What is a street team?

Street teams, defined

A street team is a group of people who take a promotion directly to the street. Instead of waiting for an audience to see an ad, the team goes to where the audience already is: outside venues, on busy corners, at events, near campuses.

Street teams are used by music promoters, brands launching products, agencies running experiential campaigns, political and nonprofit campaigns, and local businesses.

What street team marketing looks like

• Flyering and hand-to-hand. Handing out flyers, cards or coupons to people walking by.
• Sampling. Giving away product so people can try it on the spot.
• Wild Posting® and postering. Putting up posters on walls and approved surfaces.
• Chalk and clean stencils. Temporary sidewalk art and messages.
• Brand ambassador shifts. Trained people representing a brand at events and in stores.

How to run a street team well

Give clear assignments. Each person should know their area, their hours and what counts as done.

Make check-ins effortless. A photo at each stop is the simplest proof there is, as long as it carries the location and time without extra work.

Watch coverage live. Seeing the team’s photos on a map during the shift lets you fix gaps before the day is over.

Recap for the client. A map of every stop and a gallery of photos tells the story better than a spreadsheet of hours.

Tools for street teams

Group chats and spreadsheets work for a team of three. Past that, a street team app saves hours: StreetPOP gives each team member only their campaigns, turns every stop into a GPS- and time-stamped photo, and puts the whole team on one live map.