You may or may not have heard of the term, but creating experiential events is very much a hot topic at the moment. But what exactly is an experiential event, how did it come about and how do performers like myself fit into these types of events?
You might know it under the more familiar term of immersive, but essentially the idea of experiential is to create a closer bond between the audience and the performer, whether they are guests at an event or the public.
Each person who becomes part of an experiential event will leave having his or her own unique experience. For example, experiential can be part of a marketing campaign to launch a new product, sell merchandise or achieve press coverage.
The aim is to create a closer bond between the consumer and the brand by immersing them in a fun and memorable experience.
But where did the desire for experiential events come from? Well, over the past few years it has exploded, and I think this is, in part, due to social media and the need for people to record their experience for posting online, rather than experiencing and engaging with the moment then and there.
A great walkabout act will know how to interact with their audience to create an experience that engages the mind and stimulates the senses. Thus it draws them into the deep and mystifying world of the performer.
If they do decide to share their experience online later they will be more likely to comment on the interaction.
Sorcha Ra at Experience the Magic of Christmas event – Hayes Galleria
“Life imitates art”
Great walkabout acts are, by their very nature, experiential. They understand how to engage with the audience and how to be in the moment, while fully inhabiting their characters. They have the ability and confidence to spot the sometimes very subtle invitations from an audience or passer-by to connect and engage, to create the desired outcome of a fun and memorable experience.
About the author
Sorcha Ra has been performing for over 20 years and in that time, she’s learnt a lot about wowing guests and creating a buzz with entertainment. She continues to create acts that captivate, engage & delight. These emails are her way of sharing the knowledge and insights she’s gained along the way.
If you would like to discuss hiring her for events please get in touch on 0203 637 3053 or head over to her website for more details.