Game Show America Blog

Greetings and Salutations!

2010 has started off as our best year ever!  January, February, and March take GSA all across the country (literally coast to coast) with events in California, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida, and New York.  It’s been crazy in our office, with new sets being built and coordinating five events in the next two weeks.  I wanted to take a few minutes to breathe and talk about the title of this blog.

We oftentimes get asked what sets Game Show America apart from the other game show companies out there.   The one true thing that makes GSA different than any other company is our passion for what we do.  For GSA, producing game shows is our full-time job.  We live, eat, dream, and breathe game shows.  Everything GSA does somehow relates to game shows or game activities.  We do it because we love it.  It’s in our blood and we can’t see ourselves doing anything else.

I am incredibly thankful that I can wake up every morning and say, “I love my job!”  It’s a tremendous amount of work, but it doesn’t seem like work.  It’s just what we do.

Our passion for game shows is conveyed to our clients in everything we do - from the initial phone call to the final answer (pun intended).  Our goal is to provide our clients with the best game show productions on the planet - and for the past 14 years, we’ve been doing just that.  In fact, on January 30th, we will be performing for a very special client for our 14th consecutive year with them.

14 years and over 1,000 performances.  Call GSA today and find out why Game Show America remains the leader in corporate game show productions.

Until next time…keep on playing!

Greetings and Salutations!

A big THANK YOU goes out to all of our clients that contracted GSA in 2009.  We sincerely appreciate your business and look forward to working with many of you again in 2010.

2009 has been quite a year.   We had a few less productions in 2009 than in 2008, and our gross revenues were down, but overall, we kept our head above water and weathered the recession.  2010 shows a lot of promise, with quite a few repeat clients and some exciting new projects on deck.

2009 was the year we transitioned to all in-house designed game show software.  In the past, we had used some commercially available game show software for our productions.  While the software did serve its purpose, it was something that our competitors had the opportunity to use as well.  We broke free from relying on “out of the box” software and now utilize our own software for all of our production.  Our software is designed from a TV perspective, as GSA’s programmers come from the world of TV game shows.  It’s bright, dynamic, and anything but ordinary, and it’s different than any other company’s software.  It’s just one more thing that sets Game Show America apart from the rest.

Some new things to look forward to in 2010…

Set Design - we’ve been working with a master set designer to create some incredible game show sets for our small and medium sized shows.

Audience Response - this is one area where GSA has spent quite a bit of time on developing software.  We expect to launch our new audience response software early in 2010.  It’s almost done, and we can’t wait for our clients to experience it!

Technology - in the past, the typical platform for our software has been PC-based.  The thing about PC’s that scares me - Windows.  So we’ve begun the transition to MAC.  We will soon be running all MAC’s - and as of November 1, all of our game show software became MAC-based.  Our clients with PC’s need not worry though - we will still be able to run multi-platform if needed.

Shuffle Up and Deal - this is an exciting project that GSA is proud to be part of.  This show is a combination of a TV game show, Live Tour, and Casino Promotion.   I will be posting updates on the show as things progress.  GSA has partnered with a major promotions company (they insured the first season of Deal or No Deal) to offer casinos all across the country this exciting new promotion and stage show.

Well, it’s noon, and time to start preparing for our 4th Annual New Year’s Eve Spectacular.  This is a private event that GSA hosts for family and friends.  It’s a great way to ring in the New Year.

To all of our clients, family, and friends…GSA hopes you have an incredibly happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous 2010.

Until next time…keep on playing!!!

Matthew King, President
Game Show America

Greetings and Salutations!

As 2009 winds down (I’ll recap 2009 in my next post), we are looking ahead to an exciting 2010.

GSA has a number of repeat clients that have planning their 2010 events - Southern Tire Mart, The Texas Rangers, and Sussek Machine have already put the wheels in motion and secured dates for their events.  It will be our fifth year with Southern Tire Mart, our sixth year with The Texas Rangers, and our 14th year with Sussek Machine.

A little GSA trivia: Sussek Machine was our very first client back in 1996, and has brought in GSA every year for their holiday party.  A big Thank You goes out to Sussek Machine four 14 awesome years of events!

So…what’s new at GSA for 2010?  The first thing you may have noticed is the logo on our homepage.  It’s still our circle logo with the three question marks, but it’s got a new slogan underneath it…”the games you want.”  The reason for this change is to let everyone know that GSA has they games you want for your events, whether it’s something you’ve seen on television or something completely original.  When it comes to game shows…if you want it, GSA has got it.

A big addition to GSA is the expansion of our Development Department.  GSA has brought on Dan Berger as GSA’s VP of Development.  Dan’s background in game show development, electronics, animation, and graphic design have already played a critical role in creating some exciting new game shows for our clients.  Dan is currently working on a new television project that is being optioned for MyFamilyTV.

On the corporate side, GSA has given two our our signature shows a make-over.  In our Quest for the Best game, we have changed the game play to incorporate the team scores from the audience response part of the game to carry over to the finale by adding video scoring to the Finale.  It completely changes the dynamic of the game, allowing for a much more competitive game.

We have also created a more economical version of our Squares Light game show.  We have upgraded our LED light panels to 46″ LCD video screens.  Using this new technology, the printing of the celebrity names on foam core signage is no longer necessary.  Instead, the celebrity names are displayed at the top of each monitor, with the X or O displayed underneath.  This new system also allows for custom graphics to be displayed on the video screens for advertising and/or branding opportunities.  Utilizing risers instead of the full 18′ grid, the Squares Light game show can fit into smaller ballrooms and conference centers.  It also works with smaller budgets too.  Take a look at the photo below for examples of the screens.

GSA is currently working on two new game shows for television, and four new game shows for casino promotions.  I will post more on our TV work as things develop.  As for the casino promotions, these will be interactive games that can be used as floor promotions and/or live shows.  You can find more information about these game shows on our GSA Casino Promotions website (www.gsapromo.com).

That’s all for now!  Until next time, keep on playing!!!

Matthew King, President
Game Show America, LLC

Greetings and Salutations Everyone!

I thought it was time to feature some of our most popular game shows in our Blog.  There are so many different types of game shows out there - Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, The Price Is Right, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Whammy, and so on.  The question becomes, what game shows work best game shows for corporate events?  The answer to this question lies in finding out what you as the company want to accomplish.

The first thing we need to know is:  Is your event strictly educational, is it just for entertainment, or is it a combination of both?  Next, how many people do you wish to involve in the game (just a few people or the entire group)?  Finally, if you would like your company content included in the game show, what type of content it is?  Does your content contain a lot of different topics, with a number of questions for each topic?  Does your content contain some topics that have multiple pieces to it?  Do you have multiple presenters who are specialists in different areas, perhaps doing a Q & A panel? These elements will help identify the best possible game show for your event.

Corporate Feud is the best option when you have questions that have multiple answers.  For example:  “What is one of the top qualities of an effective manager?”  Answers would be:  Leader, Role Model, Fair, Honest, etc.  You can have different departments play against each other, with the winners advancing to semi-final, and championship rounds.  Corporate Feud is a recognizable game show format, allowing a number of people to participate in the game.  This game show can also be all-inclusive by utilizing our wireless audience response keypads.  The participants with the highest scores comprise the Corporate Feud teams.

Quest for the Best is the best option when you have different topics with a number of questions for each topic.  This game show was designed to include your entire group. The first part of the game uses the keypads for a series of multiple choice questions.  The group is divided into teams (most often there are 5 or 6 teams).  At the end of the multiple choice questions, the top scoring individuals from each team advance to the finale.   The respective team scores from the audience response are what each team starts with.  The questions in the finale are verbal, single answer questions.  The finale is played elimination style, and after a series of three rounds, the last player/team standing wins the game.

GSA Squares (also known as Tic Tac Show) is the best option when you have a number of presenters, or are considering a panel discussion.  This game is different than the others in that it is scripted.  Each “celebrity” in each square has specific questions just for that person.  The scripting includes the question, a funny answer, and a serious answer.  If the game has an educational focus, the celebrity can provide additional commentary on the topic.  If the game is more for entertainment, there can be some banter between the contestants and the celebrities after each question.

Each of these games has been designed to include as many people as possible, and cover your content in a fun and interactive way.  Because so many people identify with game shows, the takeaway from these game shows is the retention that your attendees walk away with.  My theory with game shows is…if you get an answer correct, you’ll always remember it - but if you get an answer wrong, no one will let you forget!

I encourage you to contact us to discuss which of these game shows will best meet your needs for your event.  All three of these shows have recently gotten a makeover, allowing GSA to provide you with the best show possible.

One last thing…on our homepage, we now have a link to the GSA Newswire.  The Newswire contains the latest GSA announcements that have yet to make it into the GSA Blog.

Thanks again for reading…and until next time…keep on playing!

Matthew

Greetings One and All!

I hope your summer was fun and prosperous.  Ours was one of the best on record, despite the economy’s current status.  We were fortunate enough to have a single client book Game Show America for a series of seven events across Pennsylvania and New York.  Our client is Northwest Savings Bank - voted by Forbes as the Most Trustworthy Savings Banks in America.  The purpose of the events was to launch their new marketing campaign, “SWITCH” across their entire company.  The employees of Northwest would all be introduced to the SWITCH campaign throughout the seven events.  They chose seven strategic locations reflecting their main regions across Pennsylvania and New York where we could set-up a game show to help them present their campaign.

One of Northwest’s biggest concerns was consistency.  They wanted to make sure that the information regarding the SWITCH campaign presented at each event was exactly the same, so all employees received identical information.  They also wanted to have a host that would energize each audience, taking their information and presenting it in a way that everyone would remember.   Our very own Scottie Parr was selected to be the host of the shows.  Scott took full command of the stage and  gave seven over-the-top performances for seven incredibly successful events.

On the technical side of the show - there were a lot of pieces that needed to be put together to ensure each show ran smoothly.  First was the audience response.  Every attendee received a wireless keypad so they could all participate in the show.  The content questions concerning SWITCH were the same at every event.  As each event was in a different region, the questions regarding that specific region were given to us on-site the day of the show.   We also had a Keynote (MAC’s version of PowerPoint) presentation (GSA supports both MAC and PC formats) that needed to be region specific for each location.  We also did a little behind the scenes graphic magic to add that “something extra” to each event.  Add to that the setup of our sound system, microphones, contestant podiums, video system, backdrop, and lighting - and it all sets up in about three hours.  Once everything was ready to go, we had a rehearsal with each Regional Vice President.

Once the doors opened, it was show time!  Each show was a spectacular event, educating each audience about the SWITCH Campaign by providing a fully interactive, high energy game show where everyone got to participate in the game.  In the end, the biggest reward was the takeaway by each member of the audience.  They got a close-up look at all of the elements of the SWITCH Campaign and by participating throughout the show, had an energetic outlook on how to present SWITCH to their customers.  The game show was the perfect catalyst to educate and motivate the employees to carry our their new campaign.

The main reasons a game show truly is the perfect catalyst for a campaign launch:
1) All-inclusive (everyone has the opportunity to play along)
2) Includes company content (we have many different game formats depending on what type of content you have)
3) Multi-sensory (visual, verbal, and tactile) which increases retention
4) Exciting and fun (people love game shows)
5) Competitive (people like to WIN)

In the end, everyone walked away a winner:  the message was well received; the employees were energized, motivated and enthusiastic about the new campaign; and everyone had a great time.  Our client was ecstatic about the success of the events, stating that “GSA exceed every expectation!”  A very enthusiastic THANK YOU goes out to Northwest Savings Bank for choosing Game Show America for these events.

That’s all for this post.  Until next time…keep on playing!

Matthew

Greetings Everyone!

It’s been a busy summer for GSA, with over a dozen shows in July and August.  Somewhere in the middle we had a trip to England…searching for the right investor to help launch Game Show Britain.  In this post, I wanted to talk about the Impact of Game Shows at an event.  There are many types of events where a game show can help create the necessary WOW to energize and motivate your audience.

Game Shows at sales conferences are always a huge hit.  The reason that they are so successful in this environment is due to the competitive nature of the sales reps in attendance at the conference.  Whether it’s teams or individuals, a game show is the perfect catalyst to energize and motivate your audience.  By including company content into the game show, the game educates your audience, increasing retention of the content you want them to retain.  Game Shows are tactile, visual, and auditory.  A game show engages ALL of those senses at the same time, become the ultimate teaching and training tool for your audience.

Trade Shows are an excellent place to utilize a game show.  In the past, the trend has been to have a booth at a trade show.  Our clients have then included the game show in their trade show booths to attract attention.  While this method is generally very effective, it can be difficult to “wrangle” participants at a steady pace throughout the day.  The NEW trend in trade shows has been to have scheduled times for all attendees to make their rounds through organized presentations with set time limits for each presentation.  As an example, one of our clients is participating in a number of “trade shows” around the country.  At each trade show, they are given a space (generally a small banquet room) where 20-30 people at a time will view their presentation.  They have 10 total presentations throughout the day, each 30-40 minutes in length.  Instead of the same old PowerPoint for their presentation, they chose Game Show America to produce a short game show that includes the same exact content from their presentation, making the entire session 100% interactive and engaging for the attendees.  The response is incredible!  Attendees absolutely love participating in the game show, and it makes for an exciting break in their day from some of the other presentations (which, as you all know, can be less than stimulating).  In the end, the attendees retain more, which usually results in a better bottom line for the vendor (our Client).

Since the beginning of 2009, those are the two main types of events we have done this year where a game show has made a HUGE impact.  In the next post (Impact Part 2), I will feature one of our most recent Clients using a game show for a major campaign launch across their entire company.  It was a series of seven total events that were absolutely off the charts!

I am on the road this week, and I will post Part 2 when I get a little downtime.  Until then, keep on playing!

Matthew King, President
Game Show America

Greetings and Salutations Everyone!

The past ten days on the road have been an incredible adventure for GSA.  We started in Chicago at a urologist’s convention, heading next to Connecticut to do a show for Guinness, then off to West Virgina for a fun-filled evening with an educational organization, and finishing off the tour in Virginia doing a show for a professional golf association.  It was literally non-stop, with one day to break away and have some fun (Busch Gardens and NASCAR).  I am typing this as we are driving home from my mobile office (it’s OK…I’m not the one driving) because once we stop for the night, I know I’ll be asleep in about 10 minutes.

The urologist’s convention was definitely a sight to behold.  Working alongside our sister company, our job was to attract doctors to our client’s booth to answer some questions on a new drug.  Participants enjoyed playing the game over the three days that we were in the booth.  Our standing joke is…we met a lot of doctors, but when it came to shaking hands…we opted for the fist-bump instead.

Once done in Chicago, we headed to Connecticut to perform for the folks at the Guinness headquarters.  The group included 50 sales representatives from from the company.  This show was an absolute home run!  Everyone enthusiastically participated in our Quest for the Best game show.  The response was incredible!  We are looking forward to returning to Connecticut for our next Guinness performance.

We then drove down to Charleston, West Virginia to do an evening of entertainment for a group called SASBO.   They also requested our Quest for the Best game show.  The group was divided into twelve teams (there were 12 states represented).  It was fierce competition all the way to the end, and a great time was had by all.  Debra and her crew made us feel very welcome and part of the family.  Our thanks go out to Jennifer at the Marriott for referring us to this client (it was our third time at this venue - and we absolutely love it!).  Thanks Jennifer - we’ll see you again soon!

The last stop on our tour was Williamsburg, Virginia working with our sister company to provide the game show set and audience response technology for an interactive game show for a professional golf association.  As a bonus, we got to meet some of the players.  The show was a huge success!  A special thanks to Bryan for including GSA on this production.

On the day before this production, our crew had a day off, so we tried to do as much as we could in a single day.  We started at Busch Gardens and tackled some incredible roller coasters.  My favorite was The Griffon.  There’s nothing like a 200 foot drop straight down hanging over the edge of the track.  This roller coaster is definitely on my list of Top 5 Coasters.  Here is a link to check it out:  Busch Gardens

That same day, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in Richmond.  We made the hour journey to Richmond and got some great seats to the race.  I haven’t been to a race since I was a kid, so I forgot how LOUD these things are.  The race was definitely a lot of fun…and a very cultural experience for me.  Congrats to Kyle Busch on his birthday win!  Another big thanks goes out to Bryan for including us in this unforgettable experience.

And now we’re heading home.  It’s been an incredible tour, and it sure was a lot of fun, but 10 days later, I am looking forward to crawling into my own bed again.  We leave for Dallas on May 15th for our annual Texas Rangers event.  That show is always a lot of fun!  Until then, I’m going to take a bit of time off to relax and enjoy being with my family.

Until next time…keep on playing!

Greetings and Salutations!

When pitching Game Show America for an event, it’s important to make sure our productions are presented to your clients in a way that makes them feel the energy and excitement a game show can bring to their events.

When clients call me directly, I typically do not sell anything.  I first ask a few questions about the event.  Then I explain the type of game shows that I feel would work best for the event.  Then I share with them a story about past events and how excited our clients were about incorporating GSA into their programs.

What I’m selling is me.  My explanation conveys and excitement and enthusiasm that is unmatched.  I truly LOVE what I do, and when a client calls, they hear it in my voice.  I paint a picture for the client.  I give them ideas.  I give them testimonials.  But it’s generally not what I say, it’s how I say it that wins the client over.

GSA works with a number of event planners and production companies all over the United States.  I personally thank each and every one of you for choosing to work with us and promote our services.  Some companies allow me to participate in the sales process (whether it be on the phone or an in-person pitch).  Some companies take our information and make it a part of their presentation or proposal.  Other companies simply offer it in a menu as one of many options for their events.

The success rate varies, depending on a number of factors.  When the client chooses another form of entertainment or chooses not to do a game show altogether, it’s not always apparent as to why.  At times like this I wonder - was the game show element presented in a way that was exciting and enthusiastic?  Was it presented like I would personally present the game show to a client?

The service GSA provides has physical elements, but the intended messages and goals the game show provides are often intangible.  Things like content retention, motivation, employee recognition, and teamwork are in and of themselves mostly intangible.  All of these can be difficult to measure (did they really GET the message?), and clients sometimes don’t fully comprehend that game shows CAN and DO help companies accomplish all of these things.  Occasionally, I have heard a game show presented as “a Jeopardy-like game”, “questions and answers with buzzers and stuff”, and “it’s something like Family Feud”.  The truth is, there is MUCH more to it than that.

If your client is considering a game show, find out as much about their goals as you can.  Then, contact us.  We’ll help you paint that picture for them - and help you convey that excitement and enthusiasm in your presentation.  We’ll even be on the call with you as your “game show expert” which will give your presentation that “something special.”

We truly want to help you present game shows in the best way possible.  Think of GSA as an extension of your company.  With our enthusiasm, we can help turn inquiries and RFP’s into long-standing clients.

I look forward to talking with many of you soon!  Game On!

The content of this post is something that we see too many times in corporate America. Why hire a game show company when we can do it ourselves? Hopefully after reading this post, you’ll see exactly why.

One of the hardest parts about writing this post is not sounding slightly bitter about past experiences where clients have decided to not use GSA and do it themselves. I apologize in advance if this post offends anyone in any way. In the end, we know that it’s the client’s final decision to use GSA or not use GSA. My goal for this post is to shed some light on why Game Show America recommends that you avoid doing a game show on your own.

While the reasons for not using GSA vary, the most common reason is because of the budget. Going back to my previous two posts - this reason could be avoided with creative planning. The next reason is actually twofold because it concerns the host. Sometimes our clients decide not to bring in GSA because they feel that spending money on something we can do ourselves doesn’t make sense - besides, they have seen game shows on TV and our Powerpoint guy can make something up quickly and Bob from Marketing is a funny guy, so we’re all set. Sometimes, GSA still gets contracted to bring in the technical aspects of the game show, but because Joe in Human Resources has watched the Game Show Network all week, he feels he’s qualified to host the game show.

Part of our job when we are called for game shows is to save the client from themselves. Does all this sound harsh? Probably…but sometimes being blunt is what’s required to ensure that your event is successful. In the end, our clients have thanked us for making them see the light.

Meeting planners - you know this phrase to be true, because you do it all the time. Clients who try to plan everything themselves oftentimes get into a bind because they don’t plan meetings for a living - and hence a few bad choices can make the entire event a bad experience. When GSA works with meeting planners, we encourage them do DISCOURAGE having the clients “do it themselves” in any capacity. When we talk directly with clients, we give them the same message.

Sure, the client may have a good Powerpoint person - but it takes a lot more than Powerpoint to make a game show work. I’m sure Bob from Marketing and Joe in Human Resources are great people, but they’re not game show hosts. To ensure a successful event, we always encourage meeting planners and our clients to let a professional company handle the game show.

Two examples that I have used in the past:

1) I could watch Bob and Joe do their jobs on TV for a week. I fairly certain it would be insulting to them if I told them that I don’t need them anymore because I’ve seen their jobs on TV it looks EASY to do their jobs.

2) I have watched the Medical Channel now for over a month and seen over 60 heart surgeries. Does that qualify me to be a heart surgeon?

Why would a game show host and/or full production be any different?

Below is from a whitepaper that I email to client who are considering hosting a show themselves.

The Benefits of a Professional Game Show Host

The host of your game show is one of the most important aspects of the show. In fact, the host has an immense responsibility, as he/she can make or break the show.

Quite a few people are comfortable speaking in public and can be characters when delivering messages to their employees and/or clients. Being a game show host relies on these qualities, but there are some other important factors to consider.

A professional game show host has had extensive experience in public speaking experience, improvisational comedy, acting, and interpersonal communication. He/She has also had the experience of hosting many different types of game shows containing a wide variety of content.

Perhaps the most important trait a professional host brings to the table is his/her rapport with the technical side of the show. While the host is the personality that brings the game show to life, it’s the technicians that make the physical show work. The relationship between a host and technician that have worked together on numerous shows is priceless and comes from years of working with each other to produce a professional, polished game show.

The host truly needs to know all of the technical aspects of the game show before going out on stage and interacting with people. The results are far more impressive when a professional host seems to “know” things about the contestants and can ad lib about people and situations, creating a light and comfortable atmosphere on stage.

Is it possible to teach someone how to host a game show? Absolutely. However, what can’t be taught in the short amount of time are all the technical aspects of the game that the host needs to know and all of the possible “what if” scenarios. It is our job to ensure a professional production for our clients. We strive to minimize and/or eliminate all technical errors for every performance by having A+ technical staff on site. However, the odds of something going askew increase greatly when working with an outside party – even if the person has a good rapport with the group and great presentation skills. Because the technician and outside host haven’t built that rapport yet, there’s always an “unknown aspect” that creeps into the equation.

The key to a successful game show is to have a synergy between the production end and the performance end. Timing, ad libs, game play, game flow, transitions, all of the game rules, and the knowledge to handle “what if” situations, are essential qualities and generally are acquired with years of experience in hosting game shows.

The most important aspect of a having a professional game show host is peace of mind. We want you to be comfortable with the knowledge that your game show will be first class from beginning to end. A professional game show host brings years of game show hosting experience to the production. With an A+ technical staff and the host’s knowledge of the entire game show process, it will ensure peace of mind for everyone involved.

Simply put, there is much more to hosting that meets the eye. The reason it looks easy on television is that these hosts have years of training (just like a heart surgeon) and they are masters of their craft.

Here’s an example:

I got called in less than an hour before a show for corporate client in Las Vegas (about 2,500 in the audience). They had TWO people lined up to host the show - both internal people - both very outgoing and personable. Behind the scenes and as presenters, these were two great people and incredible speakers. However…they didn’t do well at all with the game show in rehearsals. The show director made a last minute decision to have me host the show. We were already doing the technical part of the show - but I literally had less than 30 minutes to put on a suit and get to the stage for the game show. The end result is that I completely WOWED the audience - and had absolutely no rehearsal time. In fact, they gave me a nice bonus check for “bailing them out” as they put it.

I completely respect the intentions of a company when they want someone internal to host, but I also want them to have the best show possible - and peace of mind knowing that there is someone on stage who has done this many times before. It would be unfortunate for them to have a bad experience, which may give them a negative attitude toward doing another game show in the future. I’ve seen too many times what happens without a professional host.

Also understand that Powerpoint may be good for some things, but it’s not a game show design software. All of our software that we use for our game shows is custom designed using Visual Basic and Flash. Our software designer has worked on TV game shows for a number of years. The games we use for our productions DON’T look like someone designed them in Powerpoint (isn’t that the whole idea). They look like they were made for television.

The entire point of this post is for meeting planners and clients alike to understand what a risk it is to “do it yourselves.” I hope it is obvious that Game Show America is passionate about providing the best game shows possible for our clients. We simply want to provide the best service for you and give you peace of mind for your event.

Any comments or questions are welcome. Thanks again for reading…and we’ll see you next time!

I have worked with many meeting planners over the past twelve years as President of Game Show America. Almost all of the planners I work with on a regular basis understand how important it is to bring us in EARLY in the planning stage. Oftentimes when we start a relationship with a planner that we haven’t worked with before, we try to educate them on the importance of planning the education/entertainment (E/E) in the early stages of planning the meeting.

Many of the reason in selecting E/E first (or at least very early on) when planning your meeting are the same as planning a party. Space and technical requirements are easier to accommodate once you know what the E/E needs for the meeting. As an example, we ran into an issue for a major meeting at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas earlier this year. Our client booked the ballroom first, then planned for all the seating and staging. We were contracted to do Tic Tac Show (an 18′ tall by 18′ wide by 10′ deep set piece). The Client assured us that space (both floor space and ceiling height) was not an issue. However…once we arrived at the venue, we soon discovered that the ballroom only had 16′ foot ceilings and that the floor space we were given for the footprint of the set was right in front of a video screen. In the end, we made the show work by hanging the video screen in a different location and moved our set into the “step” of the ceiling, where we had JUST the right amount of ceiling space. Our Client was incredibly happy that we stepped up and created a great solution for the event.

The next issue that we see quite often is budget planning that didn’t quite stretch far enough. Typically, the E/E is one of the last things to be booked for a meeting. Occasionally, it’s even an afterthought. It’s something that clients really think would be fun, but when they find out how much a quality E/E game show costs, it sometimes gets nixed. Here’s where goal planning comes in.

First, it is determined that the company needs to have a meeting. Then, a budget is set. The next step is usually deciding where to have the meeting. Companies usually do their best to hold the meeting at a nice location (Ritz Carlton, etc.). Hotel accommodations, travel costs, and meals for everyone need to be added to the total. Now that these have been finalized, the goals for the meeting are finalized. Here’s where things start to get sticky. The company really wants to get a message across to the attendees. They want to do it in the most efficient (and oftentimes, interactive) method possible. However, because so much money has been spent on just getting people there, housing them, and feeding them, there oftentimes isn’t much left over for the actual meeting itself.

It is true that attendees do love fancy accommodations, excellent food, etc. However, if the goal of the meeting is to get a series of messages across, wouldn’t it seem logical to plan the heart and soul of the meeting and then see how much is left - which would help determine the location, venue, and meals?

After seeing over 1,000 corporate events in the past twelve years, we suggest the following:

1) Do a complete, comprehensive plan of the meeting first (before booking anything)
2) Decide what the goals of the meeting are
3) In reaching your goals, if using audience response and/or a game show will help you achieve those goals, move forward with contacting those agencies (I know of some great companies that can help you with this)
4) See what is left in your budget and decide on the location, venue, meals, etc.
5) Finalize your contract with the E/E companies
6) Finalize your contract with any DMC you may be using to arrange location, venue, meals, etc.

Too many times we have seen companies that really would like to do a game show and/or incorporate audience response into the meeting but since it was planned at end of the cycle, they didn’t have the budget to move forward. With game shows being an excellent tool for learning, the results that they provide are worth far more than the investment to bring them in. With audience response being very affordable for small to medium-sized groups, it is a tool that almost every meeting should be using. Audience response, when planned at the beginning of a meeting, is a necessity. The data that it can help companies gather and analyze has been called “priceless” by many of our clients.

Of course we’re a little biased as to the need for audience response, but once companies find out how diverse and useful audience response is, they will use it at virtually every meeting to gather information. If you really want (or need) audience response as part of your meeting, plan for it early so it doesn’t get cut due to budget. If something must be cut, look for ways to find a different venue for better room rates, and/or perhaps change the menu for your attendees to something more economical. Keep in mind that the important part of the meeting is the goals you set (the whole reason you’re having the meeting in the first place). The budget should be spent first on what it takes to achieve those goals. The location, venue, meals, etc. should take second place (and can still be very nice with the proper planning).

As this post comes to a close, please understand that I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I’m just making suggestions to have you look at meetings a bit differently. In the end - OUR GOAL is to help you achieve YOUR GOAL.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email me. Thanks for reading!