Over the years, when it comes to activations I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly; and there is generally one element that makes or breaks it.
Bear with me for a moment and close your eyes for a minute; go on, do it! Picture all the time (and money) you’ve spent building your event. Securing your perfect location for your marquee, your branding is flawless, you have big screens showing your custom made show reel and your technology is exactly what you had dreamed it would be. The picture of perfection. In my experience though, all the bells and whistles account for a very small percentage of the final output without the right people driving it.
No amount of technology can drive interactions better than you can. So, the element is simple; the key to making your live activation work, is you. Let's begin, shall we?
The power of you
Lead by example. Get out there and show your audience how it’s done. No matter how visually stimulating your booth is, to see a return on investment you really need to be out promoting it.
Don’t let your team be lulled into a false sense of security. To the uninitiated, your experience is nothing new. What is the incentive for them to engage with your brand. Look at Billboard advertising nowadays; a static image is now a thing of the past. Its needs to be captivating and in the sense of billboards, a moving image stands out and now in an innovative leap forward, advertisers can use real time data such as weather to adjust the content. What makes your brand stand out and leap forward?
Your team – the key to success
Your team needs to be enthusiastic and well briefed on actively engaging the audience and presenting a welcoming environment in addition to being consistent with the message. KPI’s built on engagement numbers can help motivate staff. Remember to reward results and encourage effort.
Your team need to understand the goals and objectives of the activation. Understanding that customer engagement with immersive technology creates a memorable experience which builds brand advocacy. You want your audience to remember what they did, who they did it with and create a positive connection with your brand.
Immersive experiences not only create an unforgettable moment...but brand loyalty
Your audience – your greatest asset of all
Surprise and delight, leave a lasting positive impression of your brand. No one is a better sales person than happy customers, so take your time to connect with your consumer. People don’t remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel. Live activations have the amazing opportunity to connect directly, use the full scope of that power. People are more likely to share an experience they had on social media if they felt involved, and are proud to say “I was there”.
The lesson
Knowing your audience is essential to a successful activation. Targeting the right demographic with the right tools is your best chance at a positive outcome. Generally, expectations are not met when too much reliance is based upon the technology. Assuming the old “build it and they will come” attitude is not always the best approach. I have found that immersive experiences not only create an unforgettable moment, but will often result in a much wider reach and help elevate your brand identity.
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and promote your brand. Remember, without you, there wouldn’t be one.
Not sure how to get started? Check out our showreel to see what we’ve done and how we can help you.
By
Ashton Bryce
