Consumer Activation: Engage consumers by providing experiences with new or existing product features

 

Consumer activation is a marketing strategy that encourages customers to experience a product's benefits, increasing engagement and loyalty. It can take many forms, such as events, campaigns, offers, or content. The goal is to create a positive experience that generates new customers or re-engages inactive ones, boosting retention and advocacy.

 

There are several ways in which brands can engage their customers and create value for them. Some of the most popular types of consumer activations are:

 

1. Experiential Marketing: Creating immersive and interactive customer experiences showcasing the brand's personality, values, and benefits. For example, Coca-Cola's Happiness Machine was a vending machine that dispensed students free drinks, pizza, flowers, and other surprises on a college campus.

 

2. Digital Marketing Campaigns: This activation method involves using online platforms and channels to engage with customers and establish a connection with them. These channels include websites, social media, email, or mobile apps. Spotify's Wrapped is a personalized summary of each user's listening habits that they can share on social media, creating a buzz and a sense of community among music fans.

 

3. Sampling Campaigns: This activation method involves giving away free product or service samples to customers, either in person or by mail. This allows them to try it before they buy it. For example, L'Oréal Paris sent out free samples of their new hair color product to their loyal customers, along with a personalized letter and a coupon.

 

4. In-Store Events: This activation method involves creating special events or activities in the physical store or location where the product or service is sold. This is done to attract and delight customers. For example, IKEA's Sleepover invited 100 Facebook fans to spend a night at its store in Essex, UK, where they were treated to massages, manicures, bedtime stories, and breakfast in bed.

 

5. Promotions: This activation method involves offering discounts, coupons, rewards, or incentives to customers. This is done either for a limited time or a specific action to encourage them to buy the product or service. For example, Starbucks' Happy Hour offers half-price drinks to customers who visit the store during a specific time of the day.

 

6. Social Media Engagements: This activation method involves creating and sharing engaging content on social media platforms, such as posts, stories, videos, or live streams. This is done to interact with customers and build a relationship with them. For example, Netflix's Stranger Things created a Snapchat filter that turned users into the monster from the show. They also launched a virtual reality game that let them explore the show's world.

 

To measure the success of a consumer activation campaign:

• Set a clear goal and choose marketing tools and channels that align with it.

• Identify metrics to track performance, set a time frame, and monitor results.

• Use a marketing dashboard to present results and benchmark performance against goals and previous campaigns.

• Send marketing performance data to your CRM system to measure the impact on customer relationships.