9 Ways to Uplevel Your Brand Experience
- By Ampersand
- General
Traditional Marketing WOW’s for High-Value Engagements
Overview:
- High-value brands are creating offline touchpoints that really matter – stand out in a crowded marketplace by prioritizing traditional tactics as a part of your marketing strategy
- Upgrading physical touchpoints like tradeshow displays, showrooms, gifts, and even print materials delivers a high-quality, interactive, and personalized experience that leaves a lasting impression
- Making offline moments memorable by hosting exclusive events, implementing concierge-style selling, elevating installation and delivery appointments, and leveraging traditional tactics to cut through email clutter
- Go beyond standard service with unexpected, “Surprise & Delight” moments that create emotional resonance and brand loyalty
A great web presence. Well-curated social media content. Robust email and digital campaigns that work. They are all staples in today’s marketing arsenal, but they alone can’t always enhance your brand experience in ways that traditional tactics can.
In an online world, many brands have struggled to prioritize those special touchpoints that truly connect with today’s buyers. We’re not suggesting that digital is dead – in fact, in today’s world of Decentralized Search Optimization, it’s more critical than ever to maintain a consistent, engaging online presence. But that shouldn’t be where the work stops – especially for established brands.
Most influential brands go further by mastering the offline experience. Success in this space relies on intentional ‘Surprise & Delight’ moments – tactical touchpoints designed to leave a lasting impression on high-value prospects, internal teams, and the broader market.
1. Reimagine Your Facility, Showroom, and Takeaways
If you invite prospects or clients onsite, your biggest opportunity to shine is through a showroom or facility upgrade. Starting before they even hit the front door, branded parking signs and quality exterior signage make a great first impression. Ensure displays and samples are up to date, interior decor matches your brand standards, and cleanliness and clutter are curtailed. And while first impressions matter, nothing surprises more than a parting gift. Consider a Decision Kit – a small premium box or bag with samples, literature, select swag, or other items designed to help close the sale.
2. Swag that Really Shines
When it comes to swag, quality trumps quantity every time. Rethinking your promotional budget means eliminating cheap, disposable items in favor of a “collector moment” that resonates with your highest-value prospects. By developing a relationship with a local engraver to personalize quality gifts, or by focusing on client milestone gifting – such as welcome gifts, anniversaries, and project completions – you create a deeper impact. Ultimately, you’ll connect a sense of meaning to these leave-behinds that far exceeds their actual monetary value.
3. Uplevel your Tradeshow Game
Pull-up banners, TV slide shows, and people shuffling past your booth – it’s time to level up your trade show game. Market-leading brands are investing in larger booth footprints, quality hardware, customized graphics, and interactive experiences that draw people in to explore, touch, feel, and talk about your brand. Offering lounge spaces, charging stations, and more are not only ways to help weary feet and drained batteries – they encourage people to linger rather than pass you by on a busy trade-show floor.
4. Host Micro-events and Exclusive Experiences
Skip the big parties, open houses, and mass-evites – it’s time to make your clientele feel special with an exclusive experience. From ball games to golf outings, wine tastings to chef dinners, personalized design sessions, product previews or more, the key here is to make people feel chosen, not marketed to. From the moment the invite goes out, guests should know it’s an exclusive event. Specialty stationery or letterpress invites, a carefully crafted message about the limited spots available, and a personalized follow-up to confirm their attendance all add the right touch.
5. Elevate your Customer Service and Brand Delivery
It’s time to go from scattered or scripted to a culture that embodies a great customer experience. Investing in your brand often means making operational and team upgrades. Crafting core values, key messages, and soundbites that resonate with your team makes communication and service feel natural. Brand delivery matters as well. For organizations that deliver or install a product, let’s take a cue from the auto industry – think big bows, velvet ropes, red carpets, and more. A few extra steps on delivery day take it from simple order fulfilment to highly fulfilled customers!
6. Follow-up Old-School Style
The average business professional receives approximately 121 emails per day. Why sink to the bottom of the inbox when you can stand out from the crowd with a traditional touch? From branded hand-written thank you notes or birthday cards, to sending a small gift in a company-branded box, salespeople who take the extra step to connect offline are more likely to make a memorable impact. Documenting the purchase journey with photos – showroom visits, installation appointments, customer training meetings and more – all make great keepsakes when printed and delivered in an album with care.
7. Develop a Concierge Approach to Sales
Similar to exclusive events, prestige brands consider a concierge approach to the sales process. Well-appointed beverage stations in the showroom, private showings or appointment-only showroom hours, even offering car service for out-of-town guests – all of these touches create lasting impressions.
8. Craft a Print Piece Worth Keeping
Catalogs, swatch and sample boxes, brand storytelling booklets, field guides, or even a coffee-table magazine showcasing the beauty of your brand. There are so many unique ways to create a memorable print piece that won’t end up in the recycling bin. Choose premium paper stock and upgraded printing methods like specialty bindery, embossing, or foiling for an extra special touch that stands out.
The goal here is fourfold: inspire ideas, create desire, help them visualize their future with your brand (& ensure they feel just a little guilty letting go of it).
9. Surprise, Delight, and Make a Lasting Impression
Creativity drives the final opportunity to make a lasting impression. Realtors and airlines serve fresh cookies. Tech giants offer hands-on time with their devices. Hotels station a doorman or driver for high-profile guests. Luxury vehicle manufacturers send curated storytelling magazines long after the purchase is made. And everyone loves an unexpected upgrade.
“Surprise & Delight” moments are everywhere, and we drive ideas that help YOU make a lasting impression!
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