Experiential Events Marketing: The whats and whys

Definition: Experiential marketing is the process of creating an experience for the customer, rather than approaching them through traditional marketing methods.

Did you know that event and experiential marketing is worth $67 billion a year??

Experiential events marketing boosts brand loyalty as it creates an emotional connection between your brand and your customers. It turns your customers into your biggest cheerleaders as it drives word of mouth. If someone has an amazing experience which evokes positive emotions, they will no doubt tell people about it.?

In short, customers want less passive and more interactive experiences - gaming event trade shows, like GamesCom, TwitchCon and PAX West give you the opportunity to do this.?

Given its effectiveness, brands need to be listening and ultimately investing. But, how can you make experiential events marketing a success?

Forget your product

It might make some of you gasp, but your experiential strategy doesn’t need to include your product, so let it take a back seat for a minute.? This is your time to let your creative juices flow.?

That’s the beauty of experiential marketing. Gaming trade events tend to allow attendees to try new games, with some booths entirely reliant on gameplay. At Heaven, we have created booths for brands whose games haven’t even been released yet. With the product (or in this case, the game) not being available, we were able to create a memorable experience through actors, a 24/7 DJ and so much more.?

Focussing on the experience leads to brand affinity, with people remembering your brand long after they have left your booth.

Let the attendees do the work

Including something interactive at your events booth often means it will naturally make its way online.? This could mean incorporating things such as a photo booth or a virtual world. When it comes to experiential marketing, the only limit is your imagination.?

To create a real buzz, you need to think of every little detail. From backdrops, to lighting and giveaways - if it’s not something you would post about on your own social media, then it isn’t good enough.?

As long as your event is engaging and captivating - it can go a long way.

Engage all senses?

This is exactly what it says on the tin. To allow your customers to get a full experience, you should be thinking about how they can use all five senses.

Even though the first sense to bring attendees over is what they see, you can (and should!) go much further than that.

Think about what they hear, what they can touch and even smell and taste. Evoking all five senses really allows attendees to immerse themselves in your brand.?

Have the right staff

This might sound obvious, but your event staff can make or break your event.

Make sure you have staff who know your experiential event inside out - this way they know how to enhance it.

So, it’s time for you to get creative and allow your customers to be participants rather than observers. Remember, don’t be afraid to push boundaries!? The list of how you can maximise your experiential event is endless.?

Do you need help creating a unique experience and standing out from the crowd? Well just drop us a message on [email protected] or find out more at www.heavenmedia.com/events.