Good marketing will leave your brand at the top of your mind after any encounter. And during the holidays, when consumer willingness to purchase skyrockets, you want to make as big of an impact as possible. Experiential marketing, also called engagement marketing, goes the extra mile to give your advertising an interactive component. Rather than just promoting what your business has to offer, experiential marketing encourages customers to participate and connect with your brand.
During the holidays, there are many opportunities to boost engagement, increase brand awareness, and close more sales. Here are seven strategies you can try.
1- Create a Holiday Pop-Up
A winter village in your retail store or a special pop-up event can help make your business more memorable during the holidays. Pop-ups can be hosted on your own property or during a community event, like the winter farmer’s market, to get more people interacting with your business.
For example, a local donut shop could host a holiday pop-up in their own parking lot, offering one free donut and a coffee to customers, plus some holiday activities for kids.
2- Make a Holiday Hashtag
Create a contest or campaign that encourages people on social media to use a specific, branded holiday hashtag. This not only helps extend your reach but encourages a sense of community among your audience.
You can further incentivize people to participate by posting examples (even ones made by your staff) and offering a prize for participation.
3- Run a Donation Drive
What does your audience care about? Their passions outside your niche matter just as much in marketing. During the holiday season, when people feel more charitable, it’s a good time to run a donation drive and match contributions from your audience. This is great publicity for your brand, and it helps you connect your members with a cause they care about.
4- Create a Holiday Filter on Social Media
Custom social media filters are a fun way to infuse your audience’s content with some branded entertainment. Consider crafting a filter that’s relevant to your niche and posting it to the platforms your audience uses the most. You can also inspire them to use a holiday-themed hashtag. Just be sure to respond to any posts they share! This is key to making a lasting impression.
5- Host a Live Shopping Event
During the holidays, people are often searching for gift guides for specific groups of people. Tailor your live shopping events online to meet your audience’s needs, whether that’s gifts for kids or their spouses.
A fun holiday shopping event can even include some giveaways, which are great for boosting early sign-ups and keeping watch time high during the event as people wait for the announcement.
6- Host a College Campus Event
Sponsor a food truck or vendor to visit a college campus with branded signage. This is a super easy way to promote your business while providing something fun to the community.
College students are always eager to share their brand experiences, and they love posting online. So, if you create a fun pop-up event for them, they’re more likely to spread the word to family and friends.
Balancing Experiential Marketing with Other Outreach Initiatives(Opens in a new browser tab)
7- Create Photo Ops
Branded photo ops, like holidays cut-outs, make for a great engagement opportunity. You can also use a QR code on the prop to make it easier for anyone who interacts with it to scan and learn more about your brand. Make sure it directs them to a dedicated landing page.
Look for local holiday events where you may be able to pay to have your prop used, such as holiday festivals and markets. These are great places to promote your brand “in the wild” and expand your reach.
Discussion about this post