The 9 Dos and 9 Don’ts of Trade Show Games

Booth gamification can be an effective strategy to stand out in the crowded trade show environment. The fun and engaging game can attract more traffic to your booth and encourage the visitors to stay longer, allowing your booth staff to have a conversation with them.

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But while an increasing number of exhibitors have started leveraging trade show games, it takes some planning and careful selection to get the best results. You can’t just use any booth game you find online and expect success. Here are some dos and don’ts for trade show games to help you excel in this endeavor-

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Trade Show Game Dos

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1 - Plan Ahead for the Game in Your Booth

Successful trade show booth games don’t happen by accident. Start planning well in advance of the event to ensure the game delivers the expected results. While you can find a plethora of booth games, think about your target audience and event objectives before making the decision.

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2 - The Game Should Align with Your Brand

Ensure the game you choose is consistent with your brand’s image and messaging. The most effective and unique games for trade shows help enhance your brand’s identity and expand your reach.

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3 - Consider the Booth Size When Selecting a Game

The game shouldn’t consume a lot of booth space. This gives digital trade show games like trivia challenges, raffles, and spin-the-wheel an upper hand over physical games. Whether you have a 10x10 trade show booth or something sizeable, these games work for every booth. This is why digital games that can be played on installed iPads or even attendees’ smartphones by scanning a QR code is a good choice. 

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[READ: 10 Design Ideas for a 10x10 Trade Show Booth]

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4 - The Game Should Attract Attention

The booth game should attract the attention of passersby. You can use eye-catching signage, displays, and engaging visuals to draw people to your booth. If your game has leaderboard capabilities, it can also act as a crowd magnet. Remember, creativity is key.

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5 - The Game Should Engage the Audience

You cannot simply set up the game at your booth and walk away. You’ll have to engage with the participants, answer their questions, and keep the ambiance warm and welcoming to ensure people have a memorable experience.

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6 - Train the Booth Staff on the Gameplay and Rules

Unlike physical games, digital event games are played via smartphones, iPads, and other devices. As a result, they’re easier to manage. However, your booth staff should know about the game, its rules, and how they should engage with the participants.

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7 - Lead Collection with Booth Game

Lead collection is one of the most common trade show objectives. But traditional methods like physical forms, badge scanners, and collecting business cards don’t work as well anymore. So, look for a digital game integrated with lead collection capabilities.

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[READ: 9 Unique Ways to Capture Leads at Trade Shows]

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8 - Booth Game Promotion is a Must

Let people know about your fun trade show game before and during the event. You can use social media, email marketing, and your website to create buzz and anticipation. Live booth streaming during the event can also help you reach more people.

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9 - Encourage Social Interaction with Gamification

Encourage participants to share their experiences at your booth on social networking platforms using a specific hashtag. This can boost your booth’s visibility and help you reach a broader audience. Even people who didn’t visit your booth this time might want to stop by at your next event.

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Trade Show Game Don’ts

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1 - Don’t Use a Complicated Game

Avoid using a game that is too complex and involves a lot of rules. Attendees may lose interest if the games require too much effort. Moreover, your staff will also end up spending a lot of time explaining the game. Most high-ROI trade show games are simple and fun.

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2 - Don’t Go for Ordinary Giveaways/Prizes

Low-quality and unappealing giveaways or prizes are a complete no-no as they can disappoint participants and reflect poorly on your brand. You can check out our 13 Trade Show Giveaway Ideas for inspiration.

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3 - Avoid Skipping the Leaderboard

A leaderboard makes event games more competitive and fun. It also gives the top scores the right to boast of their achievement and encourages conversations. In short, the perfect recipe for a buzzing trade show booth. Yes, some games don’t need a leaderboard, like a raffle game or even a prize wheel. However, you can use large display screens to display the game and the prizes to be won in such cases.

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4 - Don’t Be Too Pushy

It can take some time for your booth game to attract the expected number of participants, especially if it is the first day of the event. But forcing people to play the game won’t help. Let the audience approach your booth voluntarily. Instead, attract people with the right game choices that resonate with your audience. 

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5 - Don’t Rely Solely on Games

While trade show games can be a powerful attraction, don’t rely solely on them to help you achieve the event objectives. Have a comprehensive trade show plan that involves other engagement methods, like product/service demonstration, AR/VR experience, serving food/beverage, etc.

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6 - Not Following-Up

All of the hard work and investment will be for nothing if you don’t have a solid follow-up plan. Send thank-you emails, nurture relationships, and continue the conversation with the participants and leads.

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[READ: Trade Show Lead Management Plan: What Is It and How to Do It Right?]

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7 - Don’t Ignore Data Privacy

If your booth game is collecting participant data, ensure you comply with the data privacy regulations and obtain consent as necessary. With more and more consumers now concerned about data privacy, your proactive steps will make you appear a trustworthy company.

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8 - Don’t Disregard Feedback

You did your best, but there’s always scope for improvement. After the event, collect feedback from participants to learn what worked and what didn’t. Use this information to improve your future trade show game strategies.

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9 - Don’t Buy or Rent Games from Unreliable Sources

You need an experienced and reliable gaming partner who can be with you throughout the event planning phase and right up to its execution. A trusted trade show game provider can help you with game selection, designing, deployment, and being available for you throughout the event to ensure everything works as expected.  

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Making Trade Show Games Work for Your Booth

Trade show games are a fun and effective way to engage with attendees, generate leads, and promote your brand. However, success requires careful planning and focus on attendee experience.

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If you’re looking for a trusted and experienced partner to gamify your trade show booth, Audiencegage can help. We offer an extensive range of engaging trade show games to help exhibitors get closer to their event objectives. Schedule a free demo to learn how we can take your exhibit to the next level.

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