The current evolution on the trade show floor is moving in the direction of "experiential marketing." This is being driven by increasingly informed and sophisticated attendees who are demanding a "show me" form of exhibiting. And they don't mean "show me a brochure or a Web site." Attendees want to see, touch, hear, and sometimes even taste and smell the product. This trend does not stem from a mistrust of marketing materials or the opinions of experts. It's just that highly educated potential attendees rely more on the opinion they value most—their own.
Get Hands-OnJust how might an exhibitor provide prospects with that three-dimensional, multisensory experiential interaction that they so crave? It stands to reason that live, hands-on demonstrations of offerings supported by service-oriented sales representatives are the most logical way to create the demanded reality. Fortunately, many of today's facilities can accommodate the actual presence and/or demonstrations of even the largest pieces of equipment. Ask yourself which is more effective: a simple pop-up exhibit and promotional literature depicting the benefits of owning a luxury yacht, or a climb to the top of the flying bridge to take in the simulated view of the aqua-blue Caribbean waters?
If an exhibitor can't practically demonstrate a product live at an exhibition there are still ways to upgrade from the two-dimensional brochures and booth graphics. Increasingly, we are witnessing the creation of "theaters" as part of exhibit displays. In many ways, these theatrical videos and productions are more memorable than an actual product demonstration—not unlike how the movie Jaws is more memorable than a trip to an aquarium.
Customized ExperiencesAs an increasing percentage of exhibitors incorporate experiential marketing into their exhibition programs, it will become more and more difficult to differentiate the competitive companies involved. The natural progression for providing a memorable experience at an exhibitor's booth is to provide a personalized experience for every visitor to the display. This will be possible with the proliferation of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology embedded into identification badges as well as incorporated into lead retrieval devices. Demographic data such as budget, buying time frame, product interest, and so on, will be relayed via "tag readers" to trigger a video presentation tailored to any specific buyer's needs.
Now all of this sounds great, but exactly what evidence really exists that experiential marketing actually works? Scientific research conducted by Jack Morton Worldwide and Sponsorship Research International (SRI) reveals some interesting and eye-opening findings. This research concluded that experiential marketing "drives fast results with many consumers saying that it would be much more likely to cause quick purchasing decisions. Among certain groups, it is actually the most effective means to achieve this, particularly with women and younger audiences."
Another intriguing finding from the SRI study was that "experiential marketing increases the return on other marketing investments, with almost nine out of ten saying that participating in experiential marketing would make them more receptive to advertising." Can you think of any company that would not find interest in leveraging the ROI on their entire integrated marketing communications program?
A truly encouraging trend pointed out by the SRI research was that "up-and-coming decision-makers with purchasing power respond strongly to experiential marketing, with over 40 percent of Generation Y consumers saying it is most likely to drive quick purchasing responses." Obviously, this is our future.
The most telling information revealed by these surveys was that "entertainment and face-to-face dialogue are critical." In fact, "61 percent of all surveyed said they would prefer to try a product or brand as part of an experience that integrated entertainment and information. But an on-site representative is still the number-one factor that makes an experience interesting."
The abundance of evidence clearly demonstrates that the "booth-only" mentality of graphics, brochures, peppermint giveaways, and business cards is losing ground rapidly to the more effective experiential marketing approach. Make no mistake, this is a trend. The more quickly exhibitors embrace the power of the experience, the sooner they will realize their full potential of maximizing their return on exhibiting.
Charles W. Allen is the Chairman and CEO of The C. W. Allen Group. The Group specializes in Expert Sales Training and Methodology, Educational Speaking, and Sponsorship Sales. He can be reached at [email protected], or call (205) 263-0555