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Guide · Promotional staff

What are promotional staff? A guide for marketers.

A plain-English guide to the roles, where they're used and how booking a team works, for anyone hiring promotional staff for the first time.

6 min read7 steps5 checks
Promotional staff welcoming shoppers at the Space NK Canterbury store opening
A good brief answers four questions: what, where, when and what success looks like.The one thing to remember

Start here

Seven steps to the right team.

From what the term means to judging whether it worked. Follow the line; tap any point to read it.

Large promotional team in matching black outside the Space NK Bath store
01Step 1 of 7
Two promotional staff ready for the Space NK Canterbury store opening

The short answer

What is promotional staff? It is the collective name for people hired for a set number of shifts to promote a brand, product or event in person.

  • Stores
  • Events
  • The street
  • Stations
  • Campuses
02Step 2 of 7
Promotional team with a costume character in a The Entertainer toy store

The roles under the umbrella

Promotional staff covers eight main roles.

  • Brand ambassadors
  • Samplers
  • Demonstrators
  • Leaflet distributors
  • Data capture
  • Promotional models
  • Costume characters
  • Team leaders
03Step 3 of 7
Promotional team at the Space NK Liverpool ONE store launch

When brands use promotional staff

The common thread is a moment when a person will do more than media alone.

  • Launches
  • Store openings
  • Christmas
  • Summer
  • Back to university
  • Events and sponsorships
04Step 4 of 7
Three promotional staff at the Space NK Watford store opening

How booking a team works

Booking follows the same steps.

  • What
  • Where
  • When
  • What success looks like
Key pointA good brief answers four questions: what, where, when and what success looks like.
05Step 5 of 7
Two promotional staff beside a Space NK cart in Bluewater shopping centre

Who handles what

A staffing agency should take care of everything to do with the people.

  • Recruitment
  • Right to work
  • PAYE
  • Insurance
  • Briefing
  • Attendance tracking
  • Replacements
06Step 6 of 7
Promotional staff handing out samples at the Space NK Glasgow re-opening

Good practice on the day

Ask staff to arrive early enough to set up before the public does, and make sure someone at the venue knows they are coming.

  • Arrive early
  • Named contact
  • Break plan
  • Stock in view
  • Photos in the first hour
07Step 7 of 7
Promotional staff at a Space NK summer cart on a high street in Bath

Judging whether it worked

Decide before you book what you will look at afterwards.

  • Samples given
  • Sales that week
  • Valid sign-ups
  • Footfall
  • Conversations

Checklist

Before you book.

Ready to send the brief.

Promotional staff with a Space NK gift cart in a shopping centre

At a glance

Booking in five stages.

Each stage of booking promotional staff, what it aims for and one tip.

StageAimTip
RoleThe right kind of staffMatch the role to the task
BriefWhat, where, when, successMore detail, fewer problems
ResponsibilitiesWho brings whatAgree it in writing
On the daySet up early, keep stockedPhotos in the first hour
ReviewResults against the aimCompare days and locations

Common questions

Promotional staff questions.

What is the difference between promotional staff and event staff?

Promotional staff promote a brand to the public; event staff help run the event itself, such as registration, stewarding, hosting and cloakroom. Many events need both, and some roles, like hosts, sit in either camp.

Are promotional staff self-employed?

Practice varies across agencies. Ask how your supplier engages its staff. Agencies that employ staff through PAYE take responsibility for tax, National Insurance, holiday pay and right to work checks.

What affects the cost of promotional staff?

The number of people, the roles, shift lengths, how many days and locations, getting staff to each location, briefing and training time, any specialist checks, and how much notice is given. Ask for an itemised quote so you can see each element.

Can promotional staff serve alcohol or handle food?

Yes, with the right checks. Food sampling calls for food hygiene training, and alcohol work needs age verification and the venue's licensing position confirmed. Include these in your brief so the right people are selected.

How much notice do agencies need?

The more the better, particularly for multi-location or peak-season work. Simple single-site bookings can often be filled at short notice, with less time for product training.

Promotional staff with a branded bag costume at the Bullring, Birmingham

Further reading

What is a brand ambassador? A guide to the role

What in-person brand ambassadors do on a shift, what makes a good one and how to brief a team.

Read the guide →

Ready to book?

One quote, one team.

We pay our staff through our own PAYE and supply them across the UK from 40 staffing hubs. Every booking gets a written briefing, live attendance tracking, a 24/7 support line and an itemised quote with no hidden fees. See our promotional staff page for the roles and locations we cover.

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