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January 10, 2018
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2018 Predictions in Experiential Marketing and Event Staffing

 

‘Tis the season for CEO’s around the world to make their business predictions about the upcoming year. I thought I would reflect on the last year in staffing and give you my thoughts on what I see in my crystal ball for 2018.

 

To start, in 2018, we’ll see more brands turning to Experiential Marketing to drive engagement, capture content, and influence sales. Experiential budgets continue to grow because this marketing strategy has been a proven vehicle for creating buzz and driving sales. There is no doubting the power of live events, the power of face-to-face marketing and the ability to see, touch, feel and try something before you buy it! But the success of these events relies heavily on the HUMAN CONNECTION: the people hired to activate these experiences on the ground level. And this is something I know a lot about!

 

Here at Hype we have mastered the art of event staffing, and with that said, here are my 2018 Experiential Marketing and Event Staffing trend predictions:

 

  1. Event Staffing Component is No Longer an After-Thought

For as long as I can remember doing this, staffing has always been the last piece of the puzzle and not top of mind as agencies and brands are building out their ideas. Mostly due to the fact that it is the final production element needed to activate an event, but this is changing. You see, events are now being created around the types of staff available to activate them. As I discussed back in my 2016 Women in Events article related to this topic, the evolution of event staffers from “add-ons” to strategic components of a live event has opened doors of opportunity for talented individuals looking to break into the industry. Event Staffers have a variety of roles to play in events today, each forming a strategic layer of the overall experience. Such roles are Brand Ambassador, Experience Guide, Product Guru, Logistics Liaison, and Social Media Maven.  (read more here)

 

  1. Investment in Training is a Priority

Brand Ambassadors are expected to know more and be more passionate about the brands they are representing. In order to achieve this deeper dive, brands and staffing partners will be making training a priority and getting the staff the tools they need to succeed.

 

  1. Continued Emphasis on Social

When building events and experiential activations, the end result is: building buzz, creating awareness, driving sales, building content through social media. Brand Ambassadors need to be savvy when it comes to social engagements, and encourage consumers to post and share what they experienced at the live event. This triggers organic “buzz” and added impressions, allowing those moments to live on and on!

 

  1. Go Big or Go Home Mentality

In experiential size does matter! We are seeing an upswing in events and activations getting crazier and wilder than ever before. And we say bring it on! Though small events and grassroots will always be the bread and butter of the business, big events do catch the attention of media so it’s important you have the right people out there representing your BIG idea!

 

Be sure to follow Hype this year and see if my predictions are on track!

Looking forward to an exciting year ahead!!

 

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