Trade shows present visitors with an overwhelming amount of information. Tradeshow games and attractions offer visitors a welcome break from the bombardment of information. They create excitement around your booth, captivate your audience, and provide an opening for you to connect with prospective customers.
Go For Visual Impact
The selection of tradeshow games available is enormous, from a simple balloon pop to a video game station, money machines, prize wheels and bag toss games. Whatever you choose, your game or activity should be visually appealing without cluttering the space. It is also important to pick something that leaves ample room to play the game and to form lines as well. Take advantage of the area where the lines will form to display your products and station representative to engage visitors while they wait.
Don’t choose generic tradeshow games. Take advantage of companies specializing in tradeshow attractions as they can fully customize the game for your event. Integrate the game with your marketing message. Design all the elements of your game to match your brand’s colors, and include logos and slogans on game boards or wheels.
Make The Most Of Play Time
Games should never take more than a few minutes to play; you don’t want the line to get so long for the game that visitors give up waiting and leave without ever exploring your display.
Thoroughly train your representatives to interact with clients while they are waiting for their chance to play your trade show game. Don’t let them overlook this great opportunity to connect with your audience. Train booth staff to ask the right questions to qualify leads and create a dialogue that enhances your brand.
When collecting a ballot or entry forms, staff members should look at it while the participant is still there; this creates an opportunity to ask questions, gather information, and qualify leads. Take notes on the conversation and the information provided right on the ballot for follow up later.
Make It Worth Their While
Games certainly relieve the information overload, but there are bound to be many games at any given show. You need to provide an incentive for visitors to try your game. The right prize not only attracts visitors to you booth, but it is what they will remember you by as well.
The prize needs to have a purpose. Are you trying to educate, communicate your message, build brand awareness, or incite a specific action? Custom promotional products can be imprinted with your company contact information, customized with your colors, and branding.
Before the event, promote your attendance at the show as well as the tradeshow attractions and prizes you will feature. This gives visitors a chance to get excited and look forward to stopping by your booth. Use whatever media you find the most beneficial to your company, from postcard mailers to sending an electronic invitation via your social network site.
Tradeshow games and attractions can help create excitement and give visitors a welcome break from the action. Make sure they deliver your message and represent your brand or product, and choose games, activities, and prizes that have appeal to your audience and relate to your industry.
About the Author
Jon Edelman provides exciting trade show marketing ideas, including advice about prize wheels, customizable scratch-off cards, money blowing machines, and other exciting trade show attractions. With years of experience in the trenches, he is an expert on booth displays, lead generation techniques, and networking with trade show vendors. Helping to build a referral-generating system, his ideas continuously lead to a boost in sales and revenue.
