In a digital age, it can be easy to prioritize a virtual presence over in-person events. However, in-person events for local businesses can be essential for customer engagement. Engagement grows brand awareness, establishing personal connections with customers and brand interaction. In-person events can nurture the growth of a local audience that keeps wanting to come back for more.
Brand Interaction
In-person events can be extremely beneficial in reinforcing the local aspect of a business. These events allow customers to interact with the brand in ways that quite simply cannot happen virtually. The physical display of the product is unique to in-person events.
No matter what product is being sold, these events provide opportunities for the customer to test out the product. Whether it is a food or physical item, the customer is able to experience the innovation and personality of the brand. Genuine in-person interactions with a local business are extremely valuable in ensuring customer engagement.
Building Relationships
Though social media is a valuable tool in creating a digital presence for businesses, relationships and connections between customers and a business should not be replaced by social media, but they should instead be an addition to in-person efforts. The relationship between a brand and a consumer are as important as brand interaction. Relationships with a brand are as important as the customer interacting with a business. Human connection is a powerful tool — it can be an influential factor in the customer’s experience with the brand.
A study conducted by Gensler determined that customers are more likely to work with and purchase from companies with which they have a personal connection. An advantage of local businesses is the ability for customers to feel like they are not talking to a corporate brand, but an actual person and a member of their community. During a time where there has been an initiative to shop local, building relationships helps create trust and loyalty.
Benefits of Particular In-Person Events
Though social media content is extremely beneficial, in-person events contribute greatly to brand awareness. The Medium lays out five benefits for brand awareness campaigns: keeping brands on the top of current and potential consumer minds, increased word of mouth marketing, building, building brand equity, increased customer loyalty, and increased sales. In-person events can help greatly with brand recognition and generate publicity.
- Pop-Up Events: Events like open-mic nights, concerts, trivia night, speakers specific to the business, and more can spark local audience intrigue and engagement from the community. In a college area, local businesses can advertise students to attend these events.
- Community Sponsorships: Often, after sponsoring a local event (like a charity run or local cause), local businesses are able to advertise at the event. This displays interest in the community and shows the brand’s values. Additionally, the business will be recognized as a sponsor, furthering brand recognition.
- Booths: Hosting a booth at an event allows a local business to catch a customer’s eye, something unachievable virtually. This way, all attendees of an event can see what the brand has to offer and can easily learn more if it catches their interest.
- Ambassadors: Ambassadors can often offer the first step in brand recognition simply by walking around campus or the community, giving samples, handing out flyers, or having ambassadors host a table on the quad or a main street displaying the product of the local brand creates recognition. This all increases local engagement with a brand among students.
Local brands have an advantage since they are actually on the ground in the community and engaging with customers, something larger corporations are often unable to do. In-person events can help grow the local businesses network by cementing a business in the forefront of customers’ brains next time they’re looking for a product or service. These events allow businesses to add a personal touch and put a face to their brand, allowing customers to experience a local team. This connection is something that cannot be replicated online. In-person events help create relationships with consumers, making the brand less like a business and more like a person that consumers want to get to know.
The 1893 Brand Studio can help local businesses make a big impact on their community. The Studio helps businesses create customer engagement through in-person events. Check out this link for more information.
By Lilly Behbehani
