A design as unique as your brand

Experiential design is the newest way for your brand to make an impression with consumers, and one of the best ways to stand out in a crowded media market. Consumers, bombarded by ads, have strengthened their mental filters to block out the noise of constant branded content. Major companies are now partnering with influencers to reach new audiences.

Influencers pitch themselves as authentic alternatives to traditional ad strategies, but the secret sauce behind their success is the emotional connection they form with their fans and followers. No matter how you look at it, consumers make decisions based on their feelings.

If you asked trade show attendees what emotions they equated with exhibit halls, they’d likely come back with answers like “stress” or “overwhelm.” As for feelings on individual exhibits…they’d likely tell you that’s not what the experience is about!

Or is it? Filling your booth with famous Instagrammers might not bring much to the table, but you can take a tip from their success by finding ways to create authentic connections with your visitors. The good news is, experiences spark emotions even better than instagram posts when done right.

Standing out among hundreds of competitors (and sticking in the minds of tired, overwhelmed visitors) isn’t easy, but you can give yourself a leg up by thinking beyond the booth. Here’s why experiential design is a key part of our process of creating successful exhibits.

Experiencing the new media

Experiential design goes a step beyond traditional media, treating the setting as an active participant in the marketing process. It’s built on a philosophy that recognizes the effect of our environment on consumers’ thoughts and feelings. Experiential design recognizes that even if you have beautiful banners and killer swag, it’s hard to create real connection when your conversational partner is standing on the other side of a table that’s tucked into a blue-lined booth. It asks, what can we give the consumer that will help both of us meet our goals?

You’ve probably interacted with experiential design even if you weren’t aware of it at the time. Every time you snap a selfie in an Instagram-optimized brunch hang, purchase items off a specialized display, or attended pop-up shops, you’re having a branded experience.

Experiential design engages multiple senses

Because each brand has its own values and goals, there’s virtually no limit to the different experiential approaches designers can take.

Depending on how your consumers interact with your products or services, you may find it helpful to trigger emotions by engaging their sense of scent. Touch and interaction can also be an important part of the sales process—just think of every Apple store you’ve ever entered. Or, maybe you find that a sound related to your product helps prime the user to buy.

Communicating with your customers through multiple senses at once deepens engagement and allows you to better represent the unique benefits of what you’re selling. It can also help you bypass filters and communicate your full message.

Where all your messages converge

There are multiple layers that go into designing a successful experience, but it doesn’t have to be a gargantuan effort. Your designer can build off of existing campaigns and materials, weaving your familiar brand messaging into a larger affair that strengthens each piece.

Most brands have already put in the work to align messaging across multiple channels so their audience has a cohesive experience. Experiential design takes this one step further by directly combining channels to increase marketing impact. After all, each medium brings unique capabilities (and limitations) to the table.

As tech constantly evolves, there will be new ways to reach and speak to audiences. But, that doesn’t mean continually starting over when it comes to marketing. Shifting designers’ focus to experiences allows them to make something new by combining existing marketing efforts. The most important thing in experiential design isn’t being seen on the newest platform—it’s about creating meaning for your customers.

Hacking B2B, face-to-face

Don’t waste your first impression

Trade shows are a unique sales opportunity: almost 50% of attending decision makers commit to purchases at a trade show, and 77% of this cohort report meeting at least one new partner at the last trade show they attended. If you want your company to be among the successful, you’ll need to stand out from your competitors (some of whom may be right beside you).

In-person interactions also give you a chance to create stronger connections than anyone can through cold calls or emails. Capitalize on this strength by making your booth as welcoming and personal as possible (that may mean pushing the table aside).

Host “sticky experiences” to be remembered

If you want your new contacts to walk away feeling like you can help them, you need to make sure that everything about your exhibit conveys that feeling. Does the space feel crowded and chaotic, or calm and under control? Are you pushing an overwhelming amount of information, or do you give simple statements about what you do and how you do it?

Once you’ve nailed your initial presentation, it’s time to think to the future. Most trade show attendees visit multiple booths, and after awhile the brochures, business cards, and promises start to get mixed up. Make sure your visitors walk away with a sense of engagement or emotion to keep your name fresh in their mind.

Are you creating great experiences, or waiting for them to occur?

An amazing brand experience can make a customer loyal for life—and a bad one can result in them never buying from you again. With experiential design, you no longer have to cross your fingers that you have a majority of the former and few of the latter. Some aspects of customer interaction will always be out of our control, but with new tech enabling the crafting of rich experiences, it’s up to us to create the feeling we want our audiences to have.

Customer mindset, emotions, and engagement can all be influenced by well-designed experiences. Set yourself up for successful interactions by designing them into your exhibit…and see the difference it makes.