Field marketing can have a significant influence on purchasing decisions and, when used intelligently, makes a major contribution to increasing sales and the success of retailers.
The areas targeted by field marketing are the retailer itself, the immediate surroundings of the store and other public spaces. Any place that has a connection to the point of sale can therefore be used to carry out field marketing activities.
Field marketing activities engage the consumer in different places and at different levels, e.g. as info points. which are used to draw the consumer’s attention to a certain product or service and to educate them accordingly.
These are usually measures that are carried out at a location with a high footfall. The aim is to let people experience and try out the product or service. Because only those who try something out and get to know it will take the next step towards a purchase.
Promotional activities apply to any type of communication for a brand that aims to increase its value through promotional methods at touchpoints. In short, it is an attempt to increase brand awareness, sell products and engage people.
Field marketing serves as a support to merchandising with the aim of presenting the right product, in the right quantity, at the right price, at the right time, with a perfect visualisation.
Field marketing does not replace classical marketing, but complements it, especially with regard to sales and trade marketing.
For companies, marketing is about bringing their brands closer to the customers in order to realise the desired sales success. For this purpose, investments are made in brand building, brand awareness and brand experiences. Against this background, field marketing is to be understood as an essential part of every marketing campaign, as it always involves direct interaction with customers.
In the following, we have selected two examples from practice to show how field marketing can ensure maximum results.
- A beer brand focuses its communication and advertising on sporting events, especially football. It is highly likely that consumers will remember the brand they saw at the last game the next time they shop. As the consumer’s awareness is already high this creates an ideal platform for using promotions at the POS to prompt purchase and to further increase brand awareness.
- A snack manufacturer, who had invested a large part of its marketing budget in Out of Home advertising and trade promotions, initially refrained from using a field service after the relaunch of its popular snack. When the desired success did not materialise, the company then commissioned an external sales force team to check the advertising measures at the POS and make adjustments if necessary. After some mistakes were found and corrected, the company was able to restore its high visibility to consumers and increase sales again. Auditing is an important process of field marketing, also and especially to find out where and how there is potential for improvement in the interest of the brand and its customers.
We observe again and again the enormous value that field marketing activities have for the sales success of a brand and it doesn’t matter whether we take a closer look at the German or the English, the Dutch or the Spanish, the Portuguese or the Belgian market, in today’s marketing mix field marketing activities are essential for the success of a brand. The activities offer opportunities for a flexible, individual and direct approach to customers and this goes down well with every consumer.