The goal of a marketing campaign is to attract more customers to the brand, but what if many brands are going about it in the wrong way? Although the most prominent brands can put millions of dollars into their marketing campaigns and target vast audiences, most brands are better off targeting more specific niches. Experiential marketing is emerging as a cost-effective way for brands to reach these niche audiences and connect with them profoundly.
One of the most important concepts for a brand to understand when developing a marketing campaign is the target audience, as this determines not only what message a brand will use to form its campaign but also what mediums should be used. For example, a toy company may not be best served using its marketing budget on a late-night TV spot. Understanding the brand’s target audience and their behaviors is the first step in maximizing the marketing budget.
When determining the right marketing strategy for a brand, it’s crucial to consider the return on investment one will achieve. Although traditional methods of marketing — such as TV or radio advertising and print ads — might reach a larger number of people, the ROI the brand will receive in terms of conversion may not be as strong as if the campaign had been targeted to the specific audience the brand hopes to reach.
How experiential marketing creates a connection with the target audience
Experiential marketing is an innovative marketing strategy focusing on communicating a brand message by giving the customer an experience. From pop-ups to activations and something as simple as hosting a booth at a farmer’s market or festival, experiential marketing has the power to connect brands with consumers in ways much more profound than the typical marketing methods.
Experiential marketing is an excellent tool for brands hoping to reach specific niche audiences, as there are several ways to customize the experience to meet the target audience’s needs.
Not only can the specific message be customized, but also how and where it is delivered. By considering the psychographics of the target audience, the potential to connect with them on a personal level is profound.
A significant advantage of experiential marketing is that it allows the brand to decide how in-depth of a conversation they have with the customer. With other forms of marketing, like advertising, a brand relies on the fact that the audience will look at the ad or not change the channel when the ad comes on.
With an experiential marketing campaign, however, the brand meets the potential customer on their level, often at a place they are already at. Of course, a consumer could still choose to leave or simply ignore or refuse to interact with the brand ambassador, but a brand has much more control over how it connects with its target audience through experiential marketing.
Engaging with the niche through experiential marketing
Additionally, experiential marketing allows brands to engage with their target audience actively rather than passively. While passive forms of marketing can be effective — think about catchy jingles or memorably funny slogans — experiential marketing has the unique capability of allowing consumers to form a legitimate connection with the brand. By giving them an experience, whether something fun to do that relates to the brand’s identity or the chance to interact with the brand hands-on, brands can create a distinct value proposition that helps them stand out from their competitors.
One of the reasons why experiential marketing is so much more effective than other forms of marketing is that it gives the target audience something to take away. And the takeaway isn’t just any physical item, such as swag or samples, they may get to take with them — it’s also the experience they were able to have. Compared to other forms of marketing, this is much more memorable, as it allows consumers to feel less like they are being sold and more like they are being provided with something of value.
A critical aspect of planning a successful experiential marketing campaign is determining the right location, as this can play an essential role in connecting with the right audience. Choosing the right location is vital for a company to maximize its experiential marketing budget. For example, a home improvement brand will likely find the audience they want to connect with at a home improvement store. Strategic decisions like this — putting events in the right location to connect with the decision-makers among the consumer audience they’re targeting.
Experiential marketing is a powerful tool for brands to engage with potential customers. However, to have the best chance of finding legitimate potential customers, brands must ensure that the campaign is specifically tailored to meet the needs of this niche target audience. Learning how the target audience behaves, where they go, and what they do is the best way to create an experiential marketing campaign that meets them on their level and allows them to engage with the brand differently than ever before.
