Marketing strategies today are doomed to fail if they only focus on capturing attention. Building lasting relationships is an absolute must to survive against competitors. There are plenty of innovative marketing ideas that brands can use to up brand engagement. From user-generated content to gamified campaigns, there are all kinds of ways to build connections with consumers. But instead of following trending strategies, creating brand experiences might be just what your brand needs to stand out from the crowd.
Brands can get experimental with their marketing by crafting immersive experiences for their audience—and it’s effective too. According to an EvenTrack study, 40% of consumers said they would be more likely to buy from a brand if they attended a brand’s event or experience, and 29% said someone in their household would be more likely to make a purchase.
Let’s dive into how brands build deeper connections with exclusive brand experiences for their target market.
The Benefits of Recurring Events
Brand events don’t have to be recurring, but there are plenty of benefits for the ones that are. With regularly scheduled events, consumers know they can count on valuable experiences, which will influence them to keep returning. There is also a sense of reliability and predictability, so consumers can feel confident about being a repeat attendee.
Consistently holding events can eventually lead to a strong community over time. Attendees will begin to recognize faces and names so that they are building connections with the brand and also each other. Allowing a space for consumers to build relationships that have been sparked by your brand is a great way to strengthen the community around the brand.
Regular events are a great opportunity to continuously provide value to consumers as well. Do they get to try out net products and services before everyone else? Or are there great networking opportunities? Finding a way to get consumers to look forward to your event and see it as something special is a great way to ensure consumers keep coming back.
The VIP Experience
What better way to build customer loyalty than making them feel like they are in the inner circle? Allow frequent consumers to have early access to products or services before launch with the added benefit of granting space for their feedback. Giving consumers a voice in what they want to see in future products can make them feel like they are part of the process, which is true given that customer feedback is essential for improving services.
Ensure that these VIP experiences really do feel VIP. Offer premium experiences that consumers find attractive, especially when promoted in collaboration with the right social media influencers (which you absolutely should use as well). Building FOMO among your audience is a powerful strategy to get everyday consumers to want to become VIP attendees.
The Future is Hybrid
Events are great to attend in person, but they can be limiting when trying to build brand loyalty with consumers across the nation—or even the world. Offering hybrid options for events is a helpful balance that brands can implement to keep consumers engaged no matter where they are located.
Those attending digitally may not have the same experience as those in person, but they can still reap the benefits. Brands can offer breakout rooms for networking or streams of any keynotes and presentations. Live Q&As and polls can also include insights from attendees that are both in-person and online.
The extra benefit of hybrid events is the engagement from digital attendees that can be gathered. Data on their behavior, types of engagement, and preferences can provide great insights into how future events can look. By integrating this data, brands can ensure future experiences are even more inclusive and impactful for all in attendance.
Connections that Last
By investing in this type of experiential marketing, brands can move beyond surface-level interactions and build deep, emotional connections with their audience. When brands create immersive experiences, consumers feel like they are part of something bigger, creating loyal advocates that not only connect with the brand but also with its community.
