It feels like 99% of marketing is done online these days. Although social posts, articles and videos are hugely important in reaching your audience, live events and experiences can be equally as impactful.
First of all, what is experiential marketing?
Experiential marketing is a marketing tactic where a business will create a live, hands-on experience, giving potential customers a chance to physically experience the voice of the company and any products/services on offer. You might create an experiential marketing event at a tradeshow or even on a street corner!
Why should you consider an experiential marketing campaign?
There are several reasons why you might decide to try an experiential marketing campaign. Here are the top 4 reasons why we think experiential marketing campaigns are IT!
- It creates a stronger emotional connection between the customer and the product.
Glancing at an image on your business’ social media page is good, but actually getting the chance to interact with and experience your product/service in real-time is incredible. Think of it this way it’s easy to forget a 20 second video, especially with the amount of media we consume daily, a live experience is much more likely to stick in the mind of the participant. They will always associate your business with the positive emotions they experienced at the event that day. This level of emotional charge in relation to your business is basically priceless! - It’s like a 3-in-1 marketing tactic.
Social events are highly Instagrammable (that’s a word, right?) and often end up all over social media. By hosting an experiential event for your brand, you are inviting the possibility of showing up on the feeds of those who attended (this is free marketing!). Events are also an opportunity to partner up with influencers, artists, and other relevant players in your industry who may promote your event to their followers. - It gives you a chance to further establish your brand’s personality.
We already know that brand image can be expressed in the colors, shapes, words and images you use in your digital marketing campaigns, but a live event is your chance to show your brand’s personality in person! Is your brand fun? Classy? Tough? Sweet? Everything from the decor to the people you hire will aid in expressing your brand’s personality. It’s an opportunity to take your brand further and demonstrate how you show up in “the real world”. - It opens the doors to new professional collaborations.
Unlike a digital marketing campaign, an experiential marketing event takes a whole team to set up. This is your chance to partner with other businesses you respect who you also align with in terms of targeted demographic. Companies collaborate all the time, the trick is to stay away from your direct competition and choose companies with a similar audience to yours.
A good experiential marketing event has the power to stay in the mind of the participant for years and years. It not only gives you a chance to flex your personality but also expand your professional network. Here at The it Crowd, we can help you with all your marketing needs! Contact us today.
