[Article links updated. Originally published on Feb 19, 2020]

Innovative technology solutions have emerged in a number of fields, boosting employee productivity and enhancing the customer experience. In the past 10-plus years of experiential marketing, technology's influence on customer engagement has evolved almost beyond recognition.

Technology now allows customers to experience and evaluate brands on their own terms. That's why experiential marketing is important for building relationships with your audience. 

[Article and some links updated April 4, 2023. Originally published on June 28, 2019.]

Experiential marketing has quickly become one of the industry’s most formidable strategies. As HubSpot found in its 2022 Marketing Industry Trends Report, 83% of marketers planned to spend the same amount or increase their experiential marketing investments last year.

If brand experiences are the new marketing front lines, then they also serve as the new creative frontier for marketers. Brands that embrace experiential don’t just commit to providing customers an experience — they commit to innovating and revamping their approach whenever the time comes.

With trade shows, brands are able to pound the pavement (or the convention center floor, to be more precise). According to a recent study, the number of virtual events decreased by 15% from 2021 to 2022, indicating that consumers are tired of online “experiences” and ready to cultivate deeper connections in person. For companies, it’s a chance to get from behind their screens and in front of a crowd. More specifically, brands get a chance to come face-to-face with three distinct audiences: 1) Existing customers who are looking to re-engage; 2) Newly converted customers from the two-year hibernation; and 3) Potential opportunities for those who don’t know your brand.

No matter which of these customers you encounter, engaging them with an eye-catching and representative illustration of your brand story, products, and services is crucial. Think of it as a strategic marketing move that will facilitate authentic connections for a lifetime. After all, trust is a growing consumer value, and a compelling trade show booth can leave people feeling confident and interested in your brand.

Sporting events are some of the best opportunities for brands to connect with consumers. Now that games, matches, tournaments, races, and other fan-based activities are happening in person, you'll want to consider the many ways you can leverage those events to boost your company's visibility and expand your reach.

The benefits of sports marketing go far beyond having your logo on the sideboards of a hockey rink. Marketing through sports allows you to engage with niche audiences, opening the door for increased relevance, strengthened loyalties, and memorable experiences through creative on-site activations.

Look at any event audience, and it can usually be broken down into three distinct groups.

First, there are those who enjoy the status quo of networking with new groups of people and contributing to panel discussions. Next, there are the people who generally shy away from large gatherings and networking. Wedged between those personalities are attendees whose interest depends on the event itself.