These days, brands often focus much of their attention on digital advertising campaigns but it’s important not to forget the importance of actually going out there into the real world to interact with consumers.
This is known as field marketing – where you head out to connect with people face to face. This could be through the running of street promotions, handing out flyers or standing in supermarkets with product samples to hand out as people pass by.
You can use this form of advertising to promote a specific service or product, or to promote your brand as a whole. Industries that use field marketing a lot include health and beauty, food and beverages, home goods, department stores, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications.
Options for this kind of advertising include special events, road shows, leafleting, product sampling or merchandising displays. The idea is to take advantage of impulse buyers, catching them as they walk past and suggesting that they try your products… and then that they go on to buy them!
It’s vital that you pick your personnel wisely when engaging in a field marketing campaign. You need to choose the people on your team who are able to communicate well and easily with passersby so they can persuade them to take an interest in your products without being overbearing.
They’ll need to be able to judge whether someone is intrigued by what you’ve got to offer so that they don’t end up annoying people… not good when you’re trying to drive interest in your brand.