A 2022 Quick-Start Guide to Experiential Marketing for New Exhibit and Event Managers

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A 2022 Quick-Start Guide to Experiential Marketing for New Exhibit and Event Managers

10/1/2022
Experiential marketing, also referred to as "face-to-face, on-ground, or engagement marketing," is a method of promotion. It's a marketing tactic used in creating a memorable experience, often in an interactive space, to build connections with customers, prospects and your brand. At Exhibitus, we specialize in experiential marketing services and help bring thousands of brands to life for events, trade shows, expos, and more. Keep reading to learn how experiential marketing can boost your brand, benefit your company's bottom line and uniquely serve your audience in 2022, and beyond.

Tips You Need To Know About Experiential Marketing
Engagement with your audience fosters conversation and allows you to showcase your brand in new, innovative ways. Experiential marketing hinges on a customer enjoying a shared experience that increase brand awareness and exposure. This type of promotion, which also can be referred to as engagement marketing, encourages stronger word-of-mouth advertising when attendees directly interact with your products.

Showcasing your products and allowing prospects to gain hands-on exposure via demonstrations increases a brand's chance for success over traditional advertising methods. An on-ground marketing team like Exhibitus can help highlight your brand through creativity and innovation in an immersive environment.

How Does Experiential Marketing Work?
Experiential marketing can be carried out in a variety of ways depending on your products, services, and target market. Rather than a simple "free sample" format of immersing customers, experiential marketing relies on creating connections between the brand and the customer.

This can be as sophisticated as a high-tech interactively designed exhibit or as simple as a spin-the-wheel or a plinko golf game at a city festival.

The range of possibilities with experiential marketing is endless. Everything from a concert to a poll can be considered experiential marketing if it is engaging potential customers in pursuit of brand awareness through emotional connection. The ultimate goal is to leverage face-to-face interaction for prospects, regardless of how familiar they are with your brand.

There are nuances in experiential marketing tactics, however. The best use cases allow potential customers the opportunity to interact with your products and services in a way that mimics real life. Immersing a consumer in this experience not only gives them a tangible idea of the benefits your product offers but fosters an emotional connection that leaves a lasting impact on the market. If used properly, investing in engagement marketing that is integrated into a well-designed custom exhibit can have significant ROI for the company's bottom line.

Types of Experiential & Engagement Marketing
While experiential marketing can look like basically anything, there are generally three categories that encompass most versions of the practice.

Product-Based: A product showcase is the simplest version of this, in which consumers can try out a variety of products for themselves. Outside of a formal showcase, this can include any free sample-based marketing tactic or a free trial when it comes to something like software. Anything that lets a customer experience your product without first buying it is considered experiential marketing.
Experience-Based: Rather than interacting directly with a product, experiential marketing can use related experiences to create positive brand associations that influence later purchasing decisions. This can be something as simple as a sponsored concert or event, or exclusive experiences aimed at a target market. Any immersive experience will allow you to connect emotionally with consumers and form a strong bond moving forward.
Buzz-Based: It can be difficult to know what will or won't generate media attention, but the ability to gain word-of-mouth and buzz is critical to experiential marketing. Some companies build out media stunts aimed at getting attention while others may attempt a guerilla marketing strategy. These forms of experiential marketing can be high risk, but also high reward when executed well.

What Are the Goals of Experiential Marketing?
Like any marketing, the goal of experiential marketing is to promote brand awareness and convert that awareness into qualified leads and sales. The exact numbers and objectives may differ by campaign, but there are three primary ways that experiential marketing offers ROI.

Positive Brand Associations: One of the ultimate goals of any marketing team is to have a brand that people know and trust. While experiences with a product will be a part of this, brand awareness and associations go a long way. By providing consumers with a positive experience, your brand immediately starts to build interest and trust.
Conversion and Reach: Because it acts on positive associations and immersion, experiential marketing has a high potential to convert leads into actual sales.
Campaign Support: Well-rounded campaigns do the best job of reaching current and future customers, and experiential marketing offers robust opportunities to use a campaign. The experiential nature of these campaigns allows for even more reach.

Value of Experiential Marketing at Trade Shows
When choosing your strategy for a tradeshow booth, you might wonder if experiential marketing is worth additional work or cost. Since trade shows are already live, some assume they are naturally immersive. However, the opposite is true, and infusing your booth with experiences can make you stand out from the crowd and increase your returns.

All of the usual benefits of experiential marketing apply in this setting, including increasing brand awareness and positive connections through meaningful interactions with customers. But because of the nature of a show, you will have more potential customers in one place than in other situations, allowing your experiences to go farther. Additionally, many large trade shows will gain attention from the media and influential people in your industry, who may be captivated by your offerings and post about them. The potential for social media traction and word-of-mouth is even higher at these events.

One reason many companies attend trade shows is the ability to gather insights and data about clients through lead capture systems or other mechanisms. Experiential activations are a huge benefit in this area, as they not only draw more people to your booth but facilitate an easier exchange of information. Customers are more likely to share personal information with brands they trust, so providing them a positive experience can often give you access to data your competitors cannot replicate.

How to Bring Experiential Marketing into Your Trade Show
Trade show exhibits can be an effective form of marketing, but they don't qualify as experiential marketing on their own. Instead, you must think through how to take your floor space and facetime with consumers to the next level by infusing it with immersive experiences and connections in the short time you are there. There are endless options for how to make your booth an unforgettable experience for visitors, but here are some tips as you begin thinking through your game plan:

Start With Design: Experiential marketing shouldn't be an afterthought to your exhibit. Think of the exhibit as telling a story and using emotion to do so, as well as questioning what outcomes you are hoping to see. With this, you can make a plan for an experience-focused environment.
Use Interactive Options: Whether you have samples and test drives set up or want to use an educational approach, it is important to include interaction as much as possible. Think outside of the box in this area - does virtual reality fit the product? Or is a creative contest a better way to drive engagement?
Promote Outside of the Event: In addition to driving people to the booth on the day of a trade show, experiential marketing calls for continued engagement. Use social media and other avenues to promote the event ahead of time and, importantly, follow up.

What Are Some Examples of Experiential Marketing at a Trade Show?
Depending on your industry, the type of show you are at, and the goals of your experiential marketing, there is a range of ways you can incorporate the practice into your booth. Some popular ideas include:

Contests or Games: Everybody loves to leave a trade show with some swag, but rather than simply setting out items for people to grab, make the experience interactive. A prize wheel, contest, or other exciting game will draw people to your booth who hope to win, as well as to watch what unfolds.
Photo Booths: Always a hit at parties, a photo booth is a great way to bring some fun to the floor and encourage a positive experience. Those who leave will have a reminder of their fun interaction with your brand to take home - and if they post on social media, that's added promotion for you!
Product Demos: If your product can be shown or used on the floor, bringing customers in for demos can be hugely impactful. The more you can make each demo hands-on and engaging, the more foot traffic you are likely to get.
Guest Speakers: Getting a slot to present at a conference is always a great idea and can draw in many participants. Finding someone outside of your organization who can speak to a wide audience, while bringing in your own value prop, can be an experience guests carry with them.

Use Experiential Marketing At Your Next Event
The opportunity of incorporating experiential marketing for your brand is prolific. If you're in need of help customizing and designing an experience for your customers, contact our team so we can help you craft the perfect brand experience.

Lynn Reves, Vice President - Marketing & Results Strategy, Exhibitus
Lynn oversees the marketing program and Results Division, focusing on client success and proving value in program efforts.

Contact:
lynn.reves@exhibitus.com