Business Global

field marketing has the power to influence consumers at a sales venue, making it a valuable addition to the marketing arsenal. Particularly when it comes to grocery sales, several studies have shown that the vast majority of purchasing decisions are made in-store, suggesting that consumers in a retail outlet are malleable and responsive to influence.

There are several different types of field marketing and field sales solutions . One of the most common is merchandising – the arrangement and presentation of products in a retail store. Good merchandising can have a profound impact on sales figures, increasing general product visibility and directing the placement of products to where they are most powerfully suggestive, such as highly influential end of gondola positions.

Another common field marketing tactic is product sampling – the practice of providing prospects with free samples of a product. Effective product sampling has been shown to produce a massive sales uplift, eliminating the element of risk perceived by a consumer when making a purchase decision and reducing psychological barriers to purchase. As well as producing an immediate sales uplift, sampling campaigns can improve brand image, creating an impression that the company behind the sampling campaign is generous to its customers. This can even encourage brand advocacy.

Less common as a field marketing tactic, but equally (if not more) powerful, is the practice of conducting product demonstrations in-store to educate consumers about the superior value proposition of a particular product. This can also produce a large uplift in on-the-spot sales and also has a middle to longer term impact on consumer perceptions of a particular product. Combining product demonstrations with an element of experiential event marketing (e.g. demonstrations of a new range of kitchen knives by a celebrity chef) can provoke an emotional response and leave a lasting impression on consumers.

field marketing agencies are the vehicle of choice for most such campaigns because few businesses have the budget (or need) to employ in-house teams on a permanent basis. Businesses that employ agencies to conduct field marketing work are spared from the obligations and red tape associated with direct employment.