23 Mar Experience Brands, Expect Results

There may be a new meaning to, “the customer is always right.”

In an article by SmallBusiness.co.uk, our friends across the pond have found that, “a staggering 71% of consumers feel they know more about products and services in-store than sales associates, whilst 56% claimed they would interact more with store assistants if the customer experience was tailored to meet their needs.”

What we’re seeing is that customers are becoming the experts on the brands they love, which is giving them more purchasing power than ever before. If the company reps are not holding themselves to the same criteria, they are creating a frustrating and negative consumer experience. Not good for the bottom line.

Another interesting finding is that, “despite the rise in online purchases, 74% of consumers would still rather shop in-store in order to interact with the products they are purchasing.”

Wait. Hold the phone. This is where we see opportunity. Despite the Amazon Prime lifestyle most of us are living, this shows that even with the convenience of one-click shopping, there are still many products that consumers WANT to see, touch, and experience.

In order to regain customer confidence, event marketers should help boost their clients’ in-store sales through a unique, and tailored experiential marketing program; complete with knowledgeable brand ambassadors and first-hand product engagement. It means embracing the omnipotence of technology, and recognizing that consumers don’t want gimmicks. They are demanding a conversation about what brands/services will truly work for them, and it is up to agencies like ours to deliver a multi-faceted experiential marketing strategy that will resonate and influence their current and future buying behaviors.

REAL-LIFE SOLUTIONS:

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AEP Ohio: Our team created stand-alone events at lightbulb retailers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s to demonstrate the range of CFL and LED options so that customers could interact with new energy efficient products which in turn provided them the opportunity to make an informed purchase.

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Z Gallerie: We developed a brand awareness campaign to promote a new Columbus store opening. Visitors were able to touch, feel and sit on home furniture at event locations, and engage with the products and the brand from our trained brand ambassador team which led to astounding sales results at the grand opening.