As mentioned in our first article of the Brand Advocacy Essentials series, brand advocates can be paid or organic. Based on the results you’re looking to achieve at retail, you may want to consider investing in highly trained brand representatives.  

At BDS, we specialize in hand-selecting, training, and developing brand representatives to not only spread the word about your brand, but develop relationships with stores in targeted markets, transfer brand excitement and knowledge to store associates, and close sales with shoppers.  

Boost brand awareness and start closing sales with the help of our: 

• Market Development Managers 

• Assisted Sales Representatives 

Boost Product Knowledge, and Sales, and Brand Loyalty with Assisted Sales Representatives  

Did you know that 89% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase with a brand after having a positive customer experience? With that being said, Assisted Sales Representatives are the perfect solution for taking your sales to the next level.  

Since face-to-face interactions are priceless, consumers are more likely to make purchase decisions based on their interactions with experts in stores. By interacting with shoppers and showing them the value of your products, Assisted Sales Representatives can successfully boost product knowledge, sales, and brand loyalty.  

Assisted Sales Representatives know the products they are selling inside and out, as well as how to tailor the brand messaging for their audience. The success of these Assisted Sales programs is hard to deny – one BDS client saw a +295% increase in sales in covered stores compared to uncovered stores.  

Grow Your Market Share and Mind Share with Market Development Managers  

As a combination of what Assisted Sales Representatives and product trainers do, a Market Development Manager is the ultimate paid brand advocate to have at retail. With a deep understanding of store relationship management and years of retail experience, Market Development Managers will promote shopper engagement, while closing sales.  

Market Development Managers will transform your store associates into passionate brand advocates. They are the voice of a brand, driving sales with knowledge and passion for the brand they’re representing. Our Market Development Managers are fully trained to represent your brand in the best light, while achieving results for your unique goals.  

Provide Training and Development to Boost Your Bottom Line 

With 6 out of 10 consumers preferring to meet with sales associates before making a purchase, it’s crucial to make sure your brand is well represented in retail. With proper retail associate training and development, our brand advocates are ready to engage shoppers and provide them with the highest level of product knowledge to close the sale.  

We offer a variety of learning design services to enhance both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are generally focused on learning what the product is, how it works, its unique features, and the elements of the brand. Soft skills training involves going further into salesmanship, teaching skills, such as how to hold a conversation, being personable, and utilizing the finer points of making a sale. During soft skills training, brand advocates begin to embody the brand they represent, from the way they speak to the knowledge they carry.  

Thanks for reading!  

Stay tuned for our next blog article in the Brand Advocacy Essentials series. Ready to transform sales associates into passionate brand advocates? Schedule an appointment with us today!