Experiential marketing has made waves in the business scene in recent years, and with good reason. Though it shares many of the same tenets as engagement marketing, experiential marketing takes things one step further and interacts with consumers in a much more personal way. Regardless of industry and no matter how niche their audience may be, all businesses can benefit from an experiential marketing campaign in some way or another. This guide explores why businesses should invest in experiential marketing and the benefits that doing so could yield for their company.
Boost customer relationships
One of the most compelling reasons why businesses should invest in experiential marketing is that doing so can help improve customer relationships significantly. Consumers like to feel that they have a personal connection to a brand, and hosting an experiential marketing event can be a great way to achieve this. These types of events allow the consumer and the company to engage in face-to-face conversations in which the consumer can ask a real employee their most pressing questions about the company and their products. This also allows consumers to express their opinions on the company as a whole. Because these conversations take place in a face-to-face setting, consumers can develop a much stronger, more personal connection with the brand. They are more likely to feel that their opinions are heard and matter and will therefore be more likely to remember the interaction in the long run.
Improve online visibility
In our increasingly digital age, online visibility is everything. Many consumers hear about new brands and products exclusively through online advertisements or targeted social media posts. Though most experiential marketing events do take place in person, they can still have a major impact on a company’s online visibility. Outfitting a mobile showroom trailer or experiential marketing display with a custom photo booth and hashtag encourages participants to share their experience with their followers on social media. The more people who share their experience online, the larger your company’s following and fan base will become.
Yield higher ROI
While an experiential marketing campaign may seem a bit more costly than other strategies at first, it will certainly pay off in the long run. Investing in your company and your customers through an experiential marketing campaign shows your audience that you believe in your products. Providing customers the opportunity to experiment with new products and ask questions makes them far more likely to purchase said product at the end of the day. Additionally, in taking the time to converse with consumers face-to-face, you are effectively securing their trust. Not only will that increase the likelihood of their purchase today, but it will also boost their loyalty for more purchases in the future.