Creating Relationships, Not Just Transactions by Caroline Kempf, CK Communications

Recently on a visit to a local attraction, which will go unnamed, I overheard a conversation between a couple standing in front of us in line. The husband had just exited the restroom and remarked, “Well, that wasn’t Disney.” While humorous, the comment also provides an introduction to a definition of experiential marketing. The man continued saying that not only was the restroom dirty, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d turned a faucet on and off in a public restroom. “Disney is hands-free.”  His thought process revealed a fundamental core of marketing – customer experience. His experience with the “Mouse” and its global powerhouse of a brand have a set of characteristics, which establish a benchmark for all other competitors. When guests visit a Disney themepark they are intended to have an experience. The purpose of the “magic” is to create lasting memories linked to the Disney brand. The cleanliness, quality of service and dynamic attractions all play into the experiential marketing of the Disney theme parks.

Through experiential marketing, brand managers seek to create a relationship with their consumers. Smart companies learn to look beyond the sale, letting go of a mentality that says, my product is $10, do you want to buy it or not. Today in a climate where absolutely every product has a brand alternative, businesses must go the extra mile to establish customer loyalty by understanding what they want and need, and then providing it.

Other global corporations have sought to create an experience associated with their brands. Pepsi, for example, recently launched what they refer to as a “brand engagement strategy” using cellular telephone ringtones. Specially marked Pepsi products contain a code for users that would provide access to download free ringtones from Pepsi’s website. The idea behind this concept was to get the brand in front of the consumer in everyday environments when they may or may not be drinking a Pepsi. They looked at the culture surrounding their consumer and found a way to reach them. Now whenever the user hears that ringtone, they will think “I got that ringtone from Pepsi.”

Not every brand has a theme park or a household name to leverage in the quest to create an experience. However no matter how localized a brand, opportunities to generate positive brand experience exist. Take for example the home building process.

The first step when looking to build a new home is to contact a few builders and meet with them to discuss your options. Let’s say the first builder you visit has a standard office, nicely decorated with store bought furnishings. You sit down in a conference room and the representative pulls out samples of flooring and photos of doors and windows for you to make a selection. Visualizing what these small samples will look like in your completed home is worse than sticking a paint chip under the “natural” light bulb at Home Depot. It’s next to impossible to truly experience what these selections will look like in a completed home.

A local custom homebuilder, Christopher Burton, needed to find a way to create a positive, lasting experience with his clients. As a custom homebuilder, a standard model home wasn’t an option. Instead, he recently completed construction on a showroom in Melbourne. When you pull into his parking lot, you are met with stunning architecture and detailed design. The builder greets you in the lobby and gives you a tour of his office. Each room has different flooring options and room appointments like tray ceilings, chair rails and window treatments. Providing visual examples allows the user to experience the options in a realistic setting and helps them to define what they want for their home.

Effective experiential marketing causes you, as the consumer, to spend more time with the brand. You might be wondering how anyone “spends time” with a brand. In this case, brand encompasses everything about your product or service offering. Spending time with a product might mean a longer stay at a Disney themepark, which subsequently generates more revenue. On a local level, by offering free beer to shoppers Green Turtle Market gives customers a reason to browse the aisles more thoroughly, while also minimizing the frustration factor of waiting in a deli line. Even, a well-established brand like Green Turtle realizes consumers have many choices for specialty products. Therefore, their brand must create the relationship with a customer to keep them coming back.