According to Milan Kundera, the core functions of business are marketing and innovation. Marketing is fundamental. It has the potential to really make or break a business or organization.
Field marketing is one such fundamental unit. Before you decide to partner with any field marketing agencies, it is important to understand what they are and the role they play.
What is it?
Field marketing, as the term suggest is a type of marketing where efforts are put in place to customers directly on the field. Some of the areas where such efforts may be targeted include:
- Retail locations such as shops, supermarkets and malls.
- High customer traffic areas such as colleges, campuses, and events.
- Public locations like busy streets
A field marketing agency, on the other hand, is a company that is formed to perform those functions on behalf of other businesses.
Why is it important?
Some of the benefits of undertaking on field sales efforts include:
- It improves the overall brand outlook by potential customers by allowing direct interaction and one on one contact.
- The direct interaction allows easy convincing of skeptical customers.
- It boosts a company’s marketing efforts by working as an add-on to traditional as well as digital marketing.
- It enables a business to build better relationships with its customers.
- The method is suitable to target specific types of customers. See this link to learn more https://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/field-marketing/#section-5
Types of Campaigns by Field Marketing Agencies
Here are some of the campaigns types you can expect to find if you work with field marketing agencies:
- Demonstrations
Product demonstrations typically involve actively allowing customers to get hands on feel of the item. Such campaigns involve meeting the customer at the point of contact, introducing the product to them and allowing them to get to see, touch and understand the very nature of the product.
Usually, when the product is edible, clients are given an opportunity to taste it. Ever walked around the mall and met a vendor offering free samples? That is a depiction of field marketing at its best. In the cases where the product is not a food or a beverage, customers are allowed to use the product on the spot to see how it works. If that is not possible, they get to watch how the product works!
This type of campaign serves to make a brand more familiar to its potential customer, who might in turn, become a buyer immediately or in the future.
- Direct sales
You’ve probably ever walked around and spotted a branded table from a company doing promotions and selling stuff. Direct selling is the second most popular after demonstrations. Here, an agency hires brand representatives on behalf of its clients to sell products directly to consumers on behalf of the client.
Most times, this campaign type is combined with product demonstrations. Customers will basically sample a product, or see it in action, then their interest is sparked and they turn into immediate buyers.
Direct sales are great because they introduce the product to a client, and a great experience with it may eventually turn them into permanent buyers.
With this campaign, a company gets the necessary visibility and public recognition, but also immediate customers in the process.
- Retail audits
On site marketing campaigns focus on the customers and their perception of a brand or company. This type does the same only it does not take a direct approach towards the clients and potential clients.
This case, like the term suggests, involves performing an audit. That basically entails companies sending representatives to check on the outlook of their traditional promotional material in retail stores. Here, the reps check on the product arrangements in stores, and the placement of posters and marketing materials.
The whole point is to ensure that stores position traditional marketing materials in such a manner that they obtain maximum visibility from customers. The efforts serve as both a means of maximizing on their marketing efforts, and an opportunity to correct any mistakes retailers may be making.
- Guerrilla marketing
Guerrilla tactics are a war technique usually performed by smaller groups to fight a larger. Basically, the small group targets, hits and runs.
As a form of a marketing campaign, the idea is generally the same in its sheer randomness. Here, companies go to the least expected places, and target customers. They also use creative and unpredictable ways to reach and convert clients.
A great example of this tactic are flash mobs where a large group appears suddenly, performs random poses and moves to attract attention, then quickly disperses. Click here to see a few field marketing strategies you can use.
Conclusion
Effective field marketing strategies and implementations can attract and convert many potential customers to a business. However, running such campaigns requires a lot of planning, organization and resources. Not many companies have these in hand. Hiring field marketing agencies is the best way to help you execute, save time and save costs while still attaining the many benefits that come with this type of marketing.