Exhibitions and trade shows are powerful platforms for businesses to connect with potential customers, showcase products, and build brand awareness. One of the most effective ways to capture the attention of attendees and keep them engaged is by incorporating exhibition stand games. These games not only entertain visitors but also enhance brand activation efforts, create memorable experiences, and boost interaction with your booth or stand. Whether you're at venues like the Manchester Central Convention Complex, Excel London, or the Birmingham NEC, exhibition stand games can set your company apart and make your display the most talked-about in the room.

Exhibition Stand Game Hire: What Are They?

Exhibition stand games are interactive, engaging activities designed to entertain and captivate the attention of trade show attendees. These games are specifically curated for exhibitions, ensuring they attract visitors and provide a fun way for brands to interact with their audience. They can range from simple prize games to elaborate branded arcade games, offering a variety of options to suit different branding goals. Our exhibition game hire service provides the added benefit of enhancing brand visibility and convenience for event planners.

Games at exhibitions come in many forms, such as retro arcade machines, dance machines, claw machines, and strike a light setups. All our games can be customized and fully branded with a company’s logo, helping to reinforce the brand message and make a lasting impression. Exhibition stand games are often used by marketing agencies and exhibition companies to engage visitors, collect data, or even give away promotional gifts.

Definition and Purpose

Benefits of Hiring Exhibition Stand Games

Engagement: One of the most significant benefits of exhibition stand games is their ability to engage visitors through a variety of booth games. Instead of passively walking by your stand, attendees are drawn into the game experience, interacting with the game and your brand.
Brand Activation: Games are excellent for brand activation. By customizing the games to include company branding or logos, businesses ensure that visitors associate the fun and excitement with their brand. Whether it’s a prize wheel, batak machine, or a cash grabber, incorporating brand elements into the game creates a memorable association with your product or service.
Attracting Attention: Fun exhibition games and exciting games naturally attract crowds. Interactive games with lit buttons, large screens, or retro arcade machines create an atmosphere of excitement that draws attention from far and wide. This is especially effective at busy trade shows and conventions, such as those held at Tobacco Dock or the London Excel venue.
Lead Generation: Exhibition stand games can be an excellent way to gather contact details from potential clients. Visitors can be encouraged to register before playing the game, and this information can be used for future marketing efforts or follow-up communications.
Boosting Booth Traffic: A high-quality, branded game can boost foot traffic to your exhibition stand. Once visitors start playing, they may invite others to join, creating a buzz and increasing the likelihood that your booth will become a popular stop during the event.

Types of Games for Exhibition Stands

Retro Arcade Machines: A retro arcade machine is a nostalgic and fun way to attract visitors. These machines, such as Pac-Man or Space Invaders, offer a sense of familiarity and appeal to a broad range of attendees, from those who remember the classics to younger generations who are fascinated by the retro design and gameplay. Quality branded games like these are effective tools for engaging audiences and enhancing brand visibility.
Prize Wheels: Prize wheels are one of the most common and popular exhibition stand games. Visitors can spin the wheel for a chance to win prizes. The thrill of spinning the wheel, combined with the allure of winning something, creates an engaging and exciting experience. Branded prizes, such as custom promotional gifts or company swag, further enhance brand recognition.
Dance Machines: Dance machines like Dance Dance Revolution or other similar dance-off games add a level of excitement and fun. Visitors compete to get the best score, which can be rewarded with a prize, or simply enjoy the challenge. This is an especially great option for engaging younger audiences or those interested in a more active game.
Claw Machines: Claw machines offer visitors the chance to grab toys, gadgets, or promotional items branded with your company’s logo. These machines are popular and can be made even more engaging by offering exclusive or limited-edition prizes.
Strike a Light: Strike a light machines test reaction times by lighting up a series of buttons, challenging participants to hit them as quickly as possible. The person who strikes the most lights in the shortest time is the winner. These games can be customized with logos and are an exciting way to interact with attendees while offering a competitive element.
Batak Hire: The Batak machine is another popular choice for exhibition stands. It’s a game that tests speed and reflexes as participants must hit flashing lights on a wall within a set time. This is particularly effective for high-energy events, where visitors enjoy testing their agility and competitiveness.
Cash Grabber: A cash grabber or money machine is a thrilling game where visitors try to catch as many flying notes or tokens as they can within a short time. This exciting game not only entertains but also creates a sense of urgency and fun, with the chance to win real prizes.

Custom Branding and Bespoke Games

Custom branding is key to ensuring that your exhibition stand games are directly tied to your company identity. Most game hire companies offer bespoke games that can be tailored to your branding needs, from fully branded**arcade machines to custom-built interactive games designed specifically for your trade show or exhibition game. With bespoke games, companies can include their company logo, slogan, or specific marketing messages on the game surfaces and elements, reinforcing brand presence throughout the exhibition. Quality branded games serve as effective tools for engaging audiences and enhancing brand visibility, showcasing extensive experience with renowned brands in delivering engaging entertainment solutions.

Custom-branded games have a high ROI because they provide a clear connection between the fun visitors are having and the brand that’s sponsoring the activity. These games also create memorable experiences, which can lead to greater brand recognition and increased engagement.

Why Hire Games for Your Exhibition Stand?

When it comes to hiring games for your exhibition stand, there are several key benefits:

Easy Setup and Support: Game hire companies often provide full setup and support, so you don’t need to worry about logistics. With experienced staff handling the setup, you can focus on engaging visitors and conducting business.
Variety and Flexibility: From arcade machines to stand games, the variety available through games hire ensures that you can find something that fits your brand and your event. Whether you’re hosting an exhibition at Excel London or Manchester Central, you’ll find games tailored to the scale and needs of your event. The Manchester Central Convention Complex is a prime example of a venue where these services are provided.
Engagement and Fun: The main purpose of hiring exhibition stand games is to create fun, interactive experiences for your visitors. Visitors are more likely to remember and talk about your brand if they’ve had a positive and engaging experience.
Prizes and Incentives: Many games come with the option of prizes, which can be a great incentive for participation. These can be promotional gifts, branded merchandise, or other items that align with your brand.

Designing an Effective Exhibition Stand

Designing an effective exhibition stand requires careful consideration of several key factors. First and foremost, the stand should be visually appealing, with a clear and concise message that communicates the brand’s value proposition. The stand should also be interactive, incorporating games and activities that encourage visitor engagement. Additionally, the stand should be well-organized, with a clear layout that facilitates easy navigation. Finally, the stand should be staffed by knowledgeable and friendly representatives who can effectively communicate the brand’s message and answer visitor questions.

When designing an exhibition stand, it’s essential to consider the target audience and tailor the stand’s design and content accordingly. For example, if the target audience is primarily composed of young adults, the stand may incorporate more interactive and technology-based elements. On the other hand, if the target audience is primarily composed of industry professionals, the stand may focus more on showcasing products and services.

How to Maximize the Impact of Games at Your Stand

Clear Branding: Ensure your stand and the games are well-branded with your company’s logo, colors, and messaging. The more exposure your brand gets, the greater the impact.
Incentivize Participation: Offer exciting prizes and rewards for high scores, winners, or even random participants. Prizes could include your branded merchandise or items related to your company’s product offerings. Incorporating fun games can significantly increase footfall and interest during trade shows and exhibitions.
Collect Visitor Data: Use the games to collect information about potential clients. For example, require participants to register their contact details before playing, which can help you build a contact list for follow-up.
Team Interaction: Having an energetic and enthusiastic team to run the games ensures visitors have a positive experience. Your team should be approachable and proactive in encouraging participation.
Promote on Social Media: Encourage visitors to share their experiences with your games on social media. You can offer an incentive for posts that tag your brand or use a hashtag related to your trade stand. This can help boost brand awareness and extend the impact of your presence beyond the event.

Measuring Success and Follow-up

Measuring the success of an exhibition stand is crucial to determining the effectiveness of the marketing strategy. There are several key metrics that can be used to measure success, including:

Foot traffic: The number of visitors who stop by the stand
Engagement: The level of interaction between visitors and stand staff
Lead generation: The number of leads generated from the stand
Sales: The number of sales generated from the stand

To measure these metrics, exhibitors can use a variety of tools, such as visitor tracking software, lead generation forms, and sales tracking systems.

In addition to measuring success, it’s also essential to follow up with visitors after the exhibition. This can be done through email marketing campaigns, social media outreach, and phone calls. By following up with visitors, exhibitors can build relationships, nurture leads, and ultimately, drive sales.

Overall, exhibition stand games are a critical component of any successful trade show or exhibition. By incorporating interactive games and activities, exhibitors can engage visitors, promote brand awareness, and drive sales. By carefully designing the stand, measuring success, and following up with visitors, exhibitors can maximize their ROI and achieve their marketing goals.

Conclusion

Exhibition game hire offers a unique way to engage visitors, enhance brand activation, and create lasting impressions. With a huge range of options—such as arcade machines, prize wheels, and batak machines—companies can choose games that suit their branding and goals. Whether you’re hosting an exhibition at London Excel, Birmingham NEC, or any other major venue, the right games will ensure your brand stands out, attracts potential clients, and provides visitors with a fun and interactive experience that they’ll remember long after the event.

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