Connecting Experiential

people figurines connected by blue lines

Before arriving at NuVoodoo, a full-service digital marketing agency, I spent almost 11 years in the experiential marketing industry. For those unfamiliar with the term, Experiential marketing, also known as event marketing, is a marketing strategy that aims to create memorable and immersive experiences for consumers. Examples of experiential marketing initiatives include brand activations at music festivals, tradeshows, sampling tours, and PR stunts. The strategies and tactics are designed to create a sense of participation, excitement, and emotional connection, allowing consumers to form a deeper and more personal relationship with a brand, product, or service.

During my tenure in the industry, the two questions I received most often were “how can I measure return on investment for my event?” and “how can I keep attendees engaged with my brand after the event?”. Traditionally, quantifying the success of an event and creating a seamless post-event ecosystem for nurturing attendees have posed significant challenges. In this article, I will share insights on how to connect experiential and digital marketing to deliver and measure impactful results for brands.

Creating a Seamless Connection:

To bridge the gap between experiential and digital marketing, it’s essential to leverage technology and data. At any experiential event, consider “geo-fencing”  the specific area to capture the mobile device IDs of attendees. For those unfamiliar with the term, Geo-fencing is basically drawing a virtual fence around a physical area. When mobile devices (with tracking enabled) enter the area, the ID of that device is captured and can be used by ad technology to serve advertisements) This allows the brand to deliver targeted messages, call-to-actions, or exclusive offers during the event. Additionally, by collecting device IDs, brands can deliver post-event messages and retarget attendees with programmatic ads across digital platforms and devices, enhancing their marketing communication.

One effective to communicate and deanonymize the data is to incorporate interactive games into your strategy. By sending a message containing a clickable link to a landing page, participants can enter their information for a chance to win exciting prizes. This not only generates engagement but also allows brands to collect valuable first-party data, including names and emails. With this data, brands can develop personalized drip email campaigns, remarketing efforts, and create look-alike audiences to optimize their digital marketing initiatives.

Scaling for Success:

These strategies are particularly effective at large-scale events such as music festivals, conferences, or sporting events. However, for smaller events, consider geofencing similar events where your target audience may gather. By expanding your reach, you can engage a wider audience and increase your chances of success.

Measuring Success:

The true value of integrating experiential and digital marketing lies in the collection of first-party data. Tracking metrics such as the number of actions taken by participants, website clicks, items added to carts, and sign-ups for SMS messaging provide tangible insights into consumer behavior and the effectiveness of marketing efforts. Brands can also leverage the opportunity to gather feedback through surveys, offering respondents a chance to win products. This data not only helps shape future marketing strategies but also strengthens the brand’s understanding of its audience and perception.

Closing the Loop:

By incorporating these strategies into your services, you can elevate your agency’s offerings and attract bigger stakeholders. Including these insights in your pitch decks demonstrates your commitment to delivering measurable results and securing repeat business. Partnering with a digital marketing firm like NuVoodoo brings added value and expertise to ensure success in connecting experiential and digital marketing.

Conclusion:

Integrating experiential and digital marketing opens up new possibilities for brands to connect with their audience in impactful ways. By capturing data at events, agencies can deliver valuable insights, personalized campaigns, and measurable results for their brand partners. At NuVoodoo, we possess the knowledge and experience to help you harness the power of experiential and digital marketing for lasting success. Together, let’s create unforgettable experiences that drive growth and set you apart from the competition.

Contact me for more information and best practice on utilizing these strategies for your clients who are active in events and sponsorships at Roger@nuvoodoo.com.