4 Reasons to Hire an Experiential Marketing Specialist
There are many reasons that organizations want to bring an experiential marketing specialist on board such as a lack of internal resources and/or expertise, or as a tool to help guide and inspire new ways of thinking. Whatever the reason, experiential marketing is an exciting and powerful way to connect with consumers and, done right, it has a great return on engagement.
Here are a few of the reasons to hire an experiential marketing specialist:
For An Outside Perspective
There can be a lot of value to having an outside perspective on a strategy or idea. It’s human nature to look for the path of least resistance. It is normal for people to get into specific patterns and ways of thinking - particularly if it’s a recurring project or program. As humans, we can become blind to things that may not be operating at their full potential. Bringing in an outsider can help spark new ideas and creative solutions for brand campaigns.
It can be helpful to bring in a marketing consultancy to help guide team brainstorms and to help pull out key thematics within a set of ideas. Alternatively, if you have a great executional team in place but feel like you would like a new take at a program brief, hiring a consultant to develop a strategic framework and some tactical executional ideas can be helpful.
What it can look like:
Team brainstorms
Creative ideation
Program blueprints (your team executes but is given the plans/timelines/key partners to bring it to life)
As a Guide and Collaborator
In this case, the consultant is brought in to work alongside the brand team to bring an idea to life. This may mean leaning on the marketing consultant for specific areas of expertise or to help backfill in areas where teams are short-staffed. In this case, the consultant is a key participant in decision-making meetings and works closely with the brand team to bring the idea to life. Defining a clear outline of the scope and deliverables of each project stakeholder is key to ensuring everyone stays on the same page. This should be defined early and adjusted as needed with amendments to the project scope.
What it can look like:
The consultant leads the project with input and support from the brand team
A key project manager is assigned from the internal brand team and the consultant provides support based on a clearly defined scope
To Free Up Your Internal Resources
Experiential marketing takes a lot of time and effort to get off the ground. For brand teams, it can be a big undertaking. If your team has other priorities to attend to, hiring a consultant to manage the details of the program can be the best path forward. Given the number of decisions that need to be made to bring a program to life, a weekly status meeting can work to keep project approvals rolling forward. This is more of the “set it and forget it” approach where major milestones are completed between status meetings and the internal team signs off on key decisions week by week.
What it can look like:
The consulting/experiential agency manages the planning, development and implementation of the program and the client provides timely approvals
The consulting agency provides and trains the event staff / brand ambassadors
Brand managers get the benefit of an amazing program being brought to life, without all the heavy lifting (literally)
To Bring that Big, Hairy, Audacious, Idea to Life
You have a big idea (or want a big idea), one that needs a team of specialists to pull off. You’re excited but you’re just not sure where to start. That’s when you pull in the pros. Experiential marketing is an art. Great experiential marketers have honed their craft over years and years of experience and key learnings. They know exactly what will work, what won’t work, and how to amplify your efforts. With big ideas often come big collaborations. The best experiential campaigns are often integrated and can involve partnering with PR, social, and digital specialists to amplify the big idea. If your team has a vision and needs a roadmap and guidance from people who know the terrain, it’s time to call in reinforcement.
What it can look like:
Plan ahead - big ideas are best executed with a longer lead time
Onboard your external support team early - as they will provide insights on how to make a good idea great
Collaboration on all levels - each stakeholder of the project will need to pull together to bring this big idea to life
These are just four of the many different ways to approach an experiential marketing partnership. No matter which approach you take, respectful communication is key. Clearly outlining the brief and the roles and responsibilities early can help ensure everyone stays on the same page and expectations are managed.
Looking for some support with your experiential marketing effort? Say hi!
About KindCo
KindCo is a Vancouver-based brand engagement consultancy that specializes in employee engagement and corporate events. We bring people together through the art of gathering.
Founder, Nikki Hedstrom, has over 15 years experience as a brand engagement and event specialist.
