Networking events are crucial for professional and business growth, yet many times it can be extremely awkward to break the ice and actually talk to new people they may not know.
This is why gamification is becoming increasingly more important for networking at events. It encourages conversations, breaks up cliques, boosts foot traffic, increases attendee participation and engagement with exhibitors and sponsors booths, and helps attendees (especially introverts) talk to new people instead of defaulting to the same old “What do you do?” or sticking only with familiar faces.
Gamification can be incorporated into trade shows, conferences, social mixers, and coffee socials to give your event attendees an easy way to boost engagement and enhance the overall event experience.
For instance, event gamification platforms like JamSocial create games like Jam Bingo are transforming the way people network at events. Gamification is fun and enhances event experiences by boosting attendee engagement, helping your attendees break the ice, start conversations, and build lasting connections.
Trade shows and conferences are notoriously competitive and can be overwhelming for introverted attendees. Incorporating event gamification helps everyone feel comfortable participating and communicating with others.
An important reason why many individuals attend trade shows and conferences is to grow their network, yet networking can be intimidating to many introverted attendees.
Walking into a room full of strangers and starting a conversation can be difficult, and many introverted attendees struggle with this. This is why networking needs a fresh approach.
No more awkwardness, cliques, or lack of engagement. Gamification creates a welcoming atmosphere. Icebreakers, or even better, ice melters, help start conversations and ease the tension between attendees.
Gamified networking involves applying gamification or game-like elements to networking. It makes networking feel fun, like play.
This can involve using points, rewards, or challenges to help introverted individuals engage and network at your events. Gamified activities motivate attendees to participate and step out of their comfort zone.
Some examples of gamification that help introverted attendees with networking are:
An event gamification app that is gradually gaining popularity at trade shows, conferences, and networking events is Jam Bingo by JamSocial.
Jam Bingo is a digital networking app designed to create a natural, exciting experience for all guests. It’s easy and efficient as it is fully digital, no hardcopy paper needed.
With Jam Bingo, guests scan a QR code to play and receive prompts. Each prompt encourages them to step out of their comfort zone and interact with new attendees at the event.
For instance, a prompt might be “Find someone who isn’t talking to anyone and ask them what they are passionate about outside of work.” After interacting with that person, the guest unlocks the next prompt and continues until all prompts are completed.
Jam Bingo Prompts for Trade Shows:
Jam Bingo Prompts for Conferences:
Need inspiration for your Bingo prompts? Check out our free bingo card question generator.
You can also get creative with other gamified activities, such as scavenger hunts and trivia competitions.
At your next trade show, set up a scavenger hunt for your attendees. Have them take photos of specific booths or collect a certain number of business cards to earn a reward at the end of the event. Challenges like these give attendees a chance to connect when multiple people are invested in the same activity. You could also include a trivia competition in your conference itinerary to encourage engagement and interaction.
For example, set up a Jeopardy segment with event-specific questions to gamify your event. This idea enhances audience engagement and provides attendees with a shared experience to discuss as they continue networking throughout the event.
The key to designing a successful event is to treat gamification as an integral part of the attendee experience. Rather than viewing gamification apps as a simple add-on, attendees should be able to enjoy the positive effects of gamification from start to finish.
Instead of just “creating an experience to be talked about,” Jam Bingo stands out because it gets attendees actually talking with each other.
Attendees have the chance to meet and talk with new people.
So, how do you implement gamification? First, once you have your ideas, make sure to promote the game or app both before and during the event.
In your invitations to trade shows and conferences, mention the app and provide a brief description so attendees know what to expect. During the event, display posters with the app’s logo and QR codes linking to the app’s webpage.
This ensures that attendees are fully engaged with the challenges the gamified apps offer. Another important step is to customize the prompts and challenges to suit your specific audience.
Gamification apps often provide templates, but events targeting specific audiences benefit from personalized prompts and challenges. With Jam Bingo, you can generate bingo questions using the Jam Bingo Prompt Generator.
When implemented thoughtfully, gamification can be a strategic way to help introverted attendees connect at your event.
Gamified networking creates an environment where genuine connections can flourish and thrive. By transforming awkward interactions into engaging challenges, attendees follow the natural flow of conversation.
Tools like Jam Bingo, a human bingo app, make it easy to add gamified networking to your events, boosting engagement and attendee satisfaction. See for yourself how gamification can break barriers at your next trade show or conference by giving it a try. What will your gamification strategy look like for your next event?