14 Examples of Experiential Marketing Campaigns That'll Give You Serious Event Envy Work events are really hit or miss. Let's be honest: How many times have you found yourself anxiously fidgeting with a paper napkin in the corner of a stuffy networking happy hour? Here's the thing: It's not the event itself that prevents you from coming back the following year. It's the experience you remember having. In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best experiences brands have ever offered their customers. I have a big problem with generic trade shows and industry conferences. That's why I was not only relieved, but surprised and delighted, when I attended a holiday party that featured a live, interactive version of an arcade game. An entire room had been curated to look like a video game setting, and people were dressed up as characters from it. There was a giant, real-life scoreboard, boppy electronic music, and best of all, there was no tedious small talk. It wasn't just another tired work event ... it was an experience. And in our line of work, that sort of thing has a name: experiential marketing. While a surprising number of people haven't heard of the concept, it's kind of a big deal -- there's an entire three-day summit dedicated to it, and 65% of brands that use it say that it positively correlates with sales. But what is it, exactly? And how has it been used effectively? We found 14 of the coolest...

Why P2P Marketing Might Be a Good Alternative to Influencer Marketing To understand what peer-to-peer (P2P) marketing is, let's start with an example. Recently, I was looking for a new face moisturizer. Of course, I could've trusted the numerous influencers I follow on Instagram, all with strong opinions regarding the "best, most effective" options available. But I wasn't convinced these influencers had my best interest in-mind. Yes, most influencers' (and micro-influencers) are successful because they promote valuable products. But they're getting commission off those posts, too. So I handled my problem the old-fashioned way — I texted my friends and asked what products they use. This isn't to say influencer marketing is ineffective. Quite the opposite: When done right, influencer marketing is a fantastic opportunity to expand your brand's reach and increase sales. But depending on your team's budget, influencer marketing could be limiting. Plus, influencer marketing inhibits your brand from reaching those consumers who still trust their peers above all else. Enter: P2P marketing. Given 93% of consumers trust friends and family over all other influences (including review sites, blogs, and social media platforms), it makes sense why P2P marketing works. And P2P marketing, a form of word-of-mouth marketing, isn't new. People have been giving personal opinions about their favorite — and least favorite — brands, products, and services long before social media. Some older forms of P2P marketing include Yelp, reviews on personal business' websites, and good old-fashioned conversations between your consumers and their friends and family. However, there are...

How to Identify Your Core Marketing Message As a marketer, you know how important it is to have a marketing strategy. You also know how important it is for your strategy to align with your audiences’ needs and interests, and the required approach for each channel you use, whether it’s social media or email. Having a marketing strategy also helps you create the content your audiences want to see and share it where they’re most likely to see it. But, when you have this strategy, how do you figure out what to say in the content you share with them? What you need is a marketing message, and it’s just as important as your overall strategy. You can think of it like this: if you know you want to post about a new product launch on Instagram, how will you prove to your audience that they need to buy this new product? Your marketing message. Essentially, no marketing message means no way to execute your strategy. In this post, we’ll define what a marketing message is, give real-life examples from businesses, and explain how you can create your own. Because of this, you should craft your marketing message with care, specifically for the audiences you’re trying to reach. It should also address their pain points and present your business as a solution. When your message speaks to their needs, you’ll build trust with your audience and inspire customer retention. Every business engaging in marketing needs a marketing message, whether...