Determining the right marketing budget for your company can be difficult if you don’t know how you plan on marketing your business. Should you create social media campaigns or email blast to lessen the cost? Or pay for ads on Facebook? It all depends on how quickly and effectively you want to bring awareness to your brand. You could play the game of wait and see to determine the right marketing approach for your business, or you can invest in something a little more aggressive.
Before you attend your next big event, consider creating an experiential marketing plan. Experiential marketing is the future of customer engagement and well-worth the investment. Here are some ways to utilize an experiential marketing plan on any size budget.
Brainstorm and know your consumer
Experiential marketing is about providing an experience for consumers that they won’t soon forget. Put your effort into brainstorming a creative way to get people to notice your brand. You don’t need to go too overboard with it, depleting your budget completely. It starts with consumer research and knowing what will attract them to you. Get creative and plan something that consumers can interact with while you talk to them.
Use the five senses
One “free” way to utilize experiential marketing to its fullest is by appealing to consumer’s five senses; sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. Think about what will allow consumers to utilize all senses at once. This way, consumers will have an easy time remembering you and your company.
Creatively provide samples
Spending your budget producing samples or swag doesn’t always work out the way you think it will. Fast Company staff writer Elizabeth Segran, Ph.D., says she loves a good tote bag, but her tone changes when it comes to the dozens of bags she gets at an event. “Most of them aren’t particularly sturdy or well designed, so they’re not that useful for bringing to the grocery store… So every few months, I gather them and throw them out.” They could be cheap to make but are not the way to stand out in an already crowded market.
Be honest with consumers
Having a down-to-earth conversation with a random person at an event is another free way to turn them into a long-term customer. People appreciate honesty, and you’ll have a better opportunity to gain their trust from the start when you don’t sugar-coat or try to hide anything. Show the person your product or service in a way they’ve never seen before. Experiencing a product in a new light will differentiate you from the crowd.
Experiential marketing is worth investing in
Investing in an experiential marketing service that is within your budget will pay off in the end. Pair our event microsite with our data capture and lead generation service, and you’ll be able to grow a following of loyal consumers. The more consumers talk about your product, the more they’ll do the marketing for you.
Contact us today for more information.