Interactive screens, games, digital content, and new technology can attract attention on the trade show floor—but attention alone isn’t the goal.

In Episode 68 of The Event Marketer’s Toolbox, Chris Dunn and Brendon Hamlin sit down with Zaadia Spencer to talk about creating interactive event experiences with a purpose.

Zaadia shares why event marketers should start with the objective before choosing the technology. Is the goal to educate attendees, generate leads, increase booth traffic, start better conversations, or understand what prospects are actually interested in? Once that is clear, the experience can be designed around it.

The conversation explores gamification and interactive experiences, including how they can reduce friction and give attendees a more natural way to engage with a brand. But as Zaadia points out, even the best activation needs to make sense for the brand, the audience, and the message.

They also discuss the opportunity to extend engagement beyond the show floor through digital media kits and trackable content. Instead of handing someone a brochure and hoping they read it, digital tools can provide insight into what content a prospect viewed, what caught their attention, and what they returned to after the event. That information can give sales teams valuable context for more relevant follow-up conversations.

The episode also tackles ROI and return on experience, why the attendee journey shouldn’t end when the show closes, and the importance of bringing technology and event partners into the planning process early.

The takeaway is simple: Don’t add technology just to say you have technology. Start with the problem you’re trying to solve, create an experience that makes sense, and think about how that interaction will continue after the event.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

This Show is sponsored by Blue Hive

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