The psychology behind brand experiences

Sometimes it feels like your brand can never tap into the complexities of consumer minds.

No matter how hard you try, getting your audience to actively pick your offering can seem impossible. But it’s not about getting your audience to act instantly, otherwise they can end up wavering while the item sits in their basket. Instead, it’s about getting your audience to learn about your brand and build their behaviours over time, so when the time comes to the purchase, you’ll sit front and centre in their minds.

By providing authentic, personalised and surprising experiences, you can build behaviours such as trust, engagement and loyalty within your audience. Here’s how to tap into the psychology behind brand experiences…

The biggest strength of brand experiences is face-to-face interaction. Where else can you provide hands-on learning of your product, intimate customer service, or memorable moments for your audience? It’s a chance to flex your services and deliver a seamlessly executed event. If your audience can trust you to organise an experience effortlessly, then they can trust your product or service when the time comes to purchase. According to a survey by Event Marketing Institute, 74% of consumers say that engaging with branded event marketing experiences makes them more likely to buy the promoted products. Furthermore, 98% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product after attending an activation, according to EventTrack.

Providing genuine, transparent messaging during your experience is key to leaving a lasting impression. You can communicate your brand across several event touchpoints - signage, hand-outs, and follow-up emails. Think about how you can use your slogans, branding, and imagery to reflect the true nature of your product and make a memorable impression. If your experience can share the product’s purpose and role as a problem solver then, when the time comes, your slogans, branding, and imagery will be at the forefront of their minds. Demonstrations and workshops will mean people can test your product’s trustworthiness in-person. The smaller details will subconsciously be digested so that, in future, they’ll instantly think back to your brand. Create familiarity and trustworthiness through experiences that demonstrate your brand’s commitment to customer service and excellence.

Once you’ve worked your way into the mindset of your audience, how can you retain a loyal customer base? The key to loyalty is through personalisation - creating an experience with multiple areas that feel specific to each attendee. According to the PCwC Customer Loyalty Executive Survey 2023, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalised experiences. This reflects the growing expectation for tailored interactions that cater to individual customer needs.

Talks, sessions, and interactive exhibits can all be tailored to customers before they arrive at the event. If they’re signing up, provide them with a quick questionnaire so you can gather their preferences and create a tailored schedule. If you’re promoting a new product, have customer support and sales team members on standby ready to provide their expertise to whatever your customer needs. VIP areas providing exclusive experiences for attendees are also a great way of putting your customers on a pedestal. Make them feel special, with exclusive deals, immediate access and previews of what’s to come. By putting your customer first, you’ll provide them with a personalised memory of your product and will maintain their loyalty when push comes to shove.

Showcasing real stories about real people using your product is a sure way of maintaining a loyal customer base. Testimonials from customers about their experiences will help build a compelling narrative, helping attendees feel more connected to your brand’s story. You’re creating a community of loyal customers and inviting new ones to become a part of it.

When your audience arrives at your event - it’s one thing for them to see your brand, but how can they become active, participating members of your community? Through surprise elements and WOW moments, your experience will delight your audience into active participation. Surprise your audience with memorable moments that stick out in their mind - spontaneous performances, celebrity appearances, innovative technology, or never-before-seen collaborations. People love to share surprising elements - a study by EventTrack found that, on average, attendees at brand events share their experiences on social media 1.3 times, reaching a broader audience and creating organic marketing. A further study by Freeman found that 98% of consumers create digital or social content at events and experiences, and 100% of these attendees share this content.

Get the ball rolling with some branded hashtags - this will allow you to have a clear online presence and make your community feel united. It will also mean your content will be easier to measure as you can track hashtag performance. They’re also a great way of sharing your brand messaging or pushing ATL campaign slogans.

Think about how you can create TikTok sound effects or story filters that people can share - something that will go well with your big surprise elements. Have brand ambassadors dotted around your experience giving handouts and freebies with your hashtags or filters at the centre. A quick QR code can make your filters or sounds easier to find and instantly ready to share. By giving them something to photograph, you’ll ensure more people will share online, enticing their followers to attend and building your experience attendee potential.

By tapping into the psychology of trust, loyalty, and participation, you can transform your audience into dedicated brand ambassadors. Remember, it's about crafting moments that resonate, surprise, and personalise. Plan your next immersive experience and watch your brand become a beloved part of your audience's story.