Traditional Marketing vs. Experiential Marketing in NYC

The purpose of marketing has always been to build brand awareness and increase customer loyalty.  Determining the most effective method is a challenge for smaller firms who don’t have the large advertising budgets required for a mass media blitz.  In fact, many established corporations are facing decreased marketing budgets due to economic issues.  In this changing environment more businesses are choosing to decrease their spending on expensive traditional marketing venues and embrace targeted experiential marketing in NYC.

Traditional Marketing Methods

All marketing seeks to establish a brand identity, reach a target market with a product message and create a perceived need in potential consumers for the product or service being offered.  While targeting consumer markets is an essential part of the mix, traditional marketing avenues are primarily product focused; the company extols the uniqueness of its line and uses creative language, logos, music and graphics to establish a memorable identity.  Marketing venues are generally expensive and include newspapers, magazines, billboards, bus benches, radio and TV advertising.  In this approach the consumer is a passive participant and success depends upon multiple exposures in order to create recognition and a perceived need.

There’s no question that continual exposure to a logo creates recognition, and if a product is unique enough to have little competition than the standard media venues may be sufficient.  But in today’s market consumers have a smorgasbord of choices to meet most product and service needs.   The key to building and keeping a customer base is relationship marketing which helps your customers identify with your product on a personal level.  The truth of this can be found in your own shopping habits.  Perhaps you frequent a coffee shop, restaurant or bank branch where employees know you by name and take the time to make you feel welcome.  If given a choice to stop at the place where you have developed a relationship or to go somewhere comparable where you are just another anonymous face, you will probably opt for the relationship.  That same principal is behind the growing trend of engaging customers through experiential marketing in NYC.

Experiential Marketing Methods

Experiential marketing is defined as marketing which seeks to actively engage the customers in a sensory manner, allowing them to interact with the product, service or supplier.  The more clients interact with a product or service in a positive manner through a creative advertising event, the deeper their commitment to that product or service will become.   When done properly, these experiences will reap a significant return on investment with improved customer loyalty and increased sales.  These methods are available at a significantly lower cost than that of a traditional advertising campaign.

Trivia as a Marketing Venue

TrivWorks, founded in 2009, offers an exciting new option for experiential marketing in NYC; trivia events.  The company designs fun, fact-filled activities to engage your client base and court new prospects through interactive competition. Their reps work with you to define your goals, understand your audience and choose your venue.  They then create questions that cover your company history, market, products and services.  These are mixed with general questions about culture and current events so even potential customers who know little about what you do can enjoy the competition of the games.

TrivWorks will provide a fun, energetic host to emcee the event.  They will also create teams mixing your employees with customers, a tactic which has multiple benefits.  Games will be more much more competitive if each team has members who are knowledgeable about your company and products.  Your employees add a face to the company which will give clients a stronger emotional commitment to your products than to those offered by a faceless corporation.  You will also be providing a fun learning environment which allows you to promote the unique benefits your line offers and will make your products stand out from the competition.

Are you ready to build your business by engaging your clients through experiential marketing in NYC?  If so, check out the TrivWorks website and see what businesses like The Economist, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Fordham School of Business have to say about their experience with TrivWorks’ trivia events.