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Demonstrators and Product Promoters

People classed as Demonstrators and Product Promoters demonstrate merchandise and answer questions for the purpose of creating public interest in buying the product. The skills rated most useful are speaking, active listening, and persuasion. A regular part of the work is to provide product samples, coupons, informational brochures, or other incentives to persuade people to buy products. With a code of ECA, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 3.6 out of 7. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. If you want leading, persuading and making business decisions, keep it on your list. If you need research, analysis and working through hard problems, it may feel thin.

What they do

Demonstrate merchandise and answer questions for the purpose of creating public interest in buying the product. May sell demonstrated merchandise.

Main tasks

  • Provide product samples, coupons, informational brochures, or other incentives to persuade people to buy products.
  • Sell products being promoted and keep records of sales.
  • Keep areas neat while working and return items to correct locations following demonstrations.
  • Demonstrate or explain products, methods, or services to persuade customers to purchase products or use services.
  • Record and report demonstration-related information, such as the number of questions asked by the audience or the number of coupons distributed.
  • Suggest specific product purchases to meet customers' needs.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Persuasion
  • Service Orientation
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Writing

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.9 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECA takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Brand Ambassador
  • Demo Specialist (Demonstration Specialist)
  • Demonstrator
  • Event Specialist
  • Field Merchandiser

Related careers

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.