Whether you are a product specialist or a grocery store supplier, if you plan on hosting an in-store product demonstration, you have to be prepared. Product demonstrations can be challenging, but if you pull them off, they can lead to a boost in brand awareness and product sales. To master the art of in-store product demonstrations, it’s important to keep these keys to a successful demo in mind:
Engage the customer.
Don’t just show customers the product, get them engaged by allowing them to hold the items, press buttons, and read the packaging by themselves. For example, if you’re demonstrating a single cup coffee machine, invite customers to come up and try it for themselves. Verbally guide them through how they use the machine, but let them do the physical touching. This way, you’re not just telling them about a product—they’re experiencing it!
Add a personal touch.
Customers do not want to feel like they’re being sucked into a sales pitch, so don’t just talk to them about the product you’re showing. Make it more personal by injecting anecdotes and funny stories. When talking to customers who have children with them, talk about how much your kids love the different flavors of the product you’re demonstrating. This makes your demonstration more of a conversation than a sales pitch, so customers will likely stick around if you can find a way to relate to them.
Don’t go into great detail.
Of course, a demonstration should clearly show a customer how to use your product. But, some demonstrators make the mistake of turning their in-store demo into a training session. They go into great detail about how a product is made and what every single button on a machine does, but do your customers need to know this? This may be the first time they’re being exposed to your product, so there’s no need to get into the nitty gritty. Stick to the basics—how do you use the product, the benefits, etc.—and leave everything else behind.
Make a list of frequently asked questions.
Prepare for the potential questions by writing down a list of commonly asked questions before the day of the in-store demo. If you’re demonstrating a machine, customers may want to know how much it costs and what other colors it comes in, for example. If you’re demonstrating a food or beverage product, customers will want to know what ingredients are used in the product, how many calories it is, and where it can be found in the store. But, these are just the basic questions that may be asked. Dig deep to think of others that may come up based on your specific product. You have to be the expert during in-store demonstrations, but you won’t be able to pull this off if you can’t answer customers’ questions.
Have you ever handled an in-store product demonstration? What tips and tricks do you have for beginners? Share your suggestions in the comments below!
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