What’s it like to be a member of the WDS sales team?

With almost thirty years of experience to our name, we’re well known for bringing food and drink brands to life with our bespoke sampling sessions. 

While we know how to put together a great sampling session, WDS is more than that. In fact, we offer a huge range of different product demo experiences, covering everything from vacuum cleaners to blenders. 

To find out what it is like to be involved with one of these experiences, we chatted to a member of the WDS sales team, Daniel Steele. 

Daniel has been with WDS for three years and has recently worked on a special event for Sony. Starting as a brand ambassador, one year ago Daniel moved up to become a Deputy Demonstrations Manager based out of the Watford office. Daniel joined WDS with a wealth of experience gained from previous roles in retail. 

How do you go about putting on a successful event? 

My recipe for creating a successful event is making it relatable to people and their lives. You look at the product and you think – what everyday problem does this solve? For example, if I’m selling something like a juicer or blender, I’ll talk about how great it is for using up all those bananas that are past their best, but that you don’t want to throw away. People can relate to this!”

What’s the single most important ingredient for staging a stand-out demo? 

“A great product demo is all about finding the thing you love about the product and sharing that with customers.”

What’s your favourite product to demo? 

“It may sound surprising, but I really love selling everyday products like vacuums and steam mops. Everyone needs these products, and everyone is interested in them. They’re also massive fun to demo! You can’t take yourself too seriously while you’re mopping a floor so there’s a lot of room for humour and this really draws people in.”

Have you any other memorable demo experiences ? 

“I loved demoing Sony’s Wena watches for a special event. We had excellent training on the product and there was so much we could show people. People were fascinated by it too. But it was also a challenge with a price tag of £300-£900. But I’m always up for that!”

Do you have a favourite brand to work with? 

“Black & Decker for sure. We get great support from the company, fantastic training and the products are brilliant. Everyone’s interested in the products because they are all about tackling problems that everyone has.” 

If you could pick any brand to demo who would it be and why?  

“Oh, that’s a hard one as we work with so many great brands. I think it would have to be something to do with photography. Brands like Nikon, Pentax and Hasselblad. Why? Because I love photography and it would be a dream to get to test out the different cameras and kit.”

What’s involved day-to-day as a Deputy Demonstrations Manager? 

“Typically, I’ll be looking at what events we’ve got planned as well as booking in new demonstrations. I’m also responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the demonstration programme. I also book in sales consultants and help organise their training or follow up on feedback from our partners.”

What do you like most about being a WDS sales consultant? 

“Firstly, it’s great fun. Secondly, I love the variety the role brings. No two days are the same. I’m constantly learning about new products and I get to meet a huge range of people. Some people come along to the stand and they may not be really interested in the product, but after a bit of a chat, they’ll open up and crack a smile – that’s a great feeling to think you’ve lifted their day.”

What advice would you give to someone putting on their first event? 

“If someone is presenting a large demo involving lots of products, I’d tell them to keep their messages clear while employing more theatre in the process.”  

Would you recommend working at WDS to friends and family? 

“Absolutely, and I already do! We’re constantly rewarded for our efforts. For example, after my first demo – which went great – I was given Love2Shop vouchers. It’s great to feel valued by the company you work for.”

OK, we’ve talked about work. Tell us what you like to do in your spare time? 

“No matter what people think, I’m not a workaholic and outside of work I’m a keen photographer. I’m interested in all the different bits of kit, so you’ll probably find me looking up the latest piece of photography equipment.”

We’re always looking for talented and enthusiastic people to join us. If you’re interested in joining the WDS team, check out our latest vacancies.