Demonstrator Kaiwhakaatu
Demonstrators show and explain goods and services to potential customers, and promote new lines of products and services.
Demonstrators may do some or all of the following:
- set up and display products at shops, supermarkets, trade fairs or in homes
- cook and serve products
- invite people to try out or taste products
- explain the uses of products and answer questions
- invite customers to purchase products
- keep a record of sales.
Physical Requirements
Demonstrators need to:
- have a neat and tidy appearance
- be able to speak clearly
- be reasonably fit and healthy, because they spend long periods on their feet, and may have to do some lifting.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for demonstrators includes:
- customer service, retail or sales experience
- experience working with the product they are demonstrating.
Personal Qualities
Demonstrators need to be:
- good at answering questions and presenting
- confident about approaching and engaging with people
- friendly and polite
- able to relate to people from a range of cultures and backgrounds
- patient, as they often have to deal with repetitive questions.
Skills
Demonstrators need to have knowledge of:
- the products or services they are demonstrating
- display, sales, and demonstration techniques
- food safety and hygiene
- health and safety regulations in the venues where they are demonstrating.
Conditions
Demonstrators:
- often work part time, in evenings or weekends, and may work on call
- usually work in places such as shops, clubs and homes, and at events such as trade fairs
- may travel for work or training.
Subject Recommendations
No specific secondary education is required for this job, but English, maths and home economics (food and nutrition) to NCEA Level 2 are useful.
Demonstrators can earn around $23-$28 per hour.
Pay for demonstrators varies depending on skills, experience and responsibilities.
- Demonstrators with up to three years' experience usually earn between minimum wage and $25 an hour.
- Demonstrators with three or more years' experience, or who work as team leaders, usually earn between $25 and $28.
Demonstrators are often self-employed and work on a casual or part-time basis.
Source: careers.govt.nz research, 2023.
Demonstrators may progress to manage a group of demonstrators, or move into merchandising and promotions, or sales representative work.
Years Of Training
There are no specific requirements to become a demonstrator. However, a driver's licence may be useful.
A Safe In-Store Pass that covers food-handling skills may be useful for demonstrators who want to work in supermarkets.