Experiential selling focuses on creating immersive, interactive brand experiences that emotionally resonate with potential customers. Instead of just showcasing product features, experiential selling aims to build personal connections and evoke feelings.
In today‘s crowded marketplace, experiential selling is becoming increasingly vital for driving sales and customer loyalty. In fact, research shows implementing experiential strategies can boost company growth up to 15% faster than competitors.1
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore:
- What experiential selling is and how it differs from traditional tactics
- The key benefits and sales outcomes of experiential selling
- Effective experiential selling strategies and real-world examples from leading brands
- How to incorporate experiential selling across retail, e-commerce, and B2B
Let‘s get started and look at exactly what experiential selling entails.
What is Experiential Selling?
Experiential selling involves creating interactive, immersive environments where potential customers can engage with products or services personally. The goal is to form emotional connections and provide value beyond just showcasing features.
For example, furniture brand IKEA designs its retail stores to resemble realistic home settings. Customers can walk through decorated room displays, open closets, test out sofas, and visualize how products would fit into their own life. This tangible experience triggers emotions and is more memorable than words or images alone.
Leading technology companies like Salesforce use experiential selling by providing free trials or demos of their software. Rather than just listing capabilities, they allow potential B2B customers to experience using the platform first-hand. This hands-on approach builds trust and shows specific ways the technology can solve business problems.
How Experiential Selling Compares to Traditional Selling
Experiential selling takes a markedly different approach than traditional product-focused selling:
| Traditional Selling | Experiential Selling |
|---|---|
| Transactional | Relationship-driven |
| Focus on features/benefits | Focus on emotions and connections |
| Passive communication tactics | Interactive, immersive experiences |
| Price/promotion focused | Providing unique value |
| One-way messaging | Two-way engagement |
Experiential selling is about showing rather than telling. It aims to be personal, memorable and align with customer values. Traditional tactics rely more on touting product specs, pricing promotions and passive advertising.
According to a Forrester study, over 80% of buyers want more human interaction during the sales process. Experiential selling directly answers that need.
When Should Companies Use Experiential Selling?
Experiential selling delivers the most impact for:
Product launches: Give customers a first look and chance to interact before purchase. Build excitement and advocacy.
High-consideration purchases: Test drives, demos and trials lower risk and build confidence for big investments.
Competitive markets: Stand out from the crowd and change perceptions by showcasing value in unique ways.
Customer events: Trade shows, conferences, and pop-ups provide engagement opportunities.
E-commerce: Virtual try-ons, AR, chatbots make online shopping more experiential.
The Benefits and Sales Impact of Experiential Selling
Implementing experiential selling strategies can deliver significant benefits:
Increased sales conversions
According to Deloitte, brands using experiential selling convert 15% more prospects into paying customers.1
56% of B2B buyers said interacting with a product demonstration was a critical factor in making a purchase decision.2
Stronger emotional connections
72% of customers who have a positive brand experience will share it on social media.3 Emotionally-engaged customers spend 140% more compared to non-engaged ones.4
Higher loyalty and lifetime value
Customers who interact with brands in memorable ways have greater relationship strength.5 People are 70% more likely to recommend a brand after a positive experience.6
Brand differentiation
79% of business buyers say the experience a company provides is just as important as its products and services.7 Experiential selling sets brands apart.
Marketplace influence
92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family over branded content.8 Positive experiential selling drives word-of-mouth advocacy.
Competitive insulation
It‘s hard for competitors to replicate emotional connections and bespoke experiences. Experiential selling builds a unique brand identity.
Data and customer insights
Experiential campaigns provide first-party data on engagement, preferences and behaviors. This informs marketing and sales.
Clearly, incorporating experiential strategies has tremendous potential to impact sales, advocacy and brand growth. But what are effective tactics and real-world examples? Let‘s explore.
Experiential Selling Strategies and Examples
Successful experiential selling campaigns utilize creativity and personalization. However, they share common elements:
- Educational value
- Interactive engagements
- Immersive sensory experiences
- Emotional connections to the brand purpose and story
Let‘s look at real examples across retail, e-commerce and B2B:
Retail Experiential Selling
Forward-thinking retail brands create in-store experiences that immerse customers and drive sales. Popular tactics include:
Pop-up shops: Temporary experiential stores providing limited products, events, or brand interactions. Example: Madewell‘s Traveling Denim Shop bringing custom embroidery stations and braid bars to cities.
Product demos: Let customers interact with products hands-on with help from knowledgeable staff leading tutorials. Example: Apple Store‘s Today at Apple free daily sessions on photography, art, music, coding and design.
Shopping events: Classes, parties, and workshops that align with brand values. Example: West Elm hosts regular DIY design, food, and home events in-store.
Immersive environments: Stores that inspire and emulate contextual real-world uses of products. Example: Showfields‘ interactive multi-brand retail concept with theme-based floors.
Gamification: Blending play with shopping through rewards programs, treasure hunts, or challenges. Example: Whole Foods‘ interactive grocery game educating on fair trade.
E-Commerce Experiential Selling
Digital environments provide huge opportunities for experiential selling, including:
AR/VR product visualization: Enables customers to virtually interact with 3D product models. Example: Houzz AR Kitchen Visualizer.
Try-before-you-buy: Free trials or gated content allow customers to experience digital products before purchase. Example: Headspace free meditation trial removes barriers.
Product recommendation tools: Engage visitors with quizzes and smart algorithms matching preferences. Example: Ruggable‘s rug finder personalized quiz experience.
Interactive shopping assistants: Chatbots that answer questions, recommend, and promote engagement. Example: Levi‘s AI-powered virtual stylist mimics real sales associate interactions.
Shoppable live-streams: Blending entertainment with transaction opportunities. Example: QVC‘s long-running interactive home shopping channel.
Digital events: Video workshops, classes and exclusive online experiences. Example: Barefoot Wine‘s free virtual wine tastings.
B2B Experiential Selling
For B2B technology and services selling, experiential techniques include:
Free trials and demos: Allowing prospects hands-on access reduces barriers and builds confidence. Example: Salesforce‘s 30-day Enterprise trial to evaluate CRM solution.
Trade event booths: Engaging environments tailored to industry audiences. Example: Splunk‘s interactive data experiences at conferences conveying real-world value.
Pop-up demo centers: Creating temporary immersive spaces focused on products. Example: Microsoft‘s mobile Azure Digital Twins Lab showcasing IoT capabilities.
Executive briefing centers: Dedicated showroom spaces where prospects can experience solutions. Example: Cisco‘s Executive Briefing Centers globally provide personalized demos.
Test drives: Allowing potential customers to physically try enterprise-grade technology. Example: Dell‘s Tech-Drive program offers multi-week demonstrations.
Immersive training: Using VR/AR for virtual simulations and scenario modeling. Example: STRIVR‘s VR training creates experiential selling skills practice.
These innovative examples provide templates for brands in any industry to incorporate experiential selling in impactful ways tailored to their audience.
Key Takeaways and Where To Start
Some key points for brands considering an experiential selling approach:
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Focus on creating interactive, immersive experiences that demonstrate value beyond products or services alone.
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Emotional connections, memorable engagements and tangible education should take priority over passive promotion.
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In-store retail can bring experiences to life through demos, events and creative environments.
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E-commerce offers technology-driven options like digital trials, AR, VR and smart recommendations.
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For B2B, let potential enterprise customers experience solutions first-hand before buying through demos and test drives.
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Measure success through sales conversions, customer satisfaction, retention and net promoter scores.
First, identify priority buyer segments and their needs. Creative brainstorming sessions also help identify novel experiential strategies tailored to your goals.
At the end of the day, experiential selling is all about providing value, forging emotional connections and letting customers actively experience what makes your brand special. This drives sales, loyalty and advocacy over the long-term.