Women Want The Experience
by Carla on July 22, 2009
Perhaps it’s a symptom of being
a marketer or maybe an undying thirst
for finding new ways of doing things,
but I have a confession. I have a growing
problem: I can no longer attend public
events, fundraisers, outdoor fairs, and
sporting events without analyzing every
aspect of the marketing and sponsorship.
That was the case a few weeks ago when
I went to an event sponsored by PrettyCity.com
in Boston. While aspects of the
event could have been more efficiently
coordinated, I realized that PrettyCity
nailed one aspect of their business:
shared brand experience sells.
PrettyCity.com is an online destination
for salon goers that gives beauty tips,
salon recommendations by city, and an
ability to ask beauty experts questions.
PrettyCity also hosts sponsored events
throughout the country for women in specific
salons. The event I attended in Boston
was full of sponsorships with free food
from the Melting Pot, free facials from
the hosting salon, and a bag full of goodies.
As I talked with friends about the goodies
we received, I realized the effectiveness
of Pretty City’s model. PrettyCity
effectively created an experience in a
closed environment while giving brands
and services a platform to interact with
a distinct, hard to reach target audience.
And it works.
A couple of pointers on how to create
a brand experience, especially for women-oriented
products and events:
1. Let us
try it out. Let us use the product or
give us a free trial of the service.
We want to know how it works and if it’s
worth the investment.
2. Make us
feel special. We want to feel
that our attendance is valued immediately
as we walk through the door. Individualize
and make us feel that we are the life
of the party.
3. Give us
the platform to tell our friends, and
we will. Something that was missing
from the PrettyCity event was a way to
tell friends about the party and products
post-event. Following up with attendees
is vital to create word of mouth for the
sponsors at the event. Give us the ability
to show our friends the fantastic time
we had at the event online.
4. Give us
more when we’re gone. Send
us discounts for more products and allow
us to post reviews. Tell us how much you
appreciated us being at the event. The
salon that hosted the PrettyCity event
did follow up via phone to offer a consultation
and services.
5. Make it
interactive. Have all the event-branded
materials drive traffic to the event web
site where additional information and
discounts can be found. Give us a forum
to chat about the products we tried and
with our friends who weren’t at
the event. With a targeted list of past
attendees who have an interest in your
products, use this to empower (not spam)
us to learn more about your brand and
even tell our friends. Encourage us to
take photos at the event and send them
to the event Facebook fan page. Become
our friends on social networks and engage
with us online.
-Carla
