Some businesses rely on the same old marketing strategies and wonder why sales are not improving. Radio advertisements are usually ignored, or avoided altogether with satellite radio stations. Live streaming of television shows is making traditional commercials obsolete, and attention spans are getting shorter with every generation. Printed advertisement, such as billboards, large signs, brochures, or leaflets, are often not noticed, or end up in the trash bin. Consumers need to be engaged, and targeted audiences have to make some sort of connection to the product before they will make a purchase. Traditional marketing strategies are quickly becoming dull, boring, and ineffective.
If revenues are not as high as projections originally indicated, it is time to try some different marketing strategies, such as experiential marketing or brand activation. So, What Is Experiential Marketing? It is a strategy that directly involves customers in the production and creation of marketing programs through live marketing. It allows customers to physically and emotionally connect with the product using as many senses as possible. The marketing uses creative and innovative ways to make products and brands tangible for the targeted audience. It can involve taste tests, product demonstrations on the street or in a shopping mall, or inviting people to use the product themselves. Engagement and interaction provide an experience that customers will associate with that product.
Brand activation is often part of this type of marketing. It brings the brand to the customers and provides traction and buzz from the very beginning. An example is giving people in the food court a new brand of soft drink. Have then try it and give an opinion. If they want some to take home, give them some samples. They will share the brand with family and friends, mention it to their coworkers, talk about it on social media, and look for it in the stores. Picking the time and place for these guerrilla marketing strategies is a crucial element to their success. It is important to capture as much attention possible from the targeted audience. The soft drink sampling would not work as well at a community bingo game, for example, as it would in the food court. Success is a combination of a new product, an innovative approach, and precise event planning. Find an agency that has experience with creative marketing, schedule a consultation, and try some new marketing angles. The results may be exciting, and there is nothing to lose, especially if sales are not satisfactory.
Experiential Marketing 