While products that have proven themselves in the market basically “sell themselves,” products which are new will rarely get the chance to face public scrutiny unless they are encountered first by prospective consumers. To fulfill this function, promotions jobs take the product directly to the people. Media advertising like TV commercials, radio spiels, leaflets etc. while being effective, seems like one-way methods of disseminating information on a new product. It is the promotional salesperson that takes it to the field and brings the goods directly to the customer, where they may even experience the product first-hand.
With market competition being stiff, and once a major product has taken hold over the customer’s consciousness, it will be difficult to uproot meaning it’s hard to get someone loyal to the brand to try something new. It is the function of promotional jobs to help a customer overcome this reluctance to seek an alternative consumer experience, be it a new soap or cereal, by providing a real-world sample of the product and engaging the customer face-to-face. By dealing with people directly, needs are addressed more effectively and questions and concerns can be answered with greater confidence as the consumer and the product owner are able to meet on the level, through the promotions personnel.