Promotions demonstrator

Promotions demonstrators proactively seek out and engage with new potential clients. They provide product specific advice and demonstrate promotional goods or services.

Promotions demonstrators typically do the following:

• Demonstrate product to customers on a TV show, at a store, during a festival, or another venue.
• Market product to clients or companies who have displayed a need for the product.
• Show how product is best-used.
• Show how product should be cleaned and properly stored.
• Use graphics and slideshows during presentation.
• Answer questions about product.
• Discuss pricing tiers with customers.
• Give product samples.
• Cook, slice, and serve product.
• Visit customer’s home to demonstrate product.
• Set up booths, including pictures and samples.
• Conduct guided tours.
• Train other demonstrators.
• Tell customers why product is better than competitors.
• Suggest specific product purchases.
• Visit trade shows to demonstrate product.
• Collect fees or donations.
• Contact businesses and arrange for demonstrations or exhibitions.
• Transport and assemble materials.
• Recommend product improvements to maker.
• Improvise product demonstrations depending on audience size and attention span.
• Produce coupons and informational brochures.
• Wear proper customers or sign boards.
• Walk around store offering samples to customers.
• Clean up area after demonstration.
• Take orders from companies for products.

The following job titles also refer to promotions demonstrator:

senior sales demonstrator
hypermarket sales demonstrator
trainee sales demonstrator
garden centre sales demonstrator
filling station sales demonstrator
supermarket sales demonstrator
department store promotions demonstrator
hypermarket promotions demonstrator
supermarket promotions demonstrator
department store sales demonstrator
outlet centre promotions demonstrator
trainee promotions demonstrator
filling station promotions demonstrator
senior promotions demonstrator
garden centre promotions demonstrator
outlet centre sales demonstrator

Promotions demonstrators typically work long hours, including evenings and weekends. They may travel to different cities, or even different countries, to attend meetings, conventions, and trade shows. Some promoters work from home, using the telephone and computer to communicate with clients and customers.

Promotions demonstrators may work in a variety of settings, including office buildings, hotels, and convention centers. Some promoters work in outdoor settings, such as fairgrounds and stadiums. The work can be stressful, and promoters must be able to handle rejection and deal with difficult people.

Promotions demonstrators typically need a high school diploma. However, many demonstrators have a bachelor’s degree. A degree in marketing, advertising or public relations can help promoters understand the industry and the products they are promoting.

Promotions demonstrators typically receive on-the-job training from their supervisors or managers. This training may include how to use the company’s products, how to interact with customers and how to interact with other promoters. Training may also include how to interact with other employees, such as cashiers and sales associates.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Promotions demonstrator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to promotions demonstrator.

beverages specialised seller
tobacco specialised seller
door to door seller
confectionery specialised seller
press and stationery specialised seller

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of promotions demonstrator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of promotions demonstrator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

beverages shop manager
sales account manager
department store manager
ICT help desk agent
aeronautical information service officer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of promotions demonstrator.

• Characteristics of products: The tangible characteristics of a product such as its materials, properties and functions, as well as its different applications, features, use and support requirements.
• Sales promotion techniques: The techniques used to persuade customers to purchase a product or a service.
• Product comprehension: The offered products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Characteristics of services: The characteristics of a service that might include having acquired information about its application, function, features, use and support requirements.

These skills are necessary for the role of promotions demonstrator.

• Ensure customer focus: Attitude that puts customers at the centre of the business in all cases.
• Prepare presentation material: Prepare the documents, slide shows, posters and any other media needed for specific audiences.
• Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
• Maintain work area cleanliness: Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.
• Assist customers: Provide support and advice to customers in making purchasing decisions by finding out their needs, selecting suitable service and products for them and politely answering questions about products and services.
• Organise product display: Arrange goods in attractive and safe way. Set up a counter or other display area where demonstrations take place in order to attract the attention of prospective customers. Organise and maintain stands for merchandise display. Create and assemble sales spot and product displays for sales process.
• Ensure product preparation: Ensure that products such as food items are correctly prepared and made ready for consumption; combine different parts until they form one sellable unit.
• Hand out product samples: Hand out brochures, coupons, product samples; come up with new incentives to persuade customers to buy products/services.
• Keep promotions records: Keep records on sales information and distribution of materials. File reports on customer reactions to their employers’ products and promotions; present these reports to their managers.
• Establish customer rapport: Gain customer interest and trust; establish relationships with wide varieties of people; communicate in a likeable and persuasive style; understand and respond to the individual desires and needs of customers.
• Demonstrate products’ features: Demonstrate how to use a product in a correct and safe manner, provide customers with information on the product’s main features and benefits, explain operation, correct use and maintenance. Persuade potential customers to purchase items.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of promotions demonstrator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Alcoholic beverage products: The origin and composition of alcoholic beverages and cocktails, the way to match them with food and the way they have to be poured.
• Variety of cheese: Variety of cheeses and the production process behind it. Formulation of cheese by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Classifications of cheese according to criteria such as length of ageing, country or region of origin, texture, methods of making, fat content, suitability for vegetarians and animal from which the milk comes.
• Food allergies: The types of food allergies within the sector, which substances trigger allergies, and how they can be replaced or eliminated (if possible).
• Types of chocolate: Types of chocolate such as milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and raw chocolate.
• Nutrients of confectionery: Components and nutrients of confectionery products required to identify possible allergens.
• Tobacco brands: Different brands of tobacco products on the market.
• Company policies: The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of promotions demonstrator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Advise customers on the preparation of beverages: Provide information and tips to customers related to the preparation of beverages such as cocktails and with advice on storage conditions.
• Apply regulations regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages: Comply to government regulations concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages and obtain a license if required.
• Stock shelves: Refill shelves with merchandise to be sold.
• Improve customer interaction: Permanently refine and improve the quality of customer interaction and customer satisfaction; make continuous efforts to improve business standards.
• Enforce regulations of selling alcoholic beverages to minors: Ensure compliance with governmental regulations concerning the selling of alcoholic beverages to minors.
• Sell confectionery products: Sell pastries, candy, and chocolate products to customers
• Achieve sales targets: Reach set sales goals, measured in revenue or sold units. Reach the target within a specific timeframe, prioritise sold products and services accordingly and plan in advance.
• Carry out active selling: Deliver thoughts and ideas in impactful and influencing manner to persuade customers to become interested in new products and promotions. Persuade clients that a product or service will satisfy their needs.
• Enforce regulations of selling tobacco to minors: Ensure compliance with governmental regulations concerning the prohibition of selling tobacco products to minors.

5242 – Sales demonstrators

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References

1. Promotions demonstrator – ESCO
2. Product Promoter Job Description – LocalJobNetwork
3. Promoter Job Desxription: Salary, Duties, & More – Climb the Ladder
4. Featured image: Photo by Joshua Fernandez on Unsplash