Hosting conferences and trade shows is more challenging than ever as attention spans shrink, dropping from 2.5 minutes to just 45 seconds in the last 20 years. With constant digital distractions, how can you truly connect with your audience? Event planners need to think outside the box. Here are 5 unconventional ways to boost engagement at your next event.

Thrive and VDA brought fun to the show floor with a series of interactive arcade activations that weren't just a crowd favorite but turned casual foot traffic into meaningful engagement.

Humans are inherently simple creatures, and we all have a child in our hearts who loves fun and games. Not only are games a great way to bring attendees into your experience, but they're also effective for catching and keeping attention. Recognizable games like claw machines or strength tests work best. Whether content is built into the gameplay or attendees just compete for a prize, offering interactive experiences ensures your event stands out in their memory.

Coffee Bar & Conversations

It's amazing how more engaged adults can be when you put a fresh coffee or tea in their hands—some of us can't even focus on our jobs until we have a coffee on our desk! An increasingly popular tactic at trade shows and conferences is integrating a coffee/espresso bar into the event footprint to allow for casual conversation and recharging. Stationing brand ambassadors to chat with attendees as they relax and enjoy a coffee is a great way to encourage natural education and engagement.

Trivia

Reflecting back on high school, nothing would get students listening more than the phrase, "There will be a test on this," and it rings true even into adulthood. Similar to the above notes on gamification, fun and competition is a great way to engage a large audience, and trivia is a good way to transform your content into something more digestible and enjoyable. You can additionally incentivize participation by offering prizes to high-performers—never underestimate the desire event attendees have for free stuff.

Investing in Production Quality

A bit less unconventional and more simple, investing in the production quality of your presentation can boost the engagement of your audience alone. Having speakers be well lit, heard clearly, and presenting high-definition video content can make a world of a difference. While this pertains to the audio and video quality of your presentation, this also relates to how you are presenting your topic. For slideshow presentations, simple slides with minimal words and larger visuals will be more engaging for attendees and will keep their attention for longer—when there isn't much to focus on visually, people will focus more on the speaker's content.

Surprise & Delight Moments

People love the unexpected! Whether it's a pop-up treat station, a roaming magician, or a spontaneous mini-performance, incorporating surprise moments sparks joy and curiosity. These micro-experiences reset attention spans and energize your crowd, making your event feel more dynamic and memorable.

At VDA, we turn your message into an engaging experience through creative strategy and expert production. Our team stays ahead of trends in experiential design to deliver events that inform, inspire, and leave a lasting impact. Photo: Courtesy of VDA Arcade Gamification.

Guest Blogger:  BizBash - https://www.bizbash.com/industry-insiders/article/22943176/5-unconventional-ways-to-boost-engagement-at-your-next-event