In 2011, it was estimated that consumers would spend an excess of $68 Billion on Back-to-School products. The National Retail Federation reports that this is the next highest spurt in spending following the holiday season.

Take advantage of this high-traffic shopping period with some ideas designed to catch consumers attention and add excitement to your event:

• Coupons – With consumers focused on value and substantial savings on products, Back-to-School season is a great time to offer a coupon with your product demo to encourage purchase.
• Gift-with-Purchase – Let CosPro Agency create Back-to-School GWP items such as printed pencils, erasers, pens, sharpeners, etc. for a little extra credit with the consumers.
• Printed materials – supplemental in-store signage such as posters, counter cards, shelf danglers, flyers, brochures and more can give your event a surround sound feeling and add excitement!
• Displays – Catch the eye of everyone walking by with a custom display designed to give extra polish to your event.
• Gift Basket Raffle – Bring the customers over to your demonstration table with a gift basket display filled with your product and/or school supplies that they can enter to win!

With so many ways to make your event more exciting – and we haven’t even mentioned balloons or printed T-shirts or buttons! – you can be sure your event will grab the attention of busy shoppers.

As one of the peak shopping seasons of the year, Back-to-School events book early and fill up fast. Don’t be late to school, let CosPro Agency help you plan an A+ event!  Contact CosPro Agency today to get ahead of the class, email Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com to schedule your next event.

• Over 3,400 total sales in just 4 hours per store
• Half who had the demonstration purchased a Wet Skin item
• 8,800 coupons were distributed throughout the event
• 520 store employees were trained on the products to continue sales after the demos were over

CosPro agency also conducted a 1,000 store skin care event to launch the new L’Oreal Youth Code. CosPro Agency worked with L’Oreal to create counter cards and custom gift baskets to provide extra support and excitement, and the event was completed over five weeks in May and June with great success:

• Demonstrators introduced over 13,600 customers to the new line
• Sales averaged 7 pieces per store
• Demonstrators were able to sell at least 1 piece of product for every 2 demonstrations
• More than 31,000 samples and coupons were distributed throughout the event
• Over 1,000 employees were trained on these products

Summertime proved to be equally successful with a CoverGirl event in 305 stores. Make-up artists performed mini-makeovers for CoverGirl and promoted Olay and Pantene products. CosPro Agency created all of the art for the event, including brochures, coupons and counter cards. We also created custom Gift Baskets to attract customers to our tables. The following are the incredible results:

• Sales averaged 18.5 pieces PER STORE during each 5 hour event
• Our makeup artists sold an average of over 3 pieces of product PER MAKEOVER
• There were 18,000 samples distributed during the event
• Over 300 chain employees were trained on all products involved in the event

TThese were just a few of the great events we worked on during the Spring and Summer months of 2011. Book your Spring or Summer 2012 event with CosPro Agency now and let us create a successful event customized for your needs. Contact Kristin Bocox at Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com or call at 877-326-7776 ext. 501#.

Last Mother’s Day, CosPro Agency executed a fragrance event at a major department store with huge success! The event took place in 50 stores and included several different fragrances by a well-known national brand as well as product demonstrations with some new and exciting nail products. Our demonstrators sold a total of 674 pieces of product, an average of 13.5 pieces per store in JUST 4 HOURS! Demonstrators were able to promote the fragrances for Mother’s Day to shoppers looking for unique gift ideas, while the moms shopping loved having a nail makeover with fun new styles. To encourage customers to visit the table, there was a Gift-with-Purchase offer during the event.

Additional results were as follows:
• Over 1,200 coupons handed out resulting in future sales.
• One of every three people approached ended up making a purchase.
• The demonstrators trained a total of 75 associates on the products, creating an educated sales force to continue selling the products long after the event was over.

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day is the second biggest spending holiday after the winter holiday. Don’t be left behind – let CosPro Agency help you to create a custom event to take advantage of this high traffic volume filled with customers looking for experts to advise them on what to buy. CosPro Agency can make your event special with custom additions such as sentimental signage, high value coupons, tip flyers, a gift-with-purchase option or even gift wrapping for those guys out there that need a little extra help. Stand out from the crowd and sign up early to reserve your date. Contact Kristin Bocox at 877 3COSPRO to schedule your promotion or email her at Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com.

1.     Understand your market
American families on average buy the same 150 items repeatedly, which comprise 85% of their household needs. It is therefore a bit difficult to get something new to become part of the routine and very important to market your product to the correct consumers. The quickest way to gain a new customer is through TRIAL. According to the recent Arbirton Product Sampling Study, more than 25% of consumers who have never heard of a product buy it right after sampling it and almost half of consumers plan to buy it in the future. CosPro Agency is an expert at targeting specific demographics. Contact us about our teen, males, college, senior, Hispanic and African American sampling programs.

2.     Let potential customers try your product
In-store demo events allow customers to try your products prior to purchase, giving them confidence in their purchase and removing the worry of buyer’s remorse. Since 89% of first time purchases are the result of trial or sample, it is important not to skip this step in your launch plans. At CosPro Agency, we are experts at product demonstration, fragrance sampling and complete beauty makeovers – we are the only agency with over 1,500 professional makeup artists. In addition, CosPro Agency can add many of the extras that make your events more exciting – such as custom coupons to further encourage purchase, educational brochures for more complicated products or even a gift-with-purchase as an added incentive to buy today.

3.     Create a surround sound event
A true launch will interact with the customer on many different levels. A product launch should include multiple media outlets such as print ads, online marketing, email blasts, sweepstakes, flyers, signage and more added to your in-store promotions. CosPro Agency is a one stop shop for all of your custom chain marketing needs. Some of the added extras we offer include in-store signage, sales contests, store employee training, bag stuffers or even a national consumer sweepstakes with a custom web page component to create a surround sound event. With full online and in-store support, your launch will be on the road to success. Check out a couple of our on-line campaigns: L’Oreal Sweeps, Hot Days Cool Cash.

4.     Train your sales force
Remember the importance of the people selling your product. If they don’t believe in your product, then they aren’t going to be committed to selling it. You certainly don’t want customers to know more than the salespeople about the product. During your in-store promotion, CosPro Agency demonstrators train the store employees on your products on the day of the event. They also hand out product training guides for the stores to keep, so the off duty employees are able to review later as well. The one-on-one training and product training guides are just one more helpful extra that CosPro Agency provides to create a sales force around your launch that can continue to sell, sell, SELL once our demonstrators have left.

5.     Utilize social media
Today we have SO many social media outlets and it is important that you don’t underestimate the value of these. CosPro Agency posts to Twitter and utilizes such sites as freebeautyevents.com, eventbrite.com, zvents.com  and foursquare.com to promote your event to drive customers to the stores to try your new products. It is just as important to drive traffic to the store for your event as it is to reach the customers that come in, so that your launch event reaches as many consumers as possible.

At CosPro Agency, we love to brainstorm and create new and interesting ways to execute events and create excitement around product launches. Call us today to discuss your new item and get a custom quote for your launch! Contact Kristin Bocox at 877 3COSPRO or email at Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com.

The origins of Black History Month began in 1915, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Rev. Jesse E Moorland co-founded the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASNLH) to research and bring awareness to the role that African-Americans have played in history. In 1976, Black History Week turned into a month long observance. So why February? Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation was born on February 12th. Frederick Douglass, a leading abolitionist, was born on February 14th. Every year, the ASNLH chooses a different theme. This year’s theme is African-Americans and the Civil War which will honor African-American efforts to end slavery in the United States.

Did you know that African-American consumers in the U.S. account for $913 billion in purchasing power? Using the CosPro Agency target marketing program to reach this demographic specifically instead of using a one size fits all approach makes sense. African-Americans have nuances within lifestyle, language, and culture that should be used to leverage marketing efforts. For instance, Essence Magazine and Vision Critical Group performed a study that revealed that African-American women spend 80% MORE on cosmetics annually and nearly twice as much on skin care products than general market women do annually. This is a fantastic time to schedule in-store promotions targeting the African America customer. CosPro can create coupons appealing to your target market which is a great way to encourage sales.

Another way to boost sales for February is to target Valentine’s Day shoppers.  It is believed that Americans began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700′s. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making it second only to Christmas. Valentine’s Day is also celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

St. Valentine’s Day is rooted in Christian and ancient Roman tradition. One legend says that Valentine was a priest in the 3rd century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men so they would be soldiers instead, Valentine performed marriages in secret. Another says that Valentine fell in love with a girl while in prison and wrote her a letter before his death signed “From your Valentine”. Others purport that Christians decided to celebrate Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February to “christianize” the pagan Lupercalia festival which was a fertility festival on February 15th. Also, the Middle Age French and English notion that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season contributed to the idea that Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance.

In 2011, Valentine’s Day shoppers spent around $15.7 billion on their loved ones (1.7 billion more than in 2010) and retailers reported an increase of 4.2% in comparable sales. This year-to-year growth makes it plausible that 2012 sales will be even higher with advertising and promotion. Since 85% of all Valentine Cards are bought by women, it can be safe to target females by offering a fragrance sampling, Gift with Purchase program or even having a gift basket raffle to encourage sales. Sign up early with CosPro Agency to schedule your promotion. Contact Kristin Bocox at 877 3COSPRO or email at Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com.

The holiday shopping season is already about to begin. PriceGrabber® released the results of its first winter holiday shopping survey, which reveals that 45% of consumers intend to spend less money during the 2011 winter holiday shopping season than they did in 2010. 49% will spend the same amount, and only 7% will actually spend more this year. With forecasts like these, it’s up to the retailers to make their holiday sales surge with important efforts such as in-store demos and promotions, strategic pricing, and marketing.

Some are not spending more due to higher living expenses driving your customers to find better holiday bargains. According to PriceGrabber’s survey, 68% of shoppers say the overall economic climate will affect their overall spending. This is an opportunity to show your customers that your store or brand offers great deals. In store demos are a great to promote the impulse buy around the holidays whether a fragrance gift set or cosmetic/nail set for a stocking stuffer.

27% of the customers who planned on spending more this year said that it would be because of better prices on gifts. Getting your product in front of the customers is certainly one way to get them to purchase yours. Other reasons included more confidence in the economy, being tired of frugality, and increased credit. Shoppers are also confident that they will be able to find a great bargain – 70% said that they expect retailers will offer better discounts this year due to the economy. 75% listed price cuts and free shipping, followed by coupons and blowout sales as the most enticing to get them to products this holiday season. Did you know that Cosmetic Promotions can create coupons for your event to help with sales?

We can also help promote your in-store demos and events on Facebook and Four-Square by encouraging people to check in. For instance, if your customer checks in your store during a sampling event, then they could receive an online coupon good toward their next purchase or one that they could share with their network of friends.

The good news is that 53% of holiday shoppers will start earlier this year to spread out the impact of purchases and 33% are beginning their holiday shopping in October. This means you can start reaping the benefits of your marketing efforts early. Demonstration and sampling promotions will enhance your results as in-store demos usually produce one week’s worth of sales in only 4 hours. By using the CosPro Agency for your in-store events, you’ll benefit from over 20 years of experience and unsurpassed quality of service.

Book your event now by calling Kristin Bocox at 877-3COSPRO ext. 501# or email her at Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com.

Having a percentage of a purchase donated is beneficial for a brand because it encourages repeat purchasing and loyalty. Men tend to lean toward causes where being involved requires a financial contribution rather than emotional involvement, which tends to appeal to women. Therefore, they are more likely to support organizations like The Salvation Army or Goodwill, while women support disease prevention causes like Breast Cancer Awareness.

With this in mind, the CosPro Agency is offering an opportunity for clients to show their customers  that they care about finding a cure for breast cancer by honoring Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.When you book an event with CosPro involving 100 stores or more, 5% of the proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure. In 2009, this offer resulted in $3,900 of donations for the Susan G. Komen foundation. The Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure is the global leader of the breast cancer movement and is the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to fighting breast cancer in the world.

Book your event now by calling Kristin Bocox at 877-3COSPRO ext. 501# or email her at Kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com.

1. Hispanics are very loyal: 61% of those surveyed, said once they find a brand they like, they don’t switch. Sampling is one of the best ways for them to gain confidence in your brand and become YOUR loyal customer. Remember 89% of all first purchases are because of TRIAL – not price or coupon.
2. Hispanic Families shop together and typically on weekends. Consider doing in-store events during weekends in mid-September to mid-October in top Hispanic stores. Cosmetic Promotions can arrange these events in most chains.
3. Hispanic Families spend more time together in activities than other ethnic groups. Consider sampling at Hispanic festivals, parades and community events. Cosmetic Promotions can handle this type of sampling for you. For example, on June 26th we participated for the 6th consecutive year in the San Juan Bautista post-parade concert in Camden, NJ. It is considered the largest summer event in the region with over 30,000 attendees and we distributed 2,000 sample bags to female attendees. Call us and we can come up with a Hispanic Heritage month community sampling plan.
4. Hispanic are less price conscious, but they do use coupons on the brands they ALREADY love: 63% are more likely to use a coupon if it is bilingual. Cosmetic Promotions can do all types of printing and translate from English to Spanish on coupons, easel cards, etc.
5. Hispanics utilize Hispanic media: 82% polled view Spanish TV, 75% listen to Spanish radio and 42% read Spanish papers or magazines. Reassign your budget dollars so that you are placing ads in these vehicles during the September-October time period. Cosmetic Promotions can help you design and place your ads in these publications.

Read About Our Latest Hispanic Event »

On June 24th, we did exit sampling after the MANÁ Concert in Los Angeles, CA. The world’s biggest Latin rock band brought thousands of fans to downtown LA as they opened the first of a record-setting 4 sold-out nights at the Staples Center. For almost three decades MANÁ has been one of the most popular Mexican pop/rock groups. Winning 4 Grammy’s and 5 Latin Grammy’s to date; the concept behind MANÁ has been a world-music mix of Latin and pop rock. After a long hiatus, MANÁ returned to the stage with an innovative show where they performed songs from their new album “Drama y Luz”, which reached #1 on the Latin Billboards. We had a table setup right outside of the Staples Center with a Rite Aid banner hung in front to attract the crowd as they were leaving the concert. The attendees were pleasantly surprised to see Rite Aid on site. There was a rush of people and they couldn’t wait to open up their bags to see what was inside. We handed out all 2,000 sample bags in less than an hour.

On June 26th, we participated for our 6th consecutive year in the San Juan Bautista post-parade concert in Camden, NJ. It is considered the largest summer event in the region with over 30,000 attendees. The parade is a well-known, family-oriented, cultural and educational event, which always takes place on the last Sunday in the month of June. It displayed a mixture of Latin rhythms and dances from around the region, marching bands and decorated floats that lead into Wiggins Waterfront Park for a grand slam summer concert with the partnership of the largest radio station in Philadelphia. The concert offered a fun-filled day of Latin sounds, exhibits as well as the flavors and aromas of ethnic cuisine. As parade-goers entered the park they were greeted by our team at the Rite Aid booth distributing the sample bags. Our team was able to educate thousands of attendees on the Rite Aid Beauty Guarantee and answered lots of questions about how the guarantee works. Many ladies were not familiar with it and said they would definitely be shopping at Rite Aid soon for their beauty needs. The event was a huge success and before night fall all 2,000 bags had been distributed.

The next event we are scheduled to be at is on July 31st during the Junta Hispana festival at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York. Junta Hispana is a unique Hispanic Heritage event celebrating all 20 Spanish- speaking countries. Working with the consulates, tourism and cultural offices, the beauty, culture, heritage, music, dance, food, arts and uniqueness of each country are brought to one event. The stage features performances for the entire family to enjoy. They have a food court with a variety of cuisine from the different Hispanic countries. Rite Aid will have a Pharmacy onsite where visitors can learn about medications and health issues along with receiving free health screening. The sample bags will be distributed to the ladies as they visit the Rite Aid booth. Rain or shine the lines form early at each of the different plazas and continue all day. No matter where you are inside of the venue there is something to do or learn about the different countries represented.