There are many live events happening around the world. From product launches to business conferences to experiential activations, there’s no shortage of jobs and projects in the event staffing industry.
However, you need to consider that these events require different types of event staff. For corporate conferences, you’ll care less about a staff member’s ability to be energetic and outgoing than about their knowledge and professionalism.
Experiential Marketing
Experiential marketing, such as brand and product demo activations, mobile marketing tours, and pop-up shops, focuses on creating engaging, memorable brand experiences. These events require energetic, outgoing staff who can authentically represent a brand and turn passive audiences into active participants.
Experiential marketing directly engages consumers with a brand’s values, products or service. By creating immersive experiences, brands forge deeper connections with their target audience and drive tangible business results.
Here are some benefits of experiential marketing:
• Connection: Creates lasting memories connecting people to brands on a deeper level.
• Differentiation: In a crowded marketplace, experiences offer a way to stand out.
• Personalisation: Building brand affinity begins with making people feel seen, heard, and important.
• Engagement: Real-life interactions elicit tangible reactions. They can be soft, like social media likes and mentions, or hard, like providing first-party data.
• Insights: Data collection leads to actionable information about what people like and dislike about an activation, event, or brand.
• Lead Generation: Filling the top of the sales funnel allows brands to nurture purchase journeys and turn leads into converts.
Here are our top tips for hiring the best event staff for high-energy activations:
1. Define the Role Clearly
To attract top talent, you need the best job descriptions. Clarify the specific roles you need for your high-energy activations and outline the key responsibilities, required skills, and any necessary qualifications with as many details as you can.
Providing clear details of the job opening can significantly streamline the process when you’re short on time. When you clearly define the requirements and responsibilities of an event role, it becomes easier for you to assess qualifications and identify suitable candidates quickly. At the same time, clear definitions enable applicants to evaluate their qualifications for the position more quickly, helping them determine whether they’re a good fit before applying. This mutual clarity benefits both you and the candidates.
2. Prioritise Personality and Engagement Skills
For experiential activations, staff should be enthusiastic, approachable, and skilled at engaging with the public. They should be proactive and able to create a fun and memorable experience for attendees. Don’t hire people who aren’t comfortable in the spotlight. Experiential marketing requires staff who are comfortable being the face of the brand, initiating conversations, and generating excitement.
Your staff also need to understand the physical requirements of the role. Experiential events often involve long hours of high-energy engagement. Staff should be prepared to stand, interact with attendees, and maintain enthusiasm throughout the event.
3. Choose Staff Who Align with the Brand Image
Brand ambassadors should reflect the company’s target audience. Whether it’s an athletic brand needing fit brand ambassadors or a luxury brand requiring a polished aesthetic, staff should align with the brand’s identity. Don’t use the same generic team for every brand activation. Each brand activation has a unique message, audience, and vibe. A team that excels at a high-energy sports activation won’t be the best fit for a luxury skincare pop-up.
4. Provide Hands-On Product and Brand Training
Brand ambassadors need to speak confidently about the product or service they’re promoting. They should understand the key messaging, FAQs, and how to demonstrate the product effectively. Unlike corporate events, where staff can rely on scripts or structured roles, brand activations often require improvisation and quick thinking. Staff should be well-prepared to handle unexpected questions or technical product demonstrations.
When training your event staff, always aim to cover the following:
• Brand overview
• Event goals
• Brand messaging
• Technical elements
• Event footprint/event flow
• Appearance and uniform requirements
• Staff roles and expectations
• Logistics
• Security and safety procedures
5. Encourage Social Media Use and Engagement
Many experiential marketing programmes incorporate social media. Staff should be comfortable promoting hashtags, encouraging attendees to share their experiences online, and even appearing in branded content.
Having poorly trained or untrained staff on site can crush your event ROI. Experiential marketing focuses on creating real-life connections, engaging the senses, and delivering a great experience for consumers. By following the advice above, you’ll ensure you attract only top talent to your events and boost your ROI and brand reputation.
