Experiential and event marketing is absolutely booming —
Every brand within the healthcare industry faces its own set of unique challenges. Even though the healthcare industry is highly saturated, health is a sensitive topic, and patients trust physicians more than any other source. These factors create a formidable challenge for marketers.
This article will highlight three examples of experiential marketing strategies proven to be effective in the healthcare industry.
What Are Experiential Marketing Strategies?
Experiential marketing, also known as engagement marketing, immerses customers within or deeply engages them with a product or service, such as through events, experiences, or media. Experiential marketing may encourage customers to share the content with others, leading to word-of-mouth marketing.
In short, rather than solely being about acquiring the products or services of a brand, experiential marketing enables consumers to immerse themselves in the brand experience.
For example, a festival-goer might expect to engage with a company at a music festival, but they might not anticipate that company's staff being there, either. Interaction with staff creates a more immersive experience than simply looking at a poster or watching a video ad.
The Experiential Network created a fun brand experience at a music festival in NYC.
Create emotional connections with consumers through memorable and unique experiences, whether in a store, at an event, or from a TV commercial.
Brands that understand the needs of their customers and provide them with memorable experiences will stand out in the crowded market.
Experiential marketing isn't just about selling a product and getting people to buy it. Experiential marketing also involves customer engagement, and by engaging with a target audience, marketers often improve that audience's experience. Brands that engage their audience can come off as more authentic and trustworthy than those who simply push products on them.
The Challenge of Medical Marketing
Some marketers avoid healthcare altogether, while others try to push too many messages at one audience at one time. Many brands find it better to focus on a few strategic audiences, develop strong brand messages, and target those audiences consistently.
Not all marketing agencies are alike. Many marketers in the healthcare industry have valuable experience working with medical device and pharmaceutical companies on experiential activations, especially those that have placed a high value on consumer engagement. These marketers understand the unique challenges and opportunities of healthcare marketing and are also familiar with experiential marketing approaches and products.
Examples of Experiential Marketing
Experiential marketing strategies tend to fall into two categories: live experiences and one-off installations. Live experiences involve events as we typically think of them - such as concerts, festivals, conferences, and trade shows - and people attending them in person.
On the other hand, one-off installations are activated through digital channels such as a website, an app, or social media. They provide consumers with a memorable experience, but they don't require attendees to be present. These are often the sorts of experiences that consumers want to share on their social channels, such as taking photos or videos.
Experiential marketing presents a variety of formats and approaches, but regardless of the structure, it has been proven to boost event ROI.
Experiential marketing typically occurs in a physical setting, but marketers began incorporating online elements into their campaigns with the advent of virtual and hybrid experiences. One example is Facebook's Live platform, allowing marketers to deliver live experiences to people's news feeds. In addition to using live technology, marketers create content on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
Creative Medical Conference Booth Marketing Example
In partnership with GES on behalf of Novo Nordisk at the Annual National Hemophilia Foundation Conference three day event in Orlando, Florida, The Experiential Network custom made T-shirts for attendees that designed their creation at the Novo Nordisk booth via an Ipad that in turn immediately sent the T-Shirt design to our on-site team. Within 2 minutes, the custom shirt was produced for the attendees.
The Experiential Network provided a unique experience for the Novo Nordisk booth creating customer T-shirts on demand!
Over 400 shirts were created and distributed throughout the event allowing family groups to produce their own super-hero logos on matching shirts.
This is a fun, engaging example of marketing that spreads positivity and brand awareness.
Hyper-Local Grassroots Events
Rather than simply having a booth at a convention, many businesses opt for a more in-depth experiential approach. For example, they use tents at local events and festivals, such as local art fairs or farmer's markets. These tents offer locals a place to meet and interact, and they provide the company with opportunities to showcase its products and services.
For those in healthcare, this gives the opportunity to highlight particular products or services and educate the public on the ground level.
Experiential marketing can generate leads by engaging consumers in activities that increase their brand affinity. For example, by offering free samples of skincare products at local events, dermatologists can provide patients with the opportunity to try something out. This not only provides them with the opportunity to test out a product before purchasing it but can also help build their patient list for the future.
Pop-up brand-awareness events
Pop-up brand-awareness events, such as on-site health fairs, are also effective for healthcare providers to reach new audiences. These quick, one-time events can be a low-cost way to increase awareness about new brands or services while also delivering on the promise of experiential marketing. The Experiential Network can even provide mobile billboards and a Glass-Walled truck with an experience inside!
The Experiential Network designed and produced a mobile pop-up brand tour in Chicago taking our cheese client to several Italian restaurants and bringing samples to the owners and chefs.
People's Center was looking for a way to expand its offerings to the broader community and realized that the clinic lawn could be an ideal space for a weekly pop-up event. A ping pong table, a letterpress station, and a spa with facials and tea were among the amenities at the pop-up.
Ready to take your healthcare marketing strategies to another level? Contact The Experiential Network today to get a proposal for all your upcoming healthcare-related marketing events. We can step in at any level and work with your team.
