A demonstrator is responsible for a variety of responsibilities. A person’s exact job duties will be determined by the type of demonstrator he or she becomes. He or she still has the primary responsibility of promoting products to customers by demonstrating how they look, work, feel, sound, and/or taste. When a demonstrator shows a product to a customer, he or she is also persuading him or her to buy it. The most common are models, as well as food, how-to, and in-home demonstrators.
Models are frequently misunderstood as product demonstrators, but they are exactly that. Models typically show how clothing, including jewelry and other types of accessories, looks on the human body. Models must be able to change into and out of different clothes or accessories while demonstrating how the products work, whether on the runway or in a photo shoot. Some animals even work as models for a variety of pet-friendly products.
Food demonstrators are typically found in grocery stores, where they are in charge of greeting customers and encouraging them to try the food on display. Consumers are frequently given a sample of a food or drink product, as well as a coupon, by this type of demonstrator. Food demonstrators are responsible for answering any questions that customers may have about the product on display, which necessitates product research. Most companies that hire food demonstrators will train them and provide them with any necessary knowledge to be successful in this position. People who want to work as a food demonstrator for a long time should pursue a degree in either science or marketing.
In hardware and home improvement stores, how-to demonstrators frequently demonstrate how products work. A how-to demonstrator, like a food demonstrator, is in charge of setting up displays and attracting customers to see the product on display. Many people have no idea how to use various hardware products, but after seeing a demonstrator demonstrate how to do so, they decide to buy the product. Manufacturers of power tools frequently use these types of demonstrators to demonstrate new products to the general public in a how-to manner. How-to demonstrators are extremely effective at increasing profit margins in hardware and home improvement stores.
Another type of demonstrator who represents a company and its products is the in-home party demonstrator. The demonstrator works for the main company as an independent consultant and frequently receives a discount on the products he or she represents. He or she makes money by holding workshops or parties in the homes of customers, where the models can demonstrate the products and potential buyers can manipulate them.