The festive season is almost upon us. I know. It seems like it’s a bit early to say that, but everyone knows that when it comes to retail, the further out you plan for the C word the more effective your campaigns can be.

As we’ve discussed, tactical activation is a great way to land additional sales in the lead up to, and during, peak season. Again, everyone knows that availability, visibility and execution are paramount to driving incremental value but there’s another way you can drive that value – with active selling.

Take advantage of higher footfall and using active selling to drive more sales

This year, active selling via skilled brand ambassadors should be at the top of your list to make that a reality. Shoppers love an in-store experience, and during peak periods, not only are there a higher volume of shoppers than usual in store, but they often need expert advice.

Active selling can be super effective when used in a crowded retail environment. We know how busy store staff can be during the festive rush, so having a team on hand to passionately represent your brand is a great sales support.

Brand ambassador can increase sales in two ways:

1. By distributing product samples: If you choose to deploy this resource near point of sale the effect can be dramatic. If a shopper tries a product and enjoys it, they are up to 35% more likely to purchase that item. You can actually scoop up even more sales if you combine said product with a larger promotion too, so that consumers are even more enticed to buy. This not only raises brand or product awareness but increases conversion. When stores are at their busiest point in the entire year, this is a great way to turn that extra footfall into sales.
2. By providing expert demos and actively selling your brand: Over the festive period many consumers are looking to find out more about products before purchasing. Whilst this is true for certain big-ticket items (e.g. in tech) it can also filter through to fashion and health and beauty. It’s gifting season and indecision is much higher when consumers are buying items for other people, meaning that if you position a product expert nearby, they can engage consumers in your brand and influence purchasing decisions. It also gives the consumer a more personalised, tailored shopping experience, and during the Christmas rush, many will appreciate a brand ambassador’s time to match a product to their needs and give them expert advice.

Both of these approaches are excellent ways to showcase your brand’s products at the busiest time of the year. As we said last week, almost a third of people have begun their Christmas shopping already. Now is the time to act.

Brand ambassadors can be your little helpers this Christmas

This year, even if the country goes back into lockdown, shoppers will still go to a store where possible to purchase. With this in mind, you need to plan your seasonal activation activities now so that you can ensure your products are being actively sold by staff when stores start to see an increase in traffic.

For those shoppers that are reluctant to go into a store to do their shopping (or should lockdown return and non-essential retail close again), brand ambassadors can also be deployed online via video chat. Product recommendations and expert advice can be handed out by experts digitally via Go Instore, regardless of the device a consumer is using. That way, even if they are unable to make into a store, your products can still be actively sold direct to the consumer. Find out more about this and Go Instore tomorrow on our LinkedIn page.

Contact us now to find out how we can help you with your seasonal activation, and don’t forget to keep an eye on our LinkedIn page to find out other ways we can help your brand sell more in the lead up to a during the seasonal peak.