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Originally Posted On: https://www.theeventplannerexpo.com/strategic-brand-activation-ideas-that-will-engage-your-audience/

 

Brand activation is a great way for event professionals to get their target audience talking about their brand. While there are many different types of brand activations, some of the most effective ones involve truly connecting with people.

If you want to get people talking about your brand and feeling connected, here are some ideas that can help do just that:

Conduct a survey.

Surveys are the perfect way to get people talking about your brand and what they think about it. You can conduct this type of research in a variety of ways: in person, online, over the phone or even with mobile apps such as SurveyMonkey and Google Forms.

If you’re not sure where to start or have time on your hands (no judgment), there are tons of agencies that specialize in this kind of thing as well!

Create a hashtag.

Now that you’re one with your brand, it’s time to make some magic. A hashtag is a great way for people to connect with your brand and share their experiences with it. They can do this by using the same hashtag in photos or videos of themselves using the product (or even just pretending to use the product). When they use this special hashtag, it allows other users to see what they are up to and join in on the fun.

People might even create content based on their experiences with your product! This is good news because people will be more likely to buy something if they can see how other people experience using it first-hand.

If you want someone who buys your product today at Target but then decides not to like it after a few uses, there will always be tons of content online featuring happy customers having fun with your brand!

Develop a social media campaign.

Social media marketing is an effective way to reach your target audience. You can use social media to create a hashtag and encourage people to share their experiences with your product or service, engage in conversation with other fans and followers, or participate in contests. The more engaged they are with the brand, the more likely they are to buy something from you!

Host an event.

Events are a great way to connect with your target audience and make them feel special. They’re also a great way to reach out to new customers, but they do take time and effort to plan. Here are some tips for planning an event:

• Choose the right location for your event. This can be anywhere from a local bar or restaurant to an art gallery or even a park. Consider the demographics of your target audience when choosing where you will host your event so that it feels welcoming for everyone in attendance.
• Create an agenda of everything that needs to happen during the event so that everyone feels comfortable knowing what they should be doing at any given moment (e.g., food will be served at 6pm). Including an agenda keeps things running smoothly and makes sure that no one misses out on anything important during their visit!
• Be prepared for anything! Whether someone asks about pricing options or people get upset about long lines during registration – these scenarios happen all too often when throwing big events like these ones… so always anticipate any potential issues beforehand by having contingency plans ready at hand just in case something goes wrong unexpectedly!

Organize a contest.

A contest can be a great way to get your target audience involved. You could ask them to share the best story about how they use your product, or you could invite them to design their own version of the logo for your brand. The point is that by asking people what they think and asking them what they want, you’ll be able to find out more about who they are and what they like—and then use those insights in future campaigns.

Plus, if you give away prizes as part of the contest (maybe even some fun swag like stickers), it will make people excited about sharing their opinions with you—and getting other people involved!

Collaborate with another brand on a product or service both of your audiences will enjoy.

What is a brand collaboration?

A brand collaboration is when two or more brands come together to create a product or service that their audiences will love. Let’s say you’re a skincare brand, and your target audience is millennials with dry skin. You could partner up with a coffee shop and create an anti-aging face cream that uses the antioxidants in their coffee beans to help reduce wrinkles. Or maybe you’ll collaborate with a popular clothing store to offer special discounts on all of your products for anyone who buys an item from them during your event. The possibilities are endless!

How do I find someone who wants to collaborate?

The first step in creating a successful brand activation idea is finding someone who wants to collaborate with you—and there are plenty of ways to do this! First off, don’t hesitate just because someone isn’t already well known in the industry; if they have fans who would be interested in what it is that they’re selling (or even just interested enough) then go for it! If nothing else, reach out directly through social media (we’ll get into this later). And if all else fails…well…there’s always Craigslist (not really though).

Partner with a celebrity on an item or service your target audience can relate to.

You can use a celebrity to help reach your target audience in several ways, including:

• Promoting the product or service. Celebrities often have loyal followers who they can persuade to buy what they’re pushing, whether it be clothes, cars, or even restaurant food. They know what their fans like and are willing to help brands that align with their values. Use this power wisely—don’t try paying them money without getting something in return! You’ll need something they care about supporting as well as some way of getting them interested in promoting it (e.g., offering tickets for an event).
• Creating buzz around the brand/product/service so people want more info or want to buy right away without any promotion at all!

Support a charitable cause or organization close to your target audience’s heart.

Charitable causes are excellent ways to show that you care about your customers and the world around you. In addition to making your target audience feel good, charitable causes can also be a great way to attract new customers, as they show that you’re a company that’s willing to go above and beyond for others.

There are many ways to promote charitable causes through social media, advertising campaigns, and branding efforts. You could also donate products or services as an act of kindness on behalf of your business.

When you think about brand activation, use these ideas so that you’re able to find effective ways to connect with your target audience.

• Give them an experience. By giving people a memorable experience that helps them understand the benefits of what you do, they will develop a stronger connection with the brand.
• Use surveys and polls to find out their thoughts on certain topics or situations relevant to what you do. These can help guide where the conversation goes and how it evolves as well as give insight into who fans are and what they like/don’t like about the product/service being offered by this company/brand/business owner etc… The more information provided here (including demographic information), the better opportunity exists within finding out how best engage with those individuals online through various platforms such as social media platforms e-mail campaigns etc.

Conclusion

Remember, your goal is to reach people where they are. By connecting with your target audience on the platforms they use and by doing things you know will appeal to them, you’ll be able to create a brand experience that works for everyone involved. The more effort you put into this part of the process, the more likely it is that your brand will resonate with its intended audience.

Find out more about what event planning professionals are doing to grow their brands at The Event Planner Expo in New York! Click here for more information.