Spring Promo Tips from the Pros
The start of the guerrilla/ experiential marketing season is upon us. If you are a newbie marketer or business owner, getting in on the promotional marketing action can be a daunting task. From hiring brand ambassadors, renting tour vehicles or selecting promotional products, we know it’s overwhelming. The good news is that you don’t need a heavy hitter budget to create an event that is fun, memorable and produces the results you are looking for. We reached out to the greater marketing community and asked seasoned pros, big and small, what it takes to execute a successful spring promotional marketing campaign. Here are some tips on how to make it all come together.
Shel Horowitz – Green Business Profitability Expert
Hire the nicest, sunniest people you can. When a grumpy person hands you something to try, you’ll take it grumpily. But when a friendly person stops you with a big smile and says something that relates to you Such as a compliment or pleasant conversation starter, you’ll take that sample with a much more positive attitude.
Christine Courtney-Myers- CEO
C3 Agency’s approach to creating a stellar team of Brand Ambassadors for experiential campaigns takes a different tact – we hire aspiring actresses and actors. We study our client’s product values and attributes and hold special castings to discover actors that fit the brand’s target demographic. We train these individuals on brand history, product features and campaign messaging, and in turn they are honestly eager to learn. As actors, they have the skill of easily memorizing a script. In the case of promotional marketing, the script is brand speaking points from the training. They don’t have to be the most beautiful, but they do have to be highly approachable, friendly and speak confidently about your brand. We have found that consumers react more positively to our ambassador’s genuine style of engagement during their brand experience. Authentic interactions create the ardent brand loyalty and long term sales all brands crave.
Dan Lobring- Managing Director, Communications
As a sports marketing and lifestyle agency, we do hundreds of events a year ranging from large events to mobile tours. I’d say one of the top tips for those looking to activate via experiential marketing is to invest in the right brand ambassador for your event. Brand ambassadors are on the front lines with your customers and potential customers, so they need to be authentic and be representative of your brand. Sometimes it’s the first impression that counts and your brand ambassadors need to be educated to walk the walk and talk the talk.
Margaret Colebeck- Marketing Associate
When planning and organizing a street team marketing campaign it is important to incorporate social media throughout every aspect of your promotion. Prior to your promotional event, use your social media pages to advertise and promote your upcoming street campaign. Encourage your followers to come out and meet your team, win a prize, and have some fun. Then, during your street team campaign, upload live photos and videos to your social media pages to remind your followers of your promotion and encourage them to join the fun (both online and off). You can also use social media during your promotion to help gain leverage among new customers by encouraging them to follow your brand before they can be entered to win a prize or receive a free promotional item. Another way to incorporate social media during your street team campaign is by running a contest. Encourage your followers to use your event specific hashtag to participate in your social media contest. This will help to increase your brand awareness and social media reach. Finally, after the event, share more event photos and videos on your social media pages and write a blog recapping your successful promotional event.
Bianca Knop- Founder, Wildfire Experiential and Events
There are definitely many elements of an event that can’t be controlled, especially in the spring. Jackets and tents can shield from the weather and a killer giveaway can draw many crowds, but at the core of any successful event are superstar Brand Ambassadors. Ones that are engaging, create a memorable impression, and in turn will hopefully lead to positive customer feedback and strong ROI.
Mike Doyle- CEO, Rent Like a Champion
Be empathetic and plan on approaching people when they’re most at ease. Put yourself in the mindset of your target consumer during an event, and plan your approach accordingly. Avoid talking to people when they are in stressful situations. You want to talk to people when they are in their most approachable state of mind, as this maximizes your odds of success.
Ed McMasters- Director of Marketing and Communications
The number one guerrilla marketing event tip I can offer is BE UNIQUE! Create an experience that is unique and out of the box and be sure to make a memory of it with a picture or post. Use your Team or mascot to get attention, have a pop-up experience where you can play the mascot at tennis, get your picture taken with the mascot and post to social media. You can also give a copy of the photo in a branded bordered print as a take home item. Put your mascot in a crowed place and make a statement!
Sid Simone- President
Be prepared to pay $15-25/hour for good ambassadors. (Generally, those who accept $9-14 are not professional and do not know the promotional industry). If the event is time contingent, like a golf tournament promotion, be prepared pay for 1-2 additional contingency hours for ambassadors in case there are delays. A great brand ambassador understands the difference between promotions and sales. They can connect with the the target demographic. For events like these, give something away! Place the item in the customer’s hand while delivering speaking points. Not silence.
The post Spring Promo Tips from the Pros appeared first on .
