Collecting leads at trade shows with interactive promotions

If you have had enough of chasing visitors around with a brochure in hand, Easypromos’ interactive games are the answer. They’re a great icebreaker, engage even the shyest attendees, and let you collect contact details without making anyone uncomfortable. Instead of the usual “Are you interested in what we do?”, you can invite people to spin a prize wheel, solve a challenge, or enter a giveaway. It’s natural, fun, and most importantly, it sparks real conversations.

In this article, we’ll show you how games at your trade show booth can transform your presence at expos, conferences, and branded events. You’ll find game ideas, real-life examples, and tips on how to generate leads.

Which Are the Best Trade Show Booth Games?

With Easypromos, you can create interactive games that grab attention and motivate visitors to leave their contact details through a digital form. Each game is fully customizable with your brand and can be accessed directly from the visitor’s mobile phone or via a tablet or interactive totem screen at your booth.

Every game or interactive activity should come with a reward—whether it’s swag, a discount, or entry into a final prize draw. As always, the key to participation is offering a prize that makes the interaction worthwhile.

Here are some of the top recommended games and activities for trade shows and conferences:

Spin the Wheel for Trade Shows

The most popular option because it’s universally understood, no instructions are needed. With Easypromos, you have complete control over the prize wheel’s setup and design. It’s perfect when you have a limited prize variety since each takes up one segment. If you include more than 10 prizes, it will feel visually cluttered.

To drive qualified traffic to their booth and boost sales opportunities, aesthetic product brand Corpoderm launched a digital prize wheel with discounts at a major international B2B trade show in Miami.

The concept was simple and effective: each visitor who approached the booth could spin the wheel and win an exclusive discount, valid for a limited time. This not only encouraged direct interaction with industry professionals but also helped capture interested leads and drive post-show conversions.

Scratch & Win at a congress

A simple and effective format that everyone instantly recognizes. Visitors scratch the screen to reveal whether they’ve won a prize. It’s visual, quick, and perfect for engaging people without explanations. It’s a great alternative to the prize wheel when offering a wide variety of rewards.

At their Sherpa Day event, Sherpa Campus used a digital Scratch & Win game to entertain attendees, spark interest in the event, and collect participant data.

Users accessed the game on their phones and played for the chance to win swag, course discounts, and other prizes.

Reveal & Win

A variation of the Scratch & Win game, here visitors tap one or more on-screen elements to see if a prize is hidden underneath. For example: “Find the three hidden brand logos and win a T-shirt.”

Trivia & Quizzes to Collect Qualified Leads

These games are ideal for asking visitors questions relevant to your industry: “How much do you know about cybersecurity?”, “What’s your digital marketing IQ?” You can offer prizes based on the number of correct answers, or simply give a reward for participating.

Classic Puzzles That Grab Attention

Perfect for entertaining visitors with games that require no explanation. You can create a word search with your brand’s key terms, a puzzle to reconstruct your logo or a memory game with product images. These games spark curiosity, activate visual memory, and provide a fun break between meetings.

Games of Skill

Short games that test speed or coordination—like Easypromos’ “Tap Tap,” where players have to tap the good icons and avoid the bad ones. These games are fun, interactive, and often so addictive that visitors keep playing long after they’ve left your booth.

Skill games, such as Tap Tap, are highly effective for grabbing attention and increasing engagement at events. Not only do they attract crowds quickly, but they also help strengthen your brand’s presence in a fun, memorable way. They’re also an original way to hand out prizes.

These games help brands connect with visitors, entertain them, and create positive brand experiences—all while handing out swag and collecting valuable marketing data.

Surveys among trade fair attendees

Surveys are a direct way to engage visitors while gathering useful insights. You can ask about consumer habits, industry opinions, or product feedback. In exchange, the visitor gets a chance to win a prize or receive a small gift.

Product recommender for visitors

Perfect for booths showcasing multiple product lines or solutions. With just a few quick questions, visitors receive a personalized recommendation: “Here’s the product that fits you best.” It’s useful, original, and provides a digital experience that mimics the personalized attention of a salesperson.

To participate or claim their prize, users leave their contact details, which you can easily integrate into your CRM after the event. More than just generating leads, the goal is to offer a simple, fun experience that catches attention and naturally sparks conversation. The winning formula? A great digital game, a meaningful reward, and friendly human interaction will make your brand stick in visitors’ minds long after the show.

What Prizes Should You Offer in Your Booth Games?

Ideally, offer something directly tied to your business, e.g. a product bundle or service discount. That said, classic branded merchandise still works wonders at trade shows. There are thousands of items you can personalize: T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, socks, stress balls, backpacks, notebooks, tote bags, etc.

The choice is yours, but here are two key tips:

1. Make prizes visible. They should grab attention and draw in curious visitors. For example, we always display a giant bowl of colorful chocolates at our booth, it stands out, looks inviting, and gives tired attendees a sugar boost.
2. Include a final prize draw. No matter which game you use, spin the wheel, scratch & win, quiz, or skill game, adding a final prize draw among all participants gives people a reason to stay connected and remember your brand after the event.

How to Make Your Booth Games Easily Accessible

To maximize participation, make it easy and fast to join. Here are two effective ways:

1. A Visible and Accessible QR Code

Generate a QR code that links directly to your game’s URL. Print it on posters or show it on screens around your booth. Visitors can scan it with their phone and start playing within seconds.

Want to step up your game? Use a custom domain or subdomain like: expo.yourbrand.com. It’s more professional and reinforces your brand image.

Want to step up your game? Use a custom domain or subdomain like: expo.yourbrand.com. It’s more professional and reinforces your brand image.

We’ve included an example of a poster with the URL and QR code. Scan it to experience what your booth visitors would see!

2. On-Site Devices (Tablets, Screens, or Interactive Totems)

If you have tablets or a large touch screen at your booth, you can offer a more immersive, guided experience. These devices let people play right there—no phones needed.

Totam screens are especially useful, as their large displays naturally attract attention and create a “buzz” around your booth.

One caution: if you rely solely on devices, you risk long lines during peak times, which might deter some visitors.

Best practice? Combine both methods: provide tablets for those who want a guided experience, and QR codes for those who prefer to use their phones and jump in quickly.

I Have the Leads, Now What?

Include an opt-in checkbox in your game’s registration form for participants to consent to receive commercial communications. You can import these contacts into your CRM right after the show. Easypromos integrates with major CRMs and email marketing tools. If you don’t use one or prefer a manual approach, you can export the data as a .CSV or Excel file. You might want to let your IT team that we also have an API to transfer data automatically.

You can also use Easypromos’ built-in email platform to stay in touch. For example, send an automatic thank-you email after participation. Include helpful information or a reminder about the final prize draw date—keeping your brand top of mind.

How to Create Trade Show Games with Easypromos

Take advantage of Easypromos’ capabilities to create interactive, engaging games for you trade show booth. You’ll collect leads and strengthen the connection between your brand and your visitors. Want to see a live demo? Contact us—we’ll review your needs and offer ideas and solutions for your upcoming expos, conventions, and events.