Trade Show Exhibitors Attract
Traffic with Booth Game Shows

Trade show exhibitors can be the "attraction" in the exhibition hall by hosting a television-style game show quiz at their booth. An exhibit quiz dressed up as a game show is a powerful and creative way to attract traffic and deliver your message in a fun, memorable format.

With today's robust and compact technology, trade show exhibitors don't need a large area or expensive gear to do this. Even a tabletop 10 x 10 foot booth with some iPad tablets or displays can serve as a "people magnet" with a multimedia quiz contest.

Having a game show in your trade show booth generates exhibit floor buzz and pulls in conference traffic, according to event game show and quiz software expert Tom Bodine. "People love fun and they are drawn to it. By wrapping your marketing message and key points in a fun format, you literally challenge people to remember details of your products or services," he said.

"More importantly, you’ll gain mindshare with a trade show quiz. When you succeed in making a fun experience, people talk about your booth, which amplifies your presence during and after the show," Bodine added

The first step in planning is to determine how you want to present the game show quiz. It can be delivered as a live presentation run by booth staff or a stand-alone game at a kiosk where people can walk up and play.

Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages for trade show exhibitors...

Game Show Kiosks

When you feature a game show quiz from a kiosk in your trade show booth, you use a personal computer or laptop, and face it towards the aisle where visitors who are passing your display area can see it.

Special game software runs in a loop format, so when one person has completed the quiz, the game automatically starts over. An attraction loop entices people to play when the game is idle.

To be effective and project a strong image for your company, the look of the game show quiz must be polished and professional.

Sound quality is another important factor because it serves to attract trade show attendees who are passing by your display area. Benefits to the kiosk approach include:

Well-suited for a small booth space.
Captures player names and scores for lead generation purposes, as well as an in-booth drawing that motivates people to return to your display area.
Helps manage booth traffic. When booth personnel are talking with other prospects, they can direct new booth visitors to play the quiz until they are available to speak with them, instead of having these potential buyers walk away.

Presentation Format

A presentation-style quiz takes more space, but can be a powerful way to motivate people to remember points from your product demonstrations.

To implement, you build or buy a multimedia template for a game show and create your own quiz questions. The game can be used as a lead-in to your presentation (to assess audience knowledge), or as a closing activity to add excitement and reinforce key points.

Another option for trade show exhibitors is to host a spectacle-style event in the booth, such as a public trivia challenge, where conference attendees volunteer to compete and show their knowledge.

Topics for the trivia game may include industry-specific questions, sports trivia, historical facts or other topics. Benefits to this presentation approach include:

Effectively complements product demonstrations
Generates lots of buzz by giving people a moment in the limelight
Creates a spectacle that attracts attention

To host a game show in your display area, you don't need to invest in high-end equipment and stagecraft. Instead, a tablet or computer can be utilized for the sights and sounds of your show, and enable you to manage the quiz staging and pacing.

Whether you want the kiosk or presentation approach, there are customizable game show templates available that make exhibit quizzes easy to produce and affordable. Or, you can turn your own team loose on the project to come up with something original.

Make your next exhibit a fun attraction that pulls people in, challenges them to recall the things you want them to remember and rewards them when they do. “That’s how to win the exhibit game,” Bodine emphasizes.