• Home
  • Retailer
    • Demo Scheduling
  • Vendor
  • Pricing
  • Free Trial Request
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

Field Marketing Resource Management Challenge

8/26/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
One of the recurring complaints you would likely hear from Field Marketing Managers and Demo Coordinators is how unreliable are the Brand Ambassadors they have to deal with. In fact, if you ever experienced scheduling a few demos, you have probably endured a Brand Ambassador's last moment cancellation or "now show".

I would like to posit that the Brand Ambassadors' perceived lack of reliability is not necessarily caused by their mercurial personalities, but by the nature of their business and unavailability of appropriate time management tools. Consider the fact that most Brand Ambassadors are independent contractors who try to earn their living selling their personal skills in small time increments. After all, most in store demos only last 3-4 hours. As such, the Brand Ambassadors need to market their services to Demo Coordinators, Brand Managers, etc. as well as delivering these services in stores and events.

It is impossible to estimate how many hours a Brand Ambassador has to market their services to get a single demo for which she can earn $60-$140. This reality forces them to continuously work with multiple Brands, conflicting times and constantly changing dates. 

Demo Scheduling

Demo scheduling is a very fluid process that requires a lot of flexibility from all participants, from Brand and Field Marketing Managers to store personnel, product distributor, to Brand Ambassadors. However, the last link of this chain, the Brand Ambassador, is the least equipped to deal with the demands of flexibility. The byproduct of a flexibility is uncertainty. In the case of Brand Ambassadors it is the uncertainty of being paid for their efforts, while everyone else is paid their hourly salaries. If the changes to dates and times create a conflict with their commitment to other brands they work with, they are the only link in the demo chain who is not getting paid.

Consider the fact that most Brand Ambassadors use a phone, email, Google Calendar and spreadsheets to manage their business commitments and activities, and you will see a picture of a juggler, desperately trying to keep all the "balls" in the air. It is only a matter of time and gravity before some of these "balls", i.e. demo commitments, come down crashing to the floor and cause the last moment cancellations or "no show".   

Event Management Software

There are myriads of project/task/shift and event management services available online today. However, all of them are designed for the owners of these business processes, who are in a position to control steps, tasks and communications. Not for the last link of the process chain, Brand Ambassador, who is on the receiving end of all that "flexibility". Besides, many Demo Coordinators do not use such services either because they do not offer enough specific help for the demo management process, and are not a good fit for other demo management tasks.

Use of the right tool for intelligent scheduling and coordination of ever changing demo requirements can go a very long way to reduce the frustration and "flakiness" of Brand Ambassadors. Additional benefits include:
​
- increased productivity of a Demo Coordinator who can manage 400-500 demos per month 
- controlled automated communications with all involved parties
- greater availability of Brand Ambassador time to you because the use of such a tool reduces the uncertainty of Brand Ambassadors being paid for their time and efforts
- automated generation of BA invoices, payment statements and BA tax preparation documentation
​- online demo reporting and data collection for subsequent analysis supporting Field Marketing ROI calculations.
0 Comments

Grocery Store Marketing Ideas - How To Beat Online Competition

6/25/2019

0 Comments

 
Retail transactions done online afford customers, wholesalers, retailers and even the manufacturers, the luxury of conducting business anywhere at their own convenience. With speed and accuracy, operations can be carried out smoothly - one can therefore see the dilemma traditional independent grocers face. The concerns about falling traffic in your stores are very real as over 71% of consumers trust that they can find better prices online. 

So how do you as a traditional retailer survive and most importantly thrive amidst the disruption and turbulence caused by ecommerce? Below are some ideas to increase sale in retail stores.

The first key to survival is to retain and increase foot traffic in your store - this is one of most important grocery store marketing strategies. The good news is that 94% of retail sales are still conducted in brick and mortar stores. Even with the ease of ecommerce, people still prefer a physical experience, a relationship, an interaction with the product or the retailer. This is what defines us as humans - our desire to interact.

The Major Keys to Survival in this Volatile Retail Environment

One of the best strategies to boost number of customer visits in your stores is to leverage this human desire to interact and to discover new experiences. Try to re-imagine your store as an event space which your customers see as being a fun place to visit - not just the place they need to go for weekly provisioning. Promoting limited time price discounts (TPR) on popular and well known products only leads to erosion of margin. 

“If consumers come to expect price cuts as the rule rather than the exception, then price promotions lose their ability to boost sales and become unprofitable. “       
                                                                    
Consequently, one of the major keys to survival in this volatile retail environment is the creation of exceptional customer experience in your stores. Retail leaders realize that customers now have a plethora of choices available to them. Surely, the store that provides the best experience is certainly where the customers will throng to. In essence, the traditional grocers have the advantage over ecommerce giants in providing quality customer experience through in store demo and other event based marketing strategies.     
According to a survey of 1,786 US grocery shoppers conducted by Food Marketing Institute.
​

“Among all regular food shoppers, brick-and-mortar supermarkets continue to enjoy a clear edge over online grocery retail in perceived performance on key evaluation criteria, especially in providing fresher produce (a top store-selection driver) and better customer service,” ​​

According To a Survey

Picture
With the ever dynamic nature of retail today, there is no way you can talk about improving customer experience without including in store demos. This refined tactic helps to draw customers, boost sales of demonstrated products and also improve the sales of other products in that category. To withstand the barrage of online competitors, you have to think of an in-store demo as a network of events rather than one elaborate show. Knowing the right product to demo, duration of each demo and location for the demo are very crucial to your stores survival. In order to measure the impact of in store demos on your stores’ Sales Per Customer Transaction, you have to consider
  • individual customers journey,
  • their loyalty to each product and
  • the Halo Effect - The Halo effect occurs when promoting one item influences us to purchase another item. It is well documented that successful demo often produces 300%-450% uplift in product sales, as well as measurable uplift in the product’s category.

Promotional Strategies

Understanding return on investment for these promotional strategies can go a long way in attracting the sponsors for them. Analysis of data, collected effortlessly by your POS, holds the key to leveraging vendor’s promotional budgets for increasing foot traffic in your stores. Any quality in store demo agency or vendor’s field marketing organization collects valuable data specific to the demo events they conduct. Cross referencing POS with demo data can produce empirical evidence, that would entice vendors to demos in your stores all day long, and that will lift:
  • Weekly sales per square foot of selling area
  • Sales per customer transaction, and
  • Median weekly sales per supermarket  
Ecommerce giants should not be the only ones benefiting from the opportunities technology gives us, traditional stores can explore those blessings too. There are tools that help you automate scheduling and coordination of promotional events in your stores without adding any payroll expenditures.
​

In retrospect, arming yourself with the right information and tactics will give you sufficient leverage in the unstable 'waters' of retail. Reaching out to your customers, giving them the very best and improving on your operations are essential tips for relieving the pressure of online competitors.
0 Comments

Demos Add Value in Aisles

4/10/2019

0 Comments

 
In store demos are used in department stores and grocery supermarkets in order to introduce customers to products and by doing this, increase their chances of purchasing the product. A retail in store brand ambassador showcases products and give potential customers the opportunity to experience, sample or taste the product. Demos can be effective in increasing sales if handled properly. As a retailer, you must be aware of your customers’ needs and make necessary provisions for these needs. One of the features of demos that can increase the chances of attracting potential customers is the cleanliness of the demo table and surrounding space. When planning an in store demo, put in mind the size of the store and create enough space between aisles and keep walkways free of merchandise. As much as a demo is meant to increase the probability of a customer buying a product, it can also reduce sales if there are cramped spaces in the store due to a product demo and it can turn off potential customers. Below are some of the important tips for a great in store demo:

Engage Your Consumer

​In order to have a great in store demo that will add value to sales, you must be willing to engage your consumers. Speak with them and know more about their needs. The more people get to know you, the more they trust you and the more they are likely to buy your product. Most consumers make buying decisions based on their emotions and the more you connect with your potential consumers during in store demos, the higher their chances of buying your product and there is a likelihood that they might become loyal customers. 

Have a Great Story 

During an in store demo, a product demonstrator must be able to inject anecdotes and funny stories instead of making the potential customers feel like they have been sucked into a sales pitch. For example, if the product is about kids and your potential customers have their kids with them, you can tell a story about how much your kids love the different flavors of the product you are demonstrating. This will make your demonstration more like a friendly conversation and it can make your customers stick around if you can find a way to relate to them and this in turn will increase their likelihood of purchasing the product. 

Have a Great Brand Ambassador

One of the key features that can improve in store demo sales in any retail center is the in store demonstrator. An in store demonstrator is the one who introduces a customer to a product and helps them try it as well. The importance of a great in store demonstrator cannot be overemphasized. Customers will most likely prefer to listen to a friendly and knowledgeable sales person than an aloof and overly professional one. Having an air of friendliness and professionalism can improve customers’ willingness to buy a product.

Pick Items that You and Other Staff Members Really Like 

During an in store demo, your display of enthusiasm towards a product can increase the likelihood of a purchase. When you like a product and you have full knowledge about it and how it works, you will be very enthusiastic to introduce it to potential customers and your enthusiasm can be infectious thereby, prompting consumers to purchase the item. The next time you want to do an in store demo, choose a product that you like and watch your sales increase as a result of your enthusiasm.

Have the Product Nearby

Another important point to note during an in store demo is the ready availability of the product. Consumers are more likely to buy a product if they can grab it right away than when they have to walk down the aisle to find the product. In case of the latter, there is a probability that they might forget about it by the time they get there.

Have Adequate Knowledge About the Product

Customers like to ask questions about a product and as an in store demonstrator, you must have adequate knowledge about the product as this will give customers the assurance that they are in good hands. When customers ask questions and they are not satisfied with the answers, this can decrease the probability of them purchasing the item.

FAQs

Question 1: Do In Store Demo Work?

Yes, if carried out effectively. In store demos are a great way to bring customers in touch with products and if done in the right way, it increases sales and can also promote customers’ loyalty to a brand. Most consumers get stuck in the routine of buying the same products over time but in store demos is a great way to showcase new products to consumers and give them a taste of something different from their regular routine and this in turn might increase their likelihood to purchase a product thereby, increasing sales.

Question 2: Who is a Brand Ambassador?

A Brand Ambassador or a product demonstrator is a person who shows consumers how to use or sample a product and helps them try it. Often, a product demonstrator is a store employee and an expert on the product at hand. There is nothing more powerful than a great product demonstration. When done correctly, it allows the customers to see and feel how things will be better if they buy a product and it takes the skill of an experienced and skilled demo person to sway the emotion of potential consumers. A product demonstrator does not have to be necessarily expensive to afford instead, any member of the staff who has adequate knowledge about the product and has an aura of friendliness and professionalism can be a good demo person. The person must be enthusiastic, outgoing, well spoken and quick to learn. The person must possess good communication skills and must be able to draw from personal experience during a product demonstration. ​
0 Comments

How successful is your In Store Demo Program

3/1/2019

0 Comments

 
In recent years, retail has evolved into a business where proficiency, versatility and creativity are all needed to become very successful. Brands no longer market products just to make profit alone. You might be wondering where I am going with this, but humor me a bit. Brands now strive to appeal to the customers emotions. They want them to feel attached to the brand or product or even the store. This spurs the people to get the product at any cost. There are various techniques through which brands make this happen and one of those strategies is a successful in store demo. The best way to get to your audience is by capturing their attention and what better way to go about that than giving the people a feel of your amazing product.

In store demos are ways brands and retailers engage with the shoppers directly, fostering human connection that will help them in experiencing the product. You may wonder whether in store sampling are necessary for all stores - well, they are, especially if the area of specialization is very competitive like food products in grocery stores and supermarkets. These demonstrations are cheap investments in making sure you stand out among the rest.

We can say to an extent that your performance as a grocery store lies in the success or failure of your marketing strategy. Thankfully, positivity is one of the tenets of retail and that's why we'll look at the essentials of having a memorable in store demo.

PROMOTE PRODUCTS ON THE STORE FLOOR  

This is an essential tip for you to have a successful marketing strategy. However, this depends on the effectiveness of such promotion techniques - Let me explain. You are not just going to attack the customer or force him or her to try the product. NO! People like it when you approach them calmly and speak confidently about the product. Most likely, they might have heard of similar products but your job is to give them a feel of that they have never heard before. This will give them the impetus to want to try the product. Furthermore, successful in store demo programs are done with care and precision. They are well planned and coordinated because in the end it is your reputation and revenue that is at stake. You would not want to see one of your customers going to another store to get the product elsewhere. Brands promote products on the store floor because of the lower customer acquisition costs which is preferable to the conventional or digital advertising.

THE BEST BRAND AMBASSADOR 

It is important to have an experienced brand ambassador in your corner as he or she is a major stakeholder when it comes to in store sampling. In addition to recruiting a certified influencer, you will need to find a profitable location where you know your products are going to thrive; a place where traffic is just right for you and your store. Let's look at these two extremes to get a clearer picture of why location is important to you and the brand ambassador. If your store is situated in a place with low traffic not even the best and most creative packaging will save the product demonstration there. On the other hand, if there is too much traffic, your brand ambassador might be swamped and end up giving out too many samples that do not turn into sales. Double bummer if you ask me. In essence, find your product niche and settle there. 

SUCCESSFUL IN STORE DEMO 

There are a lot of intricacies when planning for a successful in store demo. You have to be able to combine these steps to get positive results. First of all, you need to consider the shoppers demographics of the store. Make adequate research on the type of people that come into the store on a regular basis, know the age range, sex, religion, background of some of these people. In store sampling will be easier this way. You then have an idea of how to plan for subsequent demos with the information you already have. Plan a frequency with which you can schedule a series of demos in that store. You already have an edge with the information gathered from the research. What some smart brands do is to invest in a small number of stores instead of wasting money on many stores in a bid to cover the whole market. 

LATEST RESEARCH TO MEASURE DEMO PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS 

All that has been said are all key elements in achieving a successful in store marketing strategy. However, without understanding how to measure the effectiveness of the program, you might get stuck. Let's look at some metrics that are apt in measuring in store demo effectiveness.
Traffic management: This explains the percentage of shoppers who stop to taste the product in the store. 
Product engagement: It represents the amount of time the shopper spends at the demo table, which may include interacting during the product demonstration
Conversion rate: This is more like a combination of the previous metrics. It is the percentage of shoppers who tasted the product and went on to make a purchase. 
NPS ( Net Promoter Score): It is a management tool used to gauge the loyalty of shoppers or customers relationships. 

Conclusively, There are a few other tips that were not examined but are also essential for a successful in store demo. You need to come early for the setup preferably at least 30 minutes to meet with the demo coordinator . Also, have every employee or majority of the employees in the store try your product. This will help in promoting the product even more. Another tip is to bring flavors the store doesn't have. 
It is very important to note that an in store demo program cannot happen without a quality product. Hence, before you think about all the elaborate marketing strategies to captivate the people, you need to make sure that you have the right product. Bearing that in mind, you need to understand that times have changed, customers have evolved and you need to join the wagon in improving your product and profit making strategies.

FAQ

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A BRAND AMBASSADOR?

Some brand activation managers find it hard to get a quality brand ambassador for their product as this is a very crucial aspect of their business. Firstly, recruit a professional. Someone that is experienced and reliable; who would invest time in learning about your product. Secondly, take out some time to train the ambassador, provide him or her with the primary source of information about the product. Another point is to select an ambassador with the relevant personality, someone who can stand by his or her word. Finally, maintain strong relationships with the person, get to know each other and take it up from there. 

HOW DO YOU PROMOTE A PRODUCT TO A CUSTOMER?

You can ask the employees of the store to try out the product. Surely, they will get employee discount but understand that this will work in your favor. The employees of the store will have better rapport with the customers and no matter how much research you do, the employees will know them better. Also, during product demonstration, you have to give the customers facts, especially things they haven't heard about. It is a good way of promoting a product to the customers. 
0 Comments

Makings of Effective In Store Demo Program

10/2/2017

0 Comments

 
​In marketing, in store demo refers to the demonstration of products in large retail locations such as shopping malls or supermarkets in order to attract potential customers. In store demo is a means of introducing customers to products with the hope of getting them to purchase them.

One of the advantages of in store demo is that it gives customers the opportunity to taste or touch the products before they buy them. A product demo is one of the best sales tools that can be used when you have a high quality product for sale. A product demo is a very effective way to make potential customers know about your new products and the features. One of the important sales demonstration skills is to know your audience. The key is to put together what each customer cares about and make them available. 

During in store demo, don’t just show your audience the products, engage them by allowing them touch, feel or hold the product. Also, don’t make a product demo like a sales pitch; spice it up by injecting anecdotes or telling funny stories. Avoid making turning an in store demo to a training session; stick to the basics. 

Planned product demos are one of the best ways to introduce a consumer to your products. If well planned, it can get the attention of shoppers and passersby which will in turn increase the sale of your product.

The Objective of the Demonstration

​The benefits of in store marketing cannot be overemphasized. It increases the sales rate of the brand because consumers who see the products in the middle of a shopping spree are most likely to buy the products. It also gives customers the opportunity to try something different from the brand that they are used to. Below is some of the key importance of in store demo

1. Creation of Desire

In store demo helps in creating desire of purchasing a product in passersby or shoppers. For instance, in a grocery store where cookies are offered to customers who wait to watch the product demo, the customers may like the product and they may decide to buy more quantities of the product. Or if it a coffee machine, you can invite customers to come up and try out how it works and this in turn may spike up their desire and can lead to an interest in purchasing a coffee machine. 

Product demo provides visual aids which enhance the quality of your sales presentation. Some customers prefer to see a product in order to grasp its value and potential. The ability to feel, see or even smell a product can be more appealing than just listening to a sales pitch. In store demo provide potential customers the opportunity to see the features of a product and can strengthen their desire to purchase the product.

2. Brand Positioning

​In store demo aids brand positioning which involves differentiating your brand from your competitors’ brand and this helps give a lasting impression on your target audience. A well defined brand position gives your brand several advantages which include providing a conceptual framework for your brand, marketing messages, services and pricing structure. 

In store demo aims at communicating to your consumers the unique features of the product you want them to purchase. It gives producers the opportunity for direct communication with consumers about their product and its attributes and the benefits it provides. In store demo helps your brand stand out in competitive retail markets.

 3. Consumer Education

​In store demo offers potential customers the opportunity to closely inspect products during a product demonstration. Printed information can be given to customers to enable them get a better grasp of the demonstration. The demonstrator should take up the role of a teacher and educate the consumers about the way a product should be used. Consumer education helps improve day to day satisfaction with your product and increases their trust in your brand. 

Customers’ satisfaction soars when they are properly educated in the way a product works or how it should be used. During in store demo, customers become engaged in a product demonstration and this in turn increases their likelihood to purchase your product. Increased engagement in a product leads to higher chances of renewal or repurchase of the product.

In sales demo when properly carried out can increase customers’ loyalty to the product as a result of proper customer education.

FAQs

What is In Store Demo?

​In store demo is a form of product demonstration that is usually performed at large retail locations such as shopping malls and supermarkets in order to introduce potential customers to a product. It is an effective way of making sales, if properly done.

In grocery stores, in store demo gives consumers the opportunity to taste a particular product and this in turn increases the likelihood of the consumer purchasing the product if he likes it. In store demo can help sway a consumers’ buying preference and help boost sales and increase brand loyalty. 

In store demonstrators must be professionals who can connect with the consumers in a way that will increase their likelihood to purchase the product and they must be knowledgeable about the product and always ready to provide answers to customers’ questions.

Why is Product Demonstration Important?

​The importance of product demonstration cannot be overemphasized. It helps boost brand awareness and increases product sales. When customers have a closer, out of the box look of the product that is on demonstration, it affords them the opportunity to touch or feel the product.
​
It also gives producers the opportunity to tell customers the features of their products and teach them how a product works. Product demonstration gives demonstrators the chance to show their knowledge skill and answer questions about the products. It boosts brand loyalty and helps in swaying the interest of consumers to the products and if they like it, increases the possibility of a repurchase.
0 Comments

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    March 2021
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    October 2017
    September 2016

    Categories

    All
    Brand Ambassador
    Brand Management
    Customer Experience
    Experiential Marketing
    Ideas To Increase Sale In Retail Stores
    In Store Demo
    Instore Promotion
    Sales Growth
    Shopping Experience

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
 © 2016-2022 Customer Experience IQ. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Retailer
    • Demo Scheduling
  • Vendor
  • Pricing
  • Free Trial Request
  • Contact Us
  • Blog