Diversifying Your Shows (Playing Different Games)
Diversifying Your Shows (Playing Different Games)
Welcome to today’s blog and I hope you are having a relaxing weekend! As the blog continues to grow we would like to thank all your Trivia hosts for reading and following the site and taking a keen interest in the advice and tips we have to offer. After all, the main aim in writing this blog is to share trivia experiences and give hints and advice so hopefully you are finding it useful indeed. Today, we are going to look at how you can ensure you are creating a fun, entertaining and appealing night by diversifying the games you play and creating a unique experience.
Diversifying Your Shows (Playing Different Games) – Avoid the Routine
In my experience the most successful Trivia hosts are the ones who are able to adapt, diversify and create unique ideas for their events. If the same format is used week in week out year after year without fail then eventually people will become bored and may be less inclined to go. If they are sitting in their arm chair at home deciding if to attend your event, knowing that the routine will be the same may help them make the decision to put it off until next week. However if they know aspects change and systems vary then they will not want to miss out. However, in saying that I am not promoting a drastic change every week as not only is that a heck of a lot of work for you as a trivia host but also you will find it puts players off as they never know what to expect.
Diversifying Your Shows (Playing Different Games) – Keeping it Simple
As mentioned in a previous post on the blog (see link above) the trick in terms of Diversifying Your Shows is to keep it as simple as you can. What you certainly do not want to do is make overly complicated rules that people have to learn and think about whilst playing the event. If you are throwing in new elements, different ideas and new games then keep it simple. If the player does not know how to play after a few seconds, it’s a no go. Stick to tried and tested trivia formulas and you will be pleasing them!
Diversifying Your Shows (Playing Different Games) – The Bonus Round Method
Now here is what I tend to do…..every week, in the bonus round (to ensure the players stay in the bar and don’t go elsewhere) I throw in a special round. The players never know what it is going to be but it forms a part of the quiz. Some weeks I will get the Audience polling tool’s out and do a quick fire round on a set theme, other weeks I will use a game show system and invite one player per team to the front and other weeks it may be a case of games like Clobber. Either way the diversity needs to suit your audience and you need to make sure they are enjoying it. Using video game show systems is ideal because it means that you are introducing a concept people are familiar with and can enjoy. Don’t overdo it though. Using a Jeopardy based game once is all well and good, but if you use it 3 times a month it stops being unique and becomes the norm. For the big popular games keep them spaced apart and random so that players never know what is coming. It will keep your night exciting, fresh and give that push to people in two minds about whether to come.
Diversifying Your Shows (Playing Different Games) – Varying up the Rounds
Most of you, as trivia hosts, will or at least will have in the past, used a combination of
- Music and picture rounds to diversify your night. There is nothing wrong with this as such as both are very popular among players and test different styles of knowledge.
- But giving out 10 celebrity faces each week will become routine so spice it up…..you can use logos, brand name with letters missing, cartoon characters, buildings, outlines of countries, flags, close up images of objects, cars, video game characters….the list is endless. If you want to really make your night unique and fun then you need to be considering doing this as it will mean the players are not ever going to get bored…..that one man in your bar or pub who is a flag expert will be looking forward to the 3-4 times per year you introduce that as a round and he won’t want to miss a trivia night in case its flag week!!!
Same goes for the music round…it gets routine just asking for artist and track all the time. Mix it up with “What’s the next line….?”, “This is a cover, who did the original”, theme tunes, movie soundtracks….again the list is endless. The more thought and effort you put into actually planning, preparing and executing your trivia night, especially the music and picture rounds, will pay off and if you keep it diverse your customers are more likely to not want to miss a single week.
In essence, what you need to be aiming for is diversity within your framework. Adding a bonus round here and there, mixing up the content of certain rounds (even having a theme round or two every week so it is not just the usual mix of rounds will help). The minute it becomes routine is the minute players may start to shy away but you need them to be planning their day around your event. You need to create a “Miss it and miss out” style event that people strive to attend. You want to see tables reserved a week in advance, you want the venue owner praising you for turning businesses round and you want the customers to have a good times as without this you will find yourself with no bookings. Diversifying your night is a key tool in your battle to become the best trivia host you can be and I advise strongly that you use it!
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[…] and audience polling panels you have. Use it all! It is a proven fact that the more the learning is diversified the more information is likely to stay and you have the tools and the skills to do so. The more fun […]
[…] 2 points for a correct answer. However, what I do is take a point away for a WRONG answer if they buzz in BEFORE I have finished the question. Only one point is deducted and they are then frozen out the […]