Throughout the year the retail calendar is sprinkled with opportunities for brands to leverage mini-season activations.  In the first 6 months of this year we have Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day. Each occasion represents an opportunity for celebration, participation and consumption, as consumers spend generously to mark each event.

This week we head towards Valentine’s Day.

Last year the Irish grocery market grew by 3.5% during the lead up to Valentine’s Day. The temptation for consumers to treat themselves and their loved ones means that the sale of products like wine, for example, increased by 17%. The focus on convenience and the appeal of indulging in quality dining at home with expertly prepared ready meals and desserts, as opposed to the pricier option of dining out, meant that the sales of these products were up by 8.4% and 6.9% respectively. And as one may expect, the sale of chocolate was up 10%.

And then shortly after Valentine Day is St Patrick’s Day.

St Patrick’s Day is a day of national celebration and, being proudly Irish, consumers do not hold back. Whether its stocking up on up the provenance of Irish breakfast staples or buying alcohol to celebrate the national holidays with family and friends. Make no mistake Irish consumers will be spending money and finding their way to have fun and to truly immerse themselves in their Irishness.

The Easter weekend is probably the most significant seasonal holiday in the first half of the retail year. In 2019 Irish consumers spent €208 million in the Easter week alone. €44 million was spent on Easter eggs leading up to Easter, and €29 million spent on fresh lamb amongst other foodstuffs.
While the growth in the market categories is generous the competition within the category remains ferocious, as brands vie for consumers’ attention and for share of spend. In-store demonstration remains one of the most effective retail strategies during peak periods resulting in a 71% increase in sales conversion. It remains the most effective way to garner the consumer’s attention, enticing consumers to try and then buy the product.

For the last 24 years FMI have grown an enviable reputation in offering in-store demonstrations across all leading retailers in Ireland. We have the experience, skills and the teams to deliver exceptional customer experience in-store. Our teams of demonstrators go through a bespoke training session ensuing that they are trained in the most appropriate selling techniques to deliver a compelling demonstration that builds brand awareness and results in increased sales.

If organising in-store demonstrations has been on your list of things to do but you have not had the time to get around to it, or if you perhaps previously questioned the value of it, it’s time to make a plan. Get in touch with our team today to find out how FMI In-store demos could help your business.