TOP ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING THAT DRIVE ENGAGEMENT

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TOP ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
THAT DRIVE ENGAGEMENT

• By BIG DIGITAL

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• Baby Boomers collectively have been known to
  spend their paychecks on physical items like
  homes, cars, and household appliances. On the
  other hand, Millennials and Generation Z are
  typically more interested in experiences -- with
  many of them choosing to spend their dollars on
  concerts, sporting events, and travel instead.
• Given this rising trend among the younger
  generations, more and more companies are using
  experiential marketing to drive audience
  engagement. But instead of setting up a typical
  booth showcasing your products, consider thinking
  outside the box. Event-based marketing doesnt
  have to be the same old party or convention
  atmosphere. Here are some unique types of
  experiences to attract more customers to your
  brand.

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• Classes and Workshops
• Lets face it -- traditional retail is slowly
  fizzling out as consumers happily choose to shop
  online. Many brick-and-mortar operations are
  having a hard time retaining business, so theyre
  experimenting with classes and workshops to keep
  customers engaged. For example, Canadian athletic
  apparel company Lululemon offers workout sessions
  to connect with the community. Marketers know
  customers will be more likely to purchase gear
  from Lululemon after attending these classes.
• Meanwhile, David Lloyd -- a chain of high-end gym
  and racquet clubs in the UK -- ran a successful
  experience known as the Run for Your Bun Cafe.
  The pop-up offered food and drink in exchange for
  exercise. Once guests had ordered their lunch,
  they were invited to a high-intensity 10-minute
  workout to actually receive it. Participants felt
  great after the session and felt encouraged to
  lead healthier lifestyles in the process.

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• Unlike the above examples, you dont need to have
  a huge customer base to run classes and
  workshops. If you plan on taking this route, here
  are a few tips
• Courses can be directly or indirectly related to
  the items you sell
• The goal is to make sure customers walk away with
  an awareness of what your business does
• If youre running a hands-on workshop, make sure
  it is useful to the customer rather than a
  gimmick to sell something
• Make sure you have a system to measure results,
  so you can optimize these experiences for next
  time and ensure theyre furthering your overall
  brand.

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• Unique Games
• Give customers a chance to play some unique games
  in an attempt to win prizes and learn more about
  your company. And were not talking about cheesy
  stuff like Beer Pong or The Shell Game either.
  Think of clever ways to get people involved in
  team-building activities where all participants
  are working together towards the same goal.
• Coca-Cola was able to excite dehydrated
  beachgoers in Brazil by offering them free cans
  of Coke. The catch? All 500 cans were encased in
  a huge ice block that needed to be chipped away.
  Tons of people crowded around beating the ice
  with hammers or trying to melt it with their body
  heat. In the end, not only did everyone get to
  enjoy a refreshing drink -- but friendships were
  formed in the process too.

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• Another favourite is IKEAs furnished wall. To
  celebrate the opening of Frances 30th IKEA
  store, the company installed a vertical rock
  climbing wall covered with IKEA furniture. People
  had a hilarious time climbing over coffee tables,
  stools, and patio furniture. Many participants
  even took small breaks on bookshelves and bed
  frames -- making for some great pictures they
  could share with friends.
• These types of experiences lend well to social
  media posts. As people are smashing ice blocks or
  scaling furniture, theyll want to post pics on
  Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Make sure your
  experiential event offers reliable connectivity
  so you dont miss out on this great marketing
  opportunity. Make it easy for customers to
  promote your brand for you by offering free wifi
  or video walls that connect to social media.

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• Site Tours
• If your business lends itself well to tours,
  consider letting customers get an inside peek of
  your operations and sample your offerings. For
  example, if you run a cake shop, offer tours to
  aspiring bakers and show them how your goods are
  made. Dont forget to offer lots of free samples
  to keep people interested too.
• Big brands like Budweiser have been giving tours
  of their brewery to connect with beer lovers for
  years. And if youre a fan of basketball, you can
  interact with the Golden State Warriors through
  an interactive sneak peek of Oracle Arena.
• No matter how big or small your business, you too
  can build a following by opening your doors to
  the public. Factories, warehouses, bakeries, and
  wineries are all perfect locations for site tours
  -- especially if theyre in a busy area with lots
  of tourists.

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• Experiential marketing can give your business the
  boost it needs. If youd like some guidance on
  setting up your next interactive event, an
  experiential technology firm like Big Digital can
  help. From event analytics to on-site support, we
  are Ontarios trusted provider of out-of-home
  activations.
• For more information about pop-up marketing
  solutions, call Big Digital at 1-855-621-2842
  or contact us here.
• -CONTACT US-
• BIG Digital Corp. 116 Geary Avenue, 202a
• Toronto, ON
• M6H 4H1
• info_at_bigdigital.ca