In our article, “Branding Memories Through Trade Shows“, we discussed the idea that your “brand is a memory”. Everything your customers and prospects remember about your company through interaction, its products, its advertising, etc. contribute to making up the whole of your “brand” to create that lasting impression – be it positive or not.
In addition, we discussed the role of trade show marketing and experiential marketing in creating and reinforcing positive memories in the minds of your target audience. Just about no place else puts more prospects in direct contact with your products, marketing, and sales team…
Indeed, “face-to-face” events can be very powerful in solidifying your brand experience and creating a lasting impression.
Creating Memorable Face-to-Face Marketing Events
When creating an events program, (trade shows, special events, mobile marketing etc.) consider the creation of a “Brand Memory Identity”. A Brand Memory Identity, as we define it, is a description of the ideal memory your customer should have of your brand. And should be developed as one of your first phases of trade show and event planning.
Customers and prospects who experience and are properly exposed to your “Brand Memory Identity” will be further along the path to becoming a dedicated, brand-loyal customer. This is someone who wouldn’t imagine buying a similar product or service from a competing brand and preaches your excellence to others. These same customers will be willing to pay a premium for your products and services, as they see a greater value for themselves when aligned with your brand.
What Solidifies Your “Ideal Brand Memory”?
In order to solidify your Ideal Brand Memory with customers, they need to be exposed to the proper experience which can be created with your trade show marketing program and events marketing initiatives.
Our brains have three different memory systems. One is called semantic memory which remembers factual knowledge. The second is called procedural memory and enables us to develop skills and habits. The third is called episodic memory, which consists of memories of who we are, our values, dreams and self-conception.
Your Brand Memory Identity should be constructed to include all three of these systems. You may want to emphasize one system over the other depending upon your products, services and what your competitors’ brands are like.
By tailoring your trade show experience to touch all three parts of the human memory system, you help create the Ideal Brand Memory for your customer or prospect.
The Advantage of Face-to-Face Marketing Programs
Face-to-face marketing programs have a definite advantage over other types of marketing by having the ability to create and control THE experience. The key is choosing and designing the proper balance of your presentations to address the three memory systems:
- The facts & data surrounding your products/services
- How your products/services will help improve your customers’ quality of life
- How your products/services will make your customers “feel”
- How well their own pain points are addressed and tended to
Of course, knowing your target audience and delivering the right message in the best context will define the success of your programs.
In conclusion, by creating a “Brand Memory Identity” you are actually starting from the end intended result and working backwards. This helps & serves as the road map to manage the processes and thoughts that go into creating your message, environments and experiences. And the delivery, of course, relates directly to meeting your company’s branding ROI and ROO objectives.
If you need help connecting your brand to your prospects and customers through face-to-face trade show events, our seasoned professionals can help. We’ve assisted some of the world’s largest brands in bringing their message to their customers and we can do the same for you!
