Unless your company has a B2C product or service in the entertainment or leisure industry, you’ll be hard pressed in making it come across sexy and appealing to the masses at the get-go.
We know. Peatix is in the business of ticketing and growing communities, but let’s face it, the man on the street wouldn’t bat an eye at the difference between one ticketing company over another but will care about being first to get tickets to an event they love!
How then can you make your product or service exciting, even if in a dull industry?
We’d say, create a memorable experience for your target audience to remember beyond a transactional relationship. We do this through Backstage Pass, our community event for organisers. Why?
- Experiences are sticky in the mind, when done right. First and last impressions tend to remain in memory, otherwise known as the primacy and recency effect respectively so if you have a memorable element to start and end your event off with, it is likely to leave a mark in your attendees’ minds. Also, experiences that are novel or feels personalised are remembered better as they stand out in memory.
- Experiences are stories customers can tell. Think about what you would animatedly share about with friends – would you share about the experience you’ve had with a product, be it good or bad, or the purchase of the product itself? We’re naturally inclined to tell stories.
- Experiences are personable and makes your brand more human. It adds an element of emotion customers tie with your brand – consider Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Series, an energy drink that creates these thrilling, risk-taking, and adventurous experiences through which people then begin to perceive themselves as in interaction with the brand.
Experiences matter in organic brand evangelism. Here are four questions you should ask to craft a memorable event your target audience will attend and want more of.
- Who makes up your product’s target audience? Who would be key to gaining traction for your business? Your event should address a challenge or need faced, or an aspiration desired. (Download our free attendee segmentation template to know your audience.)
- What are the current events out there in your industry? How can you innovate or mash-up concepts from different industries to make your event stand-out, hence memorable?
- What do you want attendees to think or feel about themselves through attending your event? List down your top five traits on how you envision attendees to describe themselves as upon experiencing your event. Alternatively, work backwards, and figure out the top five traits your target attendees would aspire towards. Plan an event that will help them to attain those positive traits or emotions.
- What are the stories you want them to tell about your event and brand? Figure out how you can incorporate elements of that story throughout your event.
These four questions will help you to initiate planning a new and unique experience with your target audience in mind. Consider how you can host an event that will leave them feeling good about themselves and sharing stories about your brand beyond the event.
What are unique experiences you’ve had that has left an indelible impression on you about a brand you can’t stop thinking and talking about? Share with us in the comments below!
