Did you know that more than 80% of trade show attendees have purchasing authority? That means exhibiting at such an event has the potential to increase your business by a huge margin. But only if you can get as many customers to your booth as possible.
What better way to do so than throwing in a couple of trade show games?
Trade show booth games are a great way to bring you a steady stream of prospective customers and keep them around just long enough for you to get your offering across. What’s more, games make the whole pitching process a fun endeavor for you and your customers – further increasing the possibility of converting them.
So, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t incorporate a game or two in your booth the next time you exhibit at a trade show. Especially when exhibiting in Sin City. Las Vegas trade shows are a great place to add some pizazz to your exhibit, because the city itself is known for being extravagant and exciting. So why not portray that in your trade show booth?
Grab a few trade show game ideas from the list below. These, coupled with a few essentials for trade show booth success, have the potential to maximize your return on investment at your next trade show. Also, please note that we earn from qualifying purchases of the options below- but our goal is to give you the best in trade show game ideas and ultimately, you have to choose the best game for your goals at the show.
1. Scratch-Off Cards
Scratch-off cards are a simple way to keep things interesting and interactive during your next trade show. However, you'll have to factor in the added costs for the cards themselves. If done correctly, this extra cost will be completely worth it in terms of getting people sticking around your booth. What is so attractive about this game is the fact that it’s based on an already popular concept of the lottery.
Contestants will find this an exciting activity to take part in, which boosts the overall mood in your booth. Also, the accompanying lively atmosphere is sure to draw more people into your booth, presenting a wider opportunity for your brand to get known.
To capitalize on scratch-off cards, make sure the cards are branded with your company's particulars like the logo and colors. That way, even if an attendee loses, they still get to keep your brand with them, which can go a long way as far as your business is concerned.
Check Out Custom Scratch Offs on Amazon
2. Business Card or Entry Raffle
Looking for an even simpler yet fun trade show booth idea? Then a business card raffle is just what you need.
Here’s the simplicity: the only preparation on your side is choosing the prize, which should be fun when you decide to tie in your product or service.
Another perk of this game is that there is no hassle about materials as participants are bringing their own business cards.
Do you see another greater benefit in this arrangement?
You get the contact information of everyone who takes part. This is huge as it makes following up easier.
Check Out Raffle Prizes on Amazon
3. Jumbo Games
There are some serious variety of trade show booth games to attract customers. The fact that the games are a sort of magnified versions of everyday ones makes them quite a sight, and that means people are going to flow into your booth as long as the trade show runs.
Just make sure that you know explicitly the rules of the games you decide to go with. You don’t want your booth to be an atmosphere of chaos due to wrong judgment calls on your side.
And, please, don’t forget to carry all the required tidbits. An incomplete setup doesn’t offer much as far as great experiences go.
Additionally, encourage the members of the audience who are just looking on to pick sides and cheer on their preferred players. That is how you create excitement in your booth.
Check Out Jumbo Trade Show Games on Amazon
4. Virtual Reality
Sure, you can create an epic video showcasing your product or service. Or you can take some awesome shots.
But why not make the whole process a little bit more interactive by including some virtual reality?
Let customers experience a day in the life of your business by putting on that headset and heading right into your various doors. Use that opportunity to highlight the most outstandingly positive things about your business. While this is a cool and modern way to be interactive with potential clients, you want to make sure what you are showing them through this virtual reality is an experience that will be unforgettable.
Show them exactly what they are going to get from you if you gain their business. This can be everything from the office atmosphere, to what it will actually be like for them once they are on board with your product or service.
5. Arcade Trade Show Booth Games
Arcade games offer a promise of a good time to people in different age brackets. For adults, you can appeal to them by having the classics, while for the younger ones, the most recent games will do just fine.
The trick here is finding an arcade game that fits into what you have to offer.
For more attention, create a leaderboard where you’ll be posting the high scores all day. This pushes more people to join in a bid to beat the leader.
Having the arcade games be digital can also go a long way when you factor in the ability of the players to share their scores online. Think about the reach from this.
Check Out Event Arcade Games on Amazon
6. Golf
Golf is a popular game around the world, no doubt. So, it’s only natural that it is featured in trade show booth activity ideas.
What makes it even a great go-to option for a trade show game is the relaxed atmosphere devoid of the usual running around to look for missing balls.
On this front, putting greens are your best bet. Yes, it’s expensive, but it is also the easiest to deal with at the booth level among all the available golf activities.
While it's easy to just set up a small putting green and attract people to your booth, perhaps reward them as well. For example, if the potential client gets a hole-in-one, let that be a way for them to gain exclusive access to a deal or promotion that you are running on your products or services.
This way, your increasing traffic to your booth, along with providing an incentive for participating and sticking around as well.
Check Out Prize Putt Games on Amazon
7. Flying Disc
Another trade show game for attracting more feet to your exhibit. And it’s a pretty simple one – get the disc into a slot or on a predetermined surface.
Now, if you’re familiar with a flying disc, you know just how the above are no mean undertakings. And that’s what makes this game a captivating one.
Because the objectives are a bit out of reach, it keeps the participants glued, hoping to achieve them with time or at least see if someone else can make it.
To spice it up further, limit the number of times each player has to try.
Again, add some incentive if the players make it in. Preferably something to draw them further into doing business with your company.
8. Email Sign Up and Prize Draw
You can refer to this as the digitized version of the business card raffle above.
The trade show game idea is also simple – run a prize drawing but have anyone willing to take part sign up using their names and email addresses. You can use a simple kiosk for this.
Email is one of the biggest digital marketing channels, and this is quite an ideal game as it extends beyond just filling up your booth with potential customers.
There is a chance of getting business later on when the trade show is over if you follow-up appropriately.
Check Out Prize Wheels on Amazon
9. Photo Contest
One thing is guaranteed in a trade show event – people are going to take photos.
Now, all you have to do is offer them a more fun way of doing so in your booth. You can put up the photos on a screen or board as an entry into a contest. Have them email their photos to you and print them out from your phone to a portable printer.
For a start, a nice backdrop and a few props can go a long way. Just have them customized as per your company’s particulars so that the participants take your brand with them wherever they go with the snapshots.
But don’t let your visitors just hang around idly as they wait for their turn. They might not even stick around if they get bored. Engage them (in a fun way) about various aspects of your brand. Bonus points if you have fliers to hand out.
The volume of people can be overwhelming, so opt to give the photo owners their snaps via email, a chance to keep in touch.
While at it, include some small signage on them that points back to your brand.
Check Out Photo Printers on Amazon
10. Virtual Prize Wheel
Whereas the regular prize wheel is still a great option, there is no reason why you shouldn’t level up a bit with the virtual one.
This is huge in the sense that it gives a certain novelty to participants as they enjoy the same kind of stuff they are used to but in a slightly different form. You can be sure more people will be far much willing to sign up for this.
What’s more, a virtual prize wheel puts you in the driver’s seat as far as displays go. You can tailor the colors and various components to represent those of your brand.
11. Challenge Bar Trivia
Instead of having to ask your questions yourself, set them up on a screen and have participants answer them on their own. Just ensure that these questions have a bearing to your brand or industry.
As a pre-requisite, have them fill a form with their names and contact info, preferably email addresses.
Each participant earns a certain number of points for every question they answer as per its complexity. To encourage more people to join, have a leader board that shows all the highest points gotten by different attendees.
Also, give a time limit within which these questions are to be answered to add to the fun.
12. Social Media Cutouts Contest
What better way to spread your booth awareness than to have people post to social media to enter? Use a social media cutout like the one above to have them take a photo at your booth. This will enter them into a contest to win a prize!
Have them use a hashtag and tag your company in their posts. Post to multiple social outlets to get more entries into the contest. It will be raining social shares all throughout your event!
Check Out This Social Media Cutout on Amazon
Wrapping Up Your Trade Show Game Fun
Having a game or two at your booth is definitely a great step. But you have to go beyond that to be able to realize the full importance of these trade show booth games – attracting customers to your booth.
Take the role of encouraging people to participate in these games by, say, assuming the role of an emcee and introducing the players.
Also, remember why you have the games in place. They are fun, for sure. But keep in mind that it’s your brand that takes precedence. So, make the games about your brand message.
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