5 Awesome Trade Show Booth Game Ideas

Engaging current or potential customers at the trade show booth is the entire reason your business is at a trade show in the first place. So coming up with some awesome trade show booth game ideas can really give the presentation or engagement level of your trade show display a major boost.

Offering a free chance at earning something a potential or returning customer might want is the basis for coming up with awesome trade show booth game ideas. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to make your booth the most fun it can be and also help your business in the process.

Before we start, it is also worth mentioning that you should engage customers on social media prior to and during the event to make them aware of your presence ahead of time. 

1. Prize wheel

Some people really enjoy games of chance and spinning a wheel with a small probability of getting the best prize certainly fits into that category. 

You can have a big, physical prize wheel or go digital on the trade show floor but either way, the interactive nature will draw excitement to your booth and you can further your own promotion by asking for contact information like email addresses or phone numbers in order to register for their chance at some great swag.

You can also have a variety of prizes available, ranging from standard trade show swag to a harder to win but more coveted giveaway that you feel is appropriate for the setting. There is no one way to do it but the top goal for your business should be for trade show game players to win a prize and have it be successful enough at event marketing to meet your business’ ultimate goals.

2. Trivia games

Doing a general trivia game could be fun in either of the two ways it can be run. You can either have people fill out a sheet or piece of paper with their contact information and hand it in to you, which would be an easy way to later connect with possible customers. 

Or make it a more fun process with teams of trade show goers in a more interactive, real-time event to give the proceedings an engaging experience. The trivia can be anything, from pop culture to sports to history or maybe even fun facts about your organization so your customers can learn more about your company.

While the main focus should be on making it a great pastime for your visitors, also make sure the trivia is appropriate, both in relation to your business’ message and also for mixed company.

3. Business card raffle

Have you ever wanted your potential customers’ information delivered to you in a nice, neat stack? Holding a business card raffle will do just that and is a low-effort way to have access to a new database of customers.

In order to entice trade show attendees to give out their personal information, there needs to be a coveted prize awaiting them. It could be normal swag or maybe just slightly above and make it a gift card to a popular store or restaurant. Either way, holding a business card raffle and giving out a ballpoint pen would probably be a letdown for people who visited your booth. 

For the booth operator — i.e. you — a $25 or $50 investment in a cool prize is an amazing value proposition to get dozens or even hundreds of new leads from interested parties who want a chance to win something cool. The prize can be even bigger to really drive conversation, like an iPad or other electronic device that many people would covet or a cool gift basket filled with a bunch of items.

This is most likely the easiest trade show booth idea to implement and then execute. You literally need a cool prize and a fishbowl or something similar.

4. Arcade games

If you want to be the life of the party, this might be the way you choose to go. While there are a variety of different games available, the one (or more) that should be picked should have some connection on the kind of product or service your company is advertising.

Some examples of arcade games could be a pop-a-shot basketball setup, skeeball or maybe even renting an old-school arcade cabinet featuring a game such as Ms. Pac Man or Donkey Kong to appeal to both younger and older convention goers alike.

These ideas are good because it offers (hopefully) light-hearted competition and also a chance for people to see their name up on a list for achieving a high score, which could further drive foot traffic and more people to your booth.

Or if you want to go to a more new-school approach, maybe something involving virtual reality to really draw people into the fold. You want to impress and capture the attention of the people who visit your booth.

Games aren’t the only way to attract customers to your booth. Consider these 3 Trade Show Snack Ideas that Attendees Will Love.

5. Putting contest

It’s something almost everyone has done at one point in time: picked up a putter, put a golf ball down and lined up a shot for the hole just feet away.

Having a putting green, a putter and a ball shouldn’t be too expensive but it will give people a chance to put the ball into the hole and win a prize in the end. This goes along the same train of thought as arcade games.

Golf is a popular sport worldwide and it can lead to a laid back environment. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a straight giveaway either: if a possible customer strokes it in on the first try, maybe they get first dibs on a discount or limited-time offer on your products or services.

Shipping to a Trade Show with R+L Global Logistics

Once you have your trade show booth ideas locked down, let R+L Global Logistics be the final piece of the puzzle to give you the ultimate peace of mind.

R+L Global Logistics can help you with your awesome trade show booth game ideas by picking up those supplies, plus your other booth materials, and shipping it to the venue in a fast, efficient and friendly manner.

We offer full trade show freight shipping with an experienced fleet to meet any of your shipping needs, and have real-time freight visibility and a 99.5 percent on-time rate that will keep you informed and confident during the shipment.

We also offer other specialized freight shipping services such as expedited shipping and international shipping. Add to that our available and helpful customer service, and R+L Global Logistics is the perfect partner to make your business a great success at your next trade show.

When you’re ready to partner with the best freight shipping company for your trade show needs, call 866-415-8986 for a free quote.