You have less than 30 seconds to capture shoppers’ attention each time you give a product demo. After that point, audiences let either their minds or feet wander. So how can you increase the effectiveness of your presentation? To keep all eyes on your merchandise and to increase sales, try these tips the next time you’re at your booth.
Avoid too many “warm up” jokes. Even if they earn a laugh, they don’t encourage a steady attention span. Instead, use the element of surprise to your advantage. The best way to do this is to begin your demonstration with a shocking fact, usually pertaining to a problem your product can solve. Set yourself up to save your customers. If your product is a new electronic device, for example, point out how much time the average person wastes on something related to the product before you push how much time they can save once they buy.
Hold off on the background story until you’ve already established value for the product. Until customers know why they need your product, they won’t care to hear about where it came from, who invented it or how long the manufacturer has been in business. Focus on the product’s features, and make sure that every detail you draw attention to has a specific purpose or characteristic that sweetens the deal for shoppers.
Make your demonstration more interactive or hands on. Invite onlookers to try the product themselves. Getting customers involved with a product is a good way to help them picture owning the item, not to mention build value.
Finally, remember to practice. Giving a demonstration “cold” is a surefire way to be unprepared in the event that a shopper asks a question or something unexpected happens. The more at ease you are with presenting your merchandise, the more trust your audience will invest in what you have to say. Put some effort into perfecting your performance. It will pay off when all eyes are on your product.
A well-developed demonstration can make products fly off the table and attract flea market customers who may not have otherwise stopped by your booth. With the right opening statement and dynamic information throughout, vendors can boost the popularity of any demo product this year.