A promotional model is a model hired to drive consumer demand for a product, service, brand, or concept by directly interacting with potential consumers. A vast majority of promotional models typically tend to be attractive in physical appearance. They serve to provide information about the product or service and make it appealing to consumers. While the length of interaction may be short, the promotional model delivers a live experience that reflects on the product or service he or she is representing.

This form of marketing touches fewer consumers for the cost than traditional advertising media (such as print, radio, and television); however the consumer's perception of a brand, product, service, or company, is often more profoundly affected by a live person-to-person experience. The influence of this type of marketing may be more enduring as well. Promotional models often interact with many people at once to maximize quantitative influence on consumer demand.

The responsibilities of the promotional model depend on the particular marketing campaign being carrying out, and may include: increasing product awareness; providing product information; creating an association in the consumer's mind between the product or brand and a particular idea (natural beauty, classic heritage, edgy sex appeal, reliability); handing items to consumers, such as a sample of the product itself, a small gift, or printed information.

Marketing campaigns that make use of promotional models may take place in stores or shopping malls, at tradeshows, special promotional events, clubs, or even at outdoor public spaces. They are often planned at high traffic locations to reach as many consumers as possible, or at venues at which a particular type of target consumer is expected to be present.

Changing social and business standards have resulted in a decrease in the use of promotional models in both the construction industry and automobile trade shows.