Better Business: Field Marketing

Jonathan Dunnett explains how technology brands can benefit from field marketing.

The next time you are in a PC World, Currys, Comet or any other technology store, take a look at the amount of products and manufacturers that are striving to get your attention. There are thousands. Some are screaming at you, others are giving a hopeful yet cheerful smile in your direction, whilst many sit there just hoping to be seen by spending consumers.

Do you know which products are the ones most likely to get picked up? In the majority of cases, it will be the screamers. Why? Because they have advertising behind them, marketing support and are positioned in the prime locations to attract you to their technological delights. Of course, that is not to say the smaller products cannot have their moments of glory. With the proper implementation, spend and planning, these products can leave their gloomy shelves and leap into the holy grail of consumers baskets given the right preparation.

One of the main reasons certain products stand out is down to the field marketing teams that are employed by the manufacturer, whatever the trade spend. Yes, there may be a certain amount of monetary outlay for prime space, but without merchandising, training and demonstration teams, there is still a possibility that products will still not get the attention they deserve. The cliche? of ‘There is no point in leading the 100m hurdles sprint only to fall at the last jump’ is a well used one but is also very true. Athletes will ensure they are fully equipped to clear that hurdle and cross the line in first place, and the same should apply to all manufacturers, whatever the industry and background across the retail landscape.

Field marketing is hardly glamorous, yet it is a crucial element to the marketing mix and one that should be considered by all companies, whatever the size, if they are to achieve the best possible sell through and compliance. From merchandising teams, training teams and demonstration teams, field marketing companies have that ability to be able to put people into stores or in experiential locations to represent your brand and ensure that sales and marketing are the best they possibly can be.

Merchandising teams are worth their weight in gold as they will visit your key retailers and ensure that your end cap or promotion is on display, fully stocked and visible. Training teams are there to pass on product knowledge to all sales staff, who in turn then pass this onto consumers, raising your sales opportunities, whilst demonstration teams are there actively showcasing your product ‘live’ to the consumer, converting sales at the point of purchase.

With field marketing, everyone wins from having these kinds of teams. The manufacturer wins as they will see uplifts in sales and compliance, and the retailer wins as any kind of sales uplift is always welcomed. And, of course, the field marketing company wins and can be proud of how they have affected their client’s performance. So the next time you are planning activity, give field marketing a thought. It is there to genuinely help clients increase sales and can be easily affordable, depending on where you go, and can show that all important element – ROI.

Jonathan Dunnett is the client director at Splatter. Splatter is a field and online marketing company that operates in the UK and Ireland and which has recently expanded its operation into Europe. It is a specialist in all things entertainment and technology and has an impressive portfolio of clients ranging across industries such as technology, gaming, toys and computing.

For more information visit www.splattergroup.co.uk

Want to receive up-to-the-minute tech news straight to your inbox? Then click here to sign up for the completely free PCR Daily Digest and Newsflash email services. You can also follow PCR on Twitter and Facebook.