Using gamification at events and exhibitions too drive engagement
Gamification is being used more and more these days and is becoming part of our everyday lives, but what is it and how can you use it to help engage clients or shoppers?
Gamification is basically Game Play – bringing game elements and mechanics into a non-game environment. Companies are embracing the use of online games to drive further brand engagement. Traditional media methods like bus stops and billboards are now becoming digital and interactive making people much more receptive to marketing messages.
If you utilise some of the techniques of gamification it is possible to increase the interest level in your stand /product, increase loyalty by educating and linking a positive memory with your brand and gather further information on prospective clients.
So, what might this look like?
#1
The simplest solution is probably having a Multimedia Display using a large screen playing interesting content, such as a mini-game integrated into a presentation on your company’s story – it’s better than nothing but its not exactly unique!D2G - Ipad counter
#2
Consider having an iPad counter on your stand or using an iPad on your Demonstration table so that people have to press the screen and make choices in order to learn about your brand. Maybe you could create a survey disguised in the form of a trivia quiz. These apps are now simple and inexpensive to create.
#3
Social Sharing has become very popular, so perhaps set up a themed/branded photo kiosk and invite people to have a humorous picture taken and then share it. Or how about using an iPad in-store to grab pictures of shoppers trialling your product?
#4
QR Codes are a great way to interact with clients and an easy way to create a game at shows. An example of this was at a show in Minneapolis where attendees got to participate in the ‘SCANvenger Hunt’. This gamification provided QR codes at different points around the exhibition and shop floor. After scanning the QR code the attendee was taken to a website to answer a question. The questions were geared to teach attendees key points about the show, the companies at the show and the products. Attendees could then track their own score on the website against the leaderboard, or on the large screens that tracked scores in real-time at the exhibition. This hunt can become rather competitive, pushing some people to ‘overachiever’ status just to see themselves in the list. This spirit helps carry the game through the show days and is usually finalised with a prize-giving at the end, further continuing the engagement. Not only does this provide a structured way to gain knowledge but it also provides ice breaking questions for the attendee and exhibitor to start a conversation, plus it’s a bit of fun!
#5
A competition that relies on skill, perhaps a Playstation game where people compete to win prizes by getting on the leaderboard. This is a great option because those not playing can watch others compete and those competing can really engage. To take it one stage further, there are various companies that have created games that can simply be re-skinned with your branding making them more unique to you.
A competition that relies on chance, like a spin-to-win board or even a simple business card draw. This normally creates a bit of fun and engagement and is less threatening for some than a competitive game! We have many different competition entry boxes in various shapes and sizes all of which can be branded to suit your needs.
The great thing about most of these options is that they also provide a simple method to MEASURE attendance/engagement at your stand. You want to be able to prove the ROI you gained from attending an event and these methods provide irrefutable numbers.
Although it still may be somewhat experimental, the idea of integrating gaming elements at a trade show is still in its infancy but it has many possibilities for increasing interest and engagement of visitors to your booth. It’s something that should be considered and not overlooked as you can incentivise all kinds of desired behaviours, making it very powerful indeed.