Gamification has become an integral part of our daily lives, with game mechanics being applied universally.
In the realm of education, these mechanisms are employed to enhance the learning experience, making it more engaging and enjoyable, removing the element of compulsion, and significantly boosting participant engagement and process effectiveness.
Gamification finds wide application in the business sphere. In management, it serves to enhance employee engagement and facilitate corporate training. In marketing, its goals encompass elevating product or brand visibility, generating leads, acquiring customers, fostering brand loyalty, and, ultimately, boosting sales and profitability. Gamification is predominantly associated with B2C and D2C sectors in marketing, while its utilization in the B2B sector is less common. It's noteworthy that, for some reason, many people believe that emotional elements do not significantly affect decision-making motivation in B2B sales.
We've been eager to explore our abilities in designing a marketing game tailored to the B2B sector. Therefore, when Factorial, a company specializing in marketing their own HR management software, approached us to create a lead-generating game, we enthusiastically accepted the challenge. Despite the demanding schedule – only four weeks allocated for the entire project – we aimed to unveil the game at the upcoming trade show (link to the trade show).
The client's goal with gamification was to engage users, introduce them to the software's capabilities, boost brand recognition, and collect potential customer contacts. With effective promotion, the game would help the client to distinguish themselves among numerous similar exhibitors, showcasing their ability to tackle challenges using unconventional and creative methods while avoiding intrusive lead generation approaches.
Our task involved creating three use cases to showcase the software's capabilities, devising a game scenario based on them, designing the game, and delivering a fully implemented product. It's essential to note that due to time limitations, the focus wasn't on creating a minimal viable product (MVP). The trade show offered an excellent chance to test both the concept and the product with a live audience.
The client outlined the expected player behavior as follows: players enter the game, engage with one or all three use cases, gaining familiarity with the software's features and interface through gaming. They are then prompted to provide their contact information to enter a prize draw.
The game primarily targets HR managers from medium to large companies, as well as small to medium business owners and executives. Consequently, we devised three use cases based on everyday work scenarios: initial resume screening by a recruiter, internal talent pool development by an HR manager, and department heads' approval of employee leave requests.
Therefore, our goal was to develop a quiz-style game in which players would solve three use cases using Factorial's software features. We understand the creative and interactive nature of HR managers, and the lively ambiance of the trade show inspired us to inject an entertaining aspect into the game. Given that the primary objective of the marketing game is to influence the motivation and emotions of the target audience, we considered it crucial that players receive a "reward" after completing the mini-quiz – a straightforward, playful game that illustrates the software's functionality.
As a result, we developed three game scenarios: "Killer Question," "Future Leader," and "Absence Tetris." Each game combined a mini-quiz using the Factorial software interface with action-style gameplay.
Regarding design, we had to follow the corporate style guide. Recognizing that most players would use mobile devices, given that they were exhibition visitors, we employed a "mobile-first" approach when designing the application interface.
Taking into account the demanding time constraints, we opted for a browser-based game in terms of technical implementation. Essentially, we created a one-page web application, which the client intended to integrate into their website. We utilized the Vue.js JavaScript library for the development of the mini-quizzes and the Phaser JavaScript framework for the action games.
After four weeks of intense creativity, here's what we achieved:
Marketing games facilitate customer engagement, creating a more relaxed and effective sales process. Are you considering adding marketing games to your sales and outreach strategy? We are prepared to be your creative and technical partner in bringing this project to life.