Discover what product promoters do, the types of jobs available, the necessary skills, and the qualifications needed to decide if this is your field.
A product promoter plays an essential role in a sales team. They promote products and their features and benefits to potential customers. They’re very knowledgeable about the company's products, enthusiastic about capabilities, and able to demonstrate functionality and answer any questions.
Product promoters represent their company, so staying on brand is very important. Product promotion aims for customers or clients to buy them; they must use brand voice and protocols to ensure that they’re promoting the products in line with the company image.
Product promoter jobs are available in a variety of industries. As a promoter, you can be responsible for selling directly to customers within a retail environment, such as demonstrating products in a store, on television, or via phone as a telemarketer. You can also work in a business-to-business (B2B) capacity, helping to sell products to a more prominent distributor or demonstrating products at trade fairs.
Many product promoter jobs are entry-level, but you will find some exceptions. Promoter jobs can come with more responsibility, including planning campaigns and managing budgets. These roles tend to be at a higher level and require more experience and education, as they command a higher salary.
Product promoters may work in medical sales, electronics, manufacturing, sports, real estate, luxury goods, food and beverages, cosmetics, and software, to name a few.
The duties of a product promoter vary according to job level and whether the promoter is working in a B2B capacity or demonstrating products to a customer base. For an entry-level product promoter, the following are general responsibilities:
Explaining how a product works, its functions, and capabilities
Working with supervisors to understand goals and sales targets
Setting up stalls, displays, and demonstrations
Using interactive methods such as video, audio, and slideshows
Learning about a product and its best features to promote it effectively
Answering questions and giving samples
Building a rapport with customers and holding an audience
Making transactions and keeping a record of sales
Preparing sales reports and keeping up with sales targets
Working in line with the company brand and voice
You must possess some skills and qualities to perform well as a product promoter. These are primarily transferable skills you can bring from other jobs, education, and other aspects. Being a product promoter is part of a sales team with some crossovers.
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport
Customer-focused approach
Professional but friendly approach
Positive and enthusiastic
Highly organised and efficient
Target driven
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
Competent in using video and graphics for demonstrations
Knowledge of the product you’re promoting
Understanding payment devices
Since product promoter jobs are generally entry-level, the educational requirements are not advanced, and training and experience take precedence. You may need higher education and experience to progress to more senior positions.
Undergraduate qualifications such as a bachelor's degree might be necessary for product promoter jobs that require more responsibility. Consider choosing business, administration, and marketing modules that teach company structures and business strategies. With a bachelor’s degree in one of these specialties, you can work towards the position of promotions manager, which comes with more responsibility.
On-the-job training is usually standard. If you apply for a product promoter job and don't have a degree, it’s worth considering additional training to increase your chances of getting the job. You can take classes in business subjects or further training on the technical side, such as using video and visual presentations. If the products you want to promote are specific, such as kitchen products, having a certification or taking a cooking class can help enhance your CV for the role.
Experience in marketing or sales is usually essential for a role as a product promoter. Working in retail will help, or an internship is often a significant boost to your CV if you want to get ahead and have the opportunity. For an entry-level role, you'll receive training, but you can still benefit from some experience to verify your skills. Consider temporary positions that typically require less experience and are good for building experience on your CV. For more senior promoter roles, experience is a more critical factor in demonstrating your value.
According to Glassdoor, the average product promoter salary in the United Kingdom is £26,866 [1]. The UK spends an average of more than £35 billion annually on advertising, making it Europe's largest advertising market, according to Statista [2]. Given that the UK is among the leading markets in the world, aspiring product promoters can expect the job outlook to continue in a positive direction.
A product promoter can lead to many opportunities in sales and marketing since it has a vast scope. It’s also an excellent entry point for all sorts of careers.
One of the positions closely related to a product promoter is a promotions manager. Promotions managers typically need experience in promotions and a bachelor’s degree. Some positions ask for leadership certifications or management training because the role involves leading a team, interviewing, and implementing sales strategies. Promotions managers earn more than product promoters, with an average salary of £39,238 [3].
Other roles that you can pursue with experience as a product promoter include:
Marketing manager: £44,394 [4]
Advertising manager: £36,880 [5]
Market research analyst: £27,694 [6]
Public relations manager: £42,945 [7]
Sales manager: £41,726 [8]
*All annual salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of June 2024
If you’ve gone through the product promoter job description and think it’s for you, a great starting point is to take a beginner-level sales course. Consider taking Sales Training: Building Your Sales Career by HubSpot Academy on Coursera provides an overview of what it takes to build a career in sales.
1. Glassdoor UK. “Product Promoter Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/product-promoter-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
2. Statista. “UK Advertising Industry Statistics & Facts, https://www.statista.com/topics/1747/advertising-in-the-united-kingdom/#topicHeader__wrapper.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
3. Glassdoor UK. “Promotions Manager Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/promotions-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,18.htm?clickSource=searchBtn.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
4. Glassdoor UK. “Marketing Manager Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/marketing-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm?clickSource=searchBtn.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
5. Glassdoor UK. “Advertising Manager Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/advertising-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm?clickSource=searchBtn.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
6. Glassdoor UK. “Market Research Analyst Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/market-research-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm?clickSource=searchBtn.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
7. Glassdoor. “Public Relations Manager Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/public-relations-manager-salary-SRCH_IM1035_KO0,24.htm.” Accessed June 12, 2024. 8. Glassdoor UK. “Sales Manager Salaries in United Kingdom, https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/sales-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm?clickSource=searchBtn.” Accessed June 12, 2024.
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