As we have discussed in previous articles the face to face event environment is a riot of noise and a competitive arena for communication. In the USA a stand salesperson will leap into the aisle to greet you but add in some European character and we have a recipe for reserved nodding in each other’s direction, but little interaction.
That’s the reason for a great stand, terrific graphics and engaging video content…but how can you go one further? How do you actually drag the visitors off the aisle and pin them to your brand for valuable minutes instead of seconds?
Engaging your visitor
Give them something entertaining to do. Over the years we have seen everything from free sweets, through free bars to dancers (in various states) on stands. These are fine and certainly help to gather visitors but it can be fleeting and doesn’t always give you a lead as a result. Games have become popular but again gathering details is left to the staff on the stand and does the visitor really engage with your brand? A day later they will remember the game but can they remember whose stand it was on?
Having a game created to suit your brand message was once an expensive exercise but today it costs just a fraction of your stand space and does three vital things:
- Engages the customer in an experiential element
- Reinforces your brand every step of the game play
- Gathers their details (to play or to post their high score)
In case “computer game ” to you means a frivolous zapping of aliens you need to understand that a bespoke game can be as sensible or flippant as you want. A recent App for the iPhone helped doctors calculate dosage levels for the drugs being administered. The pharmaceutical company was the commissioner of the “game “. A simple touch screen jigsaw incorporating your logo is a popular item and the excitement is driven by the prize awarded to the winners.
In addition it can be used across multiple events and in showroom or reception locations in your offices so the extended return on investment is high.