To say an experiential marketing event is “powerful” severely undermines the true depth and value it can provide to your consumers. But what is an experiential marketing event? Simply put, it is a marketing strategy that directly invites consumers to participate in the progression of a brand, in an effort to create brand awareness and strong brand advocates.
If you’re looking for your brand to come alive and make a deep impact, you might consider developing an experiential marketing event. Specifically, I want to highlight three major reasons why this type of marketing can benefit your brand.
- Experience makes the brand come alive
Experience is everything — a person cannot deny their experiences. This is what makes this form of marketing so powerful. Experiencing a brand, first-hand, versus reading about a brand, makes it come alive in a powerful way. You want your brand and story to make an impact, and inviting your consumers to experience your brand is one way to do this effectively.
For example, when I attended the Natural Delights experiential marketing event a few months ago, I was able to hand-pick dates from the trees, shake the grower’s hands, feel the heat of the sun on my skin, the soil under my shoes, and witness how much care and detail goes into producing dates for mass consumption. Because of this, I will always remember the work that goes into the dates I purchase from the grocery store.
- Long-term information retention
A major goal of an experiential marketing event should be long-term retention. This is why you want to make it the most positive experience it can be. We ultimately want consumers to not only remember the event, but to remember your brand story in detail. For Natural Delights, they describe their process of harvesting dates as a “labor of love” and that really came to life when I was able to meet the growers and watch how dates were harvested right in front me. It is an intimate experience, and I could see the growers passionately enjoyed providing Medjool dates to the world. Simply put: they cared. It is the real-life experience of your brand story that makes a long-term impression.
- Increased word-of-mouth
Once a person has a positive personal experience with your brand, word-of-mouth marketing naturally increases. Educating a person about your brand also sets them apart from the average consumer. They’ll naturally want to tell everyone they know just how cool your product actually is. Word-of-mouth marketing is a highly trusted method of marketing communication, and can elevate brand perception and even increase sales.
I hope you can see how powerful an experiential marketing event could be for your brand. Consider adding this to your mix of marketing efforts. It’s a powerful way to make a lasting impact on your consumer. This type of marketing is a LOT of work, but the payoff can be huge. You’ll reap the benefits for years to come.
