Can Small Businesses & Retailers Benefit from Experiential Marketing?
(Spoiler alert: yes!)
When considering experiential for your marketing strategy, a quick Google search will overwhelm you with a mass of super cool experiences from huge name brands like Pepsi and Bud Light, Zappos and Ikea. While their investments are impressive and results substantial, tapping into experiential as a small business can be discouraging and daunting.
So do small businesses and retailers even stand a chance? Yes!
Experiential marketing as a discipline is growing rapidly. As more companies experiment in this space with their goods and services and gain the unique benefits this strategy offers, you too will want to consider it for your future marketing plan.
Experiential marketing has the potential for tangible and intangible ROI too good to overlook.
1. Cut through the noise
In a sea of marketing noise, experiential can engage all five senses — offering the opportunity to try your products or services before committing to buying them.
And perhaps, more importantly, experiential marketing provides the unrivaled benefit of face-to-face conversations. What other form of marketing allows for a dialogue lasting more than a few seconds?
If you’re still thinking you can’t compete because of costs — think again. Experiential marketing works for small-and medium-sized companies, too.
To avoid wasted dollars, look closely at the programs and campaigns performed by the big players to glean key insights as to what made them successful. Tailor those key takeaways to work specifically for you on a smaller scale.
Besides, success doesn’t always equate to the most dollars spent. In fact, the most important aspects of creating a successful experience are two-fold:
- The idea — how creative, cohesive and on-brand are the elements that play into the big idea
- The execution — how it is brought to life and implemented
When implemented well, these strategies can leave a deeply memorable impression that inspires the consumer to act — to make the purchase, to spread the word, and to share with friends.
2. Experiential is adaptable for any business, small to large
The types of experiences small businesses or retailers can deliver are vast depending on the goals and product or services offered. From home improvement, arts and crafts, grocery, and sporting goods stores to agencies, insurance companies, and government organizations providing services, all can benefit from experiential marketing.
Sampling is a strong experiential tactic for small restaurants and product retailers. For example, PIADA, a local fast-casual Italian restaurant founded in Columbus, takes advantage of promoting its seasonal samples outside of its stores at new store grand openings and at local events they sponsor.
It may not be that original or glamorous, but it’s effective at giving your consumers a taste — just the right amount of incentive to get them back into the restaurant for more.
3. It gets people’s attention
For the most creative of brands, the tactic of guerrilla marketing has the potential to gain reach beyond imagination. This is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to implement experiential, particularly when your experience draws the attention of onlookers with smart phones, and even the local news.
Flash mobs, impromptu concerts, street performances and pop-up shops are all strategies that cause a viral-worthy splash for big publicity without breaking the bank.
Just be sure not to break any rules!
Stephanie Maupin — Director, Operational Excellence
Steph is a PMP-certified project manager with a knack for managing multiple projects simultaneously. When she’s not working, you can find her playing golf or professional ice shoveling for the Columbus Blue Jackets Ice Crew.
That’s it from us. Now, we’d love to hear about you! What type of business do you have? Have you implemented experiential in your business — if so, how’s it going? Email us here or tweet at us. 👋
