Demo teams and sales teams work differently. On our UK and Ireland VR headset launch, every ambassador was measured on demos per hour, sales, accessory attach rate and revenue. Mystery shoppers visited stores. That changes who you hire, how you train them and what they do in the first ten seconds.
Train before day one, properly
For an AI laptop launch in 2024, every demonstrator went through the brand’s product training and Currys’ own training before their first shift. On Oxford Street, every team member completed a signed-off question set at the end of every shift. It’s the only way to know a new product category is being explained the same way on day 32 as on day one.
- 500+shifts across two campaigns
- 32days straight on Oxford Street
- 13Currys stores
Explain what the product does for the customer
AI laptops were new enough in 2024 that most shoppers needed them explained before they would buy. The demonstrators who sold were the ones who asked what the shopper did all day and showed them the one feature that helped, not the ones who listed the chip. Customers want to know what it does for them.
The demonstrators who sold showed people the one feature that helped.
Make the demo the start of the sale
A visitor bought a headset on the spot.
A good demo ends with a question, not a goodbye: which one would you want, would you use it for this, shall I show you the bundle? On the VR launch, Batman joined our demonstrator at The O2 for six days. That brought 152 engagements and 118 demos, and one visitor bought a headset there and then. The character got people in, and the demonstrator closed the sale.
Report every day
Every VR shift was reported through the client’s app, with planned against actual visits sent to the brand every Monday. A daily report shows you which store needs more weekend cover, which demo line works and which shift pattern sells. Agree the format before launch so the first report is useful.
“I felt like Batman!!”
Checklist
- Brand and retailer training completed before the first shift
- A simple explanation of what the product does for people
- Every demo ending with a question
- Daily reporting in one format
- Targets the team knows from day one
Common questions
Whose training do demonstrators need?
The brand’s product training and the retailer’s own training, both before their first shift.
How do you measure a demo team?
On what the job is for: demos, sales and accessories sold, reported every day.
Should demonstrators talk about specs?
Keep it short. The demonstrators who sold explained the job the product does for the shopper.
Tell us how you’ll measure success and we’ll build the team and training around it.
