Are you going to pivot? What’s next? Where do you go from here? This has been a very unpredictable time with no right answer. Google Maps? Waze? Hey Siri… How to navigate experiential marketing in a pandemic? “I’m sorry Nicole, I did not understand the questions.” Duh, me either!
 
Not only did my world change having a baby weeks before the pandemic hit hard and lockdown begun but my business is solely about people. How do you pivot a business whose sole mission is to get face to face with consumers and help them fall in love with a brand as much as you do?

Cotton Candy Event Staffing’s focus is simple. Hiring the best, brightest and most personable brand ambassadors to enhance your brand’s live experiences. The heartbeat of our mission is how great people make you feel, how great people help you build a strong affinity for a brand and how great people make an impact… IN PERSON!!
 
And of course, I can harp on how challenging the past months have been (VERY challenging) trying to make good use of this unique time, trying to equip the business with every safety precaution in our reach and how to balance motherhood while not being able to leave the four walls of my house… but that’s more of a conversation for my diary.

COTCAN went through the certification process to become an internationally recognized Women Owned Business, took courses in Diversity, Disabilities and Inclusion, Pandemic On-Site Protocol training (who would have thought that would be on our resume), conduct social distanced team bonding experiences, health and wellness initiative with our nationwide roster and continue to educate and implement new practices. And the learnings both personally and professionally continues.
 
But in some way or another we have all missed out on a year+ of how we envisioned our 2020-2021 to be. A year of sporting events, concerts, galas and gatherings, even just a casual dinner at a restaurant. Coming together without requiring a computer screen in your face or phone in your hand has never been more exciting to picture. In Canada we watch the US thinking, we’re almost there. And what that means for your brand is, it’s time to plan for the brighter days ahead.

Hiring brand ambassadors has never been so valuable. In a time where we are all tirelessly focused on the virtual, the instrumental impact of getting in front of someone is unparalleled. Brand Ambassadors are the G.O.A.T. of the marketing industry; the way to bridge and reconnect your brand and consumers. Those who are all starved to engage and be inspired. To talk to a stranger, to learn something new, to taste the newest flavour of your favourite drink or see the newest feature on your favourite gadget… because YOU experienced it!
 
Our team has always been focused on pairing the right brand ambassadors with the right brands. If the ambassadors truly love the brand, they are the best people to get in front of consumers to showcase that. They help develop the brand’s identify and provide some real life feedback… Knowledge that you don’t need to read on a google review page but that you can see in front of you with a person that you can ask questions to without an automated response. How refreshing!
 
What’s most important is human connection. Yes, we will all be beyond conscious of germs (which we should be) and we will all take many sanitary precautions (which is always a good idea) but to humanize the branding experience is to inject life back into it. To keep learning and keep experiencing together.
 
In a digitally saturated world, what’s your marketing plan that will make a lasting impression to deepen your brand’s loyalty with your consumers? To make them walk away thinking, “man, that was worth the wait” while they smile and head over to the nearest store to make a purchase. Brand ambassador’s ability to revive, introduce or reconnect is immeasurable in a time where all we all want to do is indulge in all the things we’ve dreamed about “when we get through this”. Now more so than ever, Experiential Marketing is the catalyst to connection.

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