Budget-Friendly Attendee Engagement Ideas

by Katie Nesbit-Blackburn

collage of images of people at events with the words "attendee engagement ideas with LAI Live" over the top

One component of a successful event is creating engagement opportunities for your attendees. However, it can be challenging to find affordable options that best suit your audience, especially if not being supported by sponsors. Below are some simple but fun ideas that can easily be executed on a budget.

QR code activities

QR code activities are becoming more common, and you might be wondering, 'How can I engage attendees with QR code events?" Using QR codes in different capacities throughout your event, is an easy way to not only engage with attendees but to collect analytics.

In an almost scavenger hunt style, place QR codes throughout your conference, whether in a booth or even just flashed up on screen midsession, that link to secret content, discount codes, or mini-games.
Create polls, whether during sessions or randomly throughout your event. While the results can be seen on your phone, you could also have them displayed on large monitors, encouraging others to participate. The questions can be relevant to your industry or just something fun you think your attendees may enjoy. Maybe fun facts about the meeting planner!

Nostalgic games

Sometimes the best engagement opportunities are ones that are simply fun for attendees, with no messaging behind it.

Consider renting a fully branded claw machine, filled with prizes. Prizes can be giveaways, discounts to a store, comped registration for the following year, or anything that your attendees would be excited to receive.
Pop up “money blowing machine” but filled with slips of paper. Some paper can be blank while some have a prize written out on them, which can be cashed in at registration. These machines can be fully branded and easily placed anywhere in your conference.
If you’d like to add a little messaging to a nostalgic game, consider an 8’x8’ Lite Brite. The background can have a logo or event specific design that attendees fill in with large pegs. This can be changed out from day to day, allowing everyone the opportunity to participate.

Quick and sponsor friendly experiences

Something to consider is engagement opportunities designed to be unique for your attendees while allowing them to move through quickly, ensuring they can get to their next session or networking event.

Coffee is always a hot commodity at events, so try creating branded drinks. These machines and baristas have the ability to create up to 5 different designs, with each image being produced every 30-45 seconds on any drink with froth. The designs can be anything from logos to your keynote’s headshot and is also a great sponsorship opportunity. This could even tie in with activities like the claw or money machines.
Digital Sketchbots are a unique experience for attendees that include a fun takeaway while also providing the option to create a community mural. After a selfie is taken, these little automated bots sketch out the image on small slips of branded cards in less than a minute. You can also create a physical or digital mural using smaller versions of these images.
Instead of your attendees going to an engagement station, let it go to them, literally. A fun and mobile option is the Roaming Selfie Robot. This 5’3” mobile phone with animated arms and eyebrows and customized voice has a large touchscreen programmed to include promotional material, logos, taglines and more. It also comes with a high-resolution camera, allowing guests to take a selfie by simply pressing a button. This is something that will surely leave your attendees talking.

Don’t underestimate how impactful these small experiences can be, and how they can get the word out about your event. There are many other budget friendly engagement options to consider as you begin planning, whether it’s geared toward sponsors or networking, or just an opportunity to have fun.

Elevate Your Event With LAI Live

From interactive QR code hunts and engaging live polls to nostalgic games and innovative sponsor-friendly experiences, these budget-friendly ideas can enhance your event's impact.

LAI Live specializes in crafting dynamic and engaging events, offering expertise in leveraging technology and creative solutions to maximize your event's potential. Discover how LAI Live can help you bring these engagement strategies to life and make your next event a success.