How Do Trade Show Games Boost Audience Engagement?

Trade show games can help you boost audience engagement at your booths. This post discusses the importance of trade show gamification

Games on ipads that can be set up at trade show booths for audience engagement
Image Credit: Freepik

On average, attendees spend around 8.3 hours visiting all the booths and displays at a trade show. So, every exhibitor has plenty of opportunities to connect with the target audience.

But we all know it isn't that easy!

After several weeks of planning and executing what you think is the perfect trade show strategy, it could be heartbreaking to see the booth traffic not being up to the mark. 

Unfortunately, this exhibiting nightmare is a reality for many businesses and event organizers.

If slow booth traffic is something you’ve witnessed in your recent events, the problem could be with your audience engagement strategy.  

And what better than fun and interactive trade show games to boost engagement?

Why is Audience Engagement Crucial at Trade Shows?

49% of marketers believe that audience engagement is one of the most crucial factors for measuring the success of any event. 

Fun Fact-

On average, attendees tell 6 more people about their experience at the event. 

So if done right, boosting audience engagement can-

  • Increase participation in events
  • Increase your conversion rate
  • Create a buzz at your booths
  • Increase footfalls 

But if people are moving past your exhibition real estate without as much as a glare, the time, effort, and money spent on the event will be all for nothing. 

Gamification is one of the best trade show booth engagement ideas with the potential to bend things in your favor. 

How Can Trade Show Games Improve Audience Engagement?

As an exhibitor, you don't want to get lost amid the sea of hundreds of booths. Instead, you want yours to stand out and be remembered by the attendees for its entertaining, social, competitive, and engaging vibe. 

That’s where trade show booth games come in. Here's why 'Gamifying' could be the key to driving more traffic to your booth-

1. Games Aid Socialization

According to a study by Dr Richard Bartle, the majority (80%) play to socialize and only 20% play to win.

Interactive games can eliminate social awkwardness. They motivate participants to shed their inhibitions, play, compete, and socialize.

2. Gamification Enables Active Participation

Have you ever seen anyone enjoying a game without really being fully into it? Probably not! And this is precisely what you need from the attendees to make your trade show outing a bumper success. 

'Passive Participants' who shuffle through the booths without really engaging can kill the vibe of any event. 

Trade show engagement through interactive trivia is one of the best ways to convert this passive streak into active participation. The game-playing experience in itself enables people to be more physically and mentally present at the exhibition. 

3. Assists Brand Activation

Sounds like a fancy term for brand marketing, right? But it is the process of making your brand known to people and improving engagement and awareness through a positive brand experience. 

While marketing is an ongoing and all-encompassing process to promote and maintain your brand, activation is more about taking your brand from one particular state to another, preferably one that is better than before. 

For every attendee, engaging with your brand through trade show games works as a potent brand activator that takes them from being attendees to leads or possibly customers as well.  

4. Boosts Retention

During a busy exhibition, gamification could be an intriguing element that could encourage people to be at your booth rather than your competitors'. 

For instance, games such as interactive trivia can make them stay at your booth, spend more time, and soak in your brand and message throughout the duration. Moreover, if the challenging trivia is tailored to your company, it’ll also help educate the attendees and boost retention. 

5. Make it Memorable

Edgar Dale’s cone of experience which says that people learn more when they experience a lesson just like a trivia game

Compared to what we see, read or hear, we remember more of what we do or personally experience. Customized trade show games engage the attendees to the extent that they will retain more information about you and your company. 

5. People Love Winning

Did I say only 20% play to win? Well, I'm certainly in that 20%. Let's be honest- We don't mind winning at games, right? And there's a solid scientific reason why we love to win. 

According to psychologists, we produce more dopamine, or pleasure hormone, when we win. It triggers a great feeling in the reward part of the brain, and we love experiencing this dopamine hit repeatedly. 

The great feeling when you compete with others and see your name at the top of the leaderboard is like no other.

If you’re looking for how to engage customers at a trade show, a customized trivia with iPads for gameplay and a large TV screen for the leaderboard can definitely help. 

Are You Planning Your Next Trade Show?

Irrespective of the trade show you’re participating in or the industry you belong to, there are plenty of valuable benefits that you can experience by adding an interactive and fun game to your booth. 

From helping you build your brand, generating more leads, and strengthening relationships to boosting sales, custom quizzes can play a vital role in helping you plan and execute successful events. 

Contact us for a product demo to know how custom gamification can drive more traffic and boost engagement at trade shows. 

And don’t forget to check out our latest work for a quick overview of how our trade show games are helping our clients make the most of every exhibition. 

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