CEIR Releases New Industry Insight Series Report on Gamification, Seventh Report in Attendee Floor Engagement Study Series

October 20, 2017

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has released two new industry reports designed to help exhibitors use gamification successfully as well as help show organizers understand show floor attendee engagement tactics.

Released on Oct. 19, the new Industry Insight Series Report, “How Exhibitors Can Use Games and Contests to Drive Greater Trade Show Success,” is intended to be a straightforward, “how-to” guide on using games and contests to drive exhibitor success.

“There has been a lot of buzz about gamification in the business world over the past several years and the trade show world is no exception,” explained Samuel J. Smith, managing director of Interactive Meeting Technology, who authored the report.

He continued, “Exhibitors want to know how to use the power of games to get more booth traffic and greater engagement with attendees. The opportunity is real. Games and contests are great tools for exhibitors to drive booth traffic, capture leads and educate visitors about their products and services.”

According to Smith, the goal of the study is not to give trade show exhibitors a doctoral thesis on gamification but to quickly explain how games can pull people into their booths and provide them with best practices for getting more leads and engagement with games.

“CEIR’s recent research on attendee engagement has uncovered that games that educate attendees about an exhibitor’s products enjoy high attendee use, though this research also finds that too few exhibitors are using this highly effective attendee engagement tactic,” said Cathy Breden, CEIR CEO.

She added, “We thank Sam for sharing his expertise to help exhibitors understand how to do this well.”

The 10-page report covers the following key areas:

• What components are included in a game

• Why games motivate trade show attendees to play them

• Games that work best in a booth

• How to tailor the game experience for exhibitor success

• Advice specific to digital games

• Two case studies on games used and exhibitor outcomes

Download How Exhibitors Can Use Games and Contests to Drive Greater Trade Show Success HERE.

Last month, CEIR released its seventh report in an eight-report series focused on attendee floor engagement: Exhibition Floor Learning Activities Outside Exhibit Booths.

CEIR’s previous study, the Attendee Retention Insight Study, revealed that a driver of repeat attendance, especially for smaller exhibitions, is the chance for learning engagement opportunities on an exhibition floor.

Thus, Part Seven examines the range of learning opportunities exhibition organizers are making available on the trade show floor beyond exhibit booths, assesses the extent that exhibitors sponsor or participate in these activities, and evaluates the level of attendee use for each.

“Offering attendees learning opportunities on a show floor is a powerful way to enrich the attendee experience – it offers additional ways to help them achieve their learning objectives,” Breden said.

She added, “This is a win-win for attendees that participate and for exhibitors that sponsor these activities.”

Many B2B exhibitions offer conference programs that take place in meeting rooms away from the expo, but this study reveals that 85 percent of show organizers are also providing learning opportunities on the show floor and that interactive formats are more likely to enjoy the highest level of attendee use.

The 14-page report inventories the availability and performance of 11 learning activities organizers can make available on an exhibition floor in common areas, identifies which activities are most popular, which enjoy the highest rate of exhibitor sponsorships and most importantly, which are being taken advantage of the most by attendees – a signal of high engagement.

In addition to total results, the report identifies unique differences by exhibitor, by industry sector, the extent of exhibition activity and other key demographics. By exhibition organizer, differences are reported by an event’s size.

Commentary from exhibitors and organizers is also provided, illustrating how key trends are put into action.

The CIER 2017 Attendee Floor Engagement Study consists of the following reports:

• Part One: Exhibitor In-booth Tactics – People, Product, Education, Emotion and Other Tactics

• Part Two: Exhibitor In-booth Tactics – Use of Exhibition Organizer Digital Tactics and Other Services

• Part Three: Exhibitor In-booth Tactics – Methods Used to Evaluate Outcomes

• Part Four: Exhibitor In-booth Tactics – Looking to the Future – Areas to Improve and Interest in New Models

• Part Five: Exhibition Floor Networking Opportunities Outside Exhibit Booths

• Part Six: Exhibition Floor Product Engagement Activities Outside Exhibit Booths

• Part Seven: Exhibition Floor Learning Activities Outside Exhibit Booths

• Part Eight: Exhibition Organizers – Methods Used to Evaluate Outcome, Areas to Improve, Interest in New Models

To download Part Seven: Exhibition Floor Learning Activities Outside Exhibit Booths, go HERE.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.