Experiential marketing is also known as engagement marketing, and for good reason. Experiential marketing events connect consumers and brands through face-to-face immersive experiences. To make these events effective it is important to focus on coming up with creative ways to increase experiential event engagement. Let’s take a look at seven ways to increase experiential event engagement that will maximize ROI and leave a lasting impression on your target consumer.
Fundamentals of Experiential Event Engagement
1. Know your audience
Put yourself in your target audience’s shoes. If you aren’t connecting with your audience in an authentic way, you are missing out on true engagement and growth. Once you know your audience, you can tailor and personalize event elements based on their interests, needs, and wants.
2. Make it visually appealing
Remember that you’re selling more than a product or service, you’re selling an entire experience. The design of your activation, footprint, booth, or exhibition plays a big role in attracting consumers. Everything from lighting to signage to your event staff’s uniform needs to be unique and visually appealing. Even if the design elements are funny or off-the-wall, you want to give attendees a reason to come check out your activation.
3. Get social
Before and after your event, social media can help convert interested consumers to your brand or service. Come up with a clever hashtag, a cool green screen photo or video opportunity with sharing capabilities, a Snapchat geofilter, or a social contest. Anything to get people talking and sharing their experience will pay off in a big way, not to mention it will gain new followers, too. Social media isn’t the future, it is now, so use that powerful and oftentimes free tool to your advantage.
4. Your people are your biggest asset
Happy, smiling, and friendly brand ambassadors hold the key to successful event engagement. They need to look approachable, so smiles and a warm and friendly persona matter. You will want to have the very best people representing your brand based on who your target audience is. Who can relate well to your audience? And who will your audience feel most comfortable with? After determining who the best fit is, reach out to an event staffing agency with your needs. They will be able to provide brand ambassadors that align with your brand image. It doesn’t end here, make sure you provide some sort of training and brand messaging, so interactions come off authentically.
5. Get smart with the swag
Offer what your competition hasn’t thought of. Coming up with branded swag items that your audience will find useful is key. Swag isn’t limited to cups and pens these days, now we have digital swag, discount codes, exclusive event offers, gift cards, and personalized swag. Get creative and don’t skimp on swag items if you are offering them. If you take that step, you’re going to be unforgettable.
6. Make it fun with contests and games
Interactive games and contests are a surefire way to boost event engagement, especially when they are fun, and even more so when there is a prize at the end. Competitions, prize wheels, and gaming elements are always a big hit.
7. Use the latest technology.
Use technology to your advantage. Experiential and event technology has come a long way in the past five years. Interactive elements that draw consumers into the brand’s story creates a personalized experience that they won’t forget. Elements like AR and VR, social walls, customized RFID technology, and touchscreen applications are engaging and leave consumers with a memorable experience.
Its’ time to think outside the box. In using this basic foundation, you can plan, design, create and execute a memorable and engaging experiential brand experience.
What do companies like Netflix, Nike, and Ikea have in common? They’ve all turned to Lime Media for help. Your experiential marketing campaign must capture the attention and emotions of consumers. If you fail at that, you’ve wasted money and lost business. Let the experts at Lime Media help. Contact us at our Dallas offices by calling 972-808-5241 or fill out our contact form here.