out for.
Brands that try to give away free products in exchange for work
While you might potentially be interested in some free samples in exchange for work, you want to ensure you aren’t getting the short end of the stick and doing loads of work and allowing the brand to take advantage of your credential for only free products in return (and not money for your time).
Samples from brands that you don’t like or stand behind
It’s essential only to give out samples that you genuinely stand behind. Otherwise, you risk losing the trust of your clients and followers.
If you get a gut feeling about a brand that doesn’t feel right, it’s best to decline the samples respectfully.
Free Samples for Dietitians: The Takeaway
Receiving free samples from brands as a dietitian can be exciting!
Remember these key takeaways from the article:
- Free samples are an excellent way to connect with brands and try out products.
- Dietitians can receive health and wellness samples, as well as free food samples.
- Use your samples effectively to help grow your business and foster relationships.
- Don’t accept free samples from brands you don’t stand behind.
Do you feel overwhelmed about how to get samples from brands? Do you need help figuring out where to start?
Then, The RD Link is perfect for you! We’re the only brand access network that connects dietitians with trusted CPG brands.
You can create a free profile in less than five minutes and get started today by connecting with your favorite brands!
Learn more about our one-of-a-kind features here and create your FREE RD profile here.