Client Entertainment Ideas: 12 Formats That Impress

Someone has asked you to come up with client entertainment ideas, and you want the result to feel considered rather than a gimmick. The best client entertainment depends on two things: how well you know the guests, and how much conversation you want in the room.

Three quick picks. For a key account you want to thank, choose something relaxed with a host, such as a dinner with a light game. For prospects who barely know you, use an easy, low-pressure activity like a driving simulator or arcade lounge that gives people something to talk about. For a big after-conference crowd, run a hosted game show.

Below are 12 formats, grouped by how they feel, with the group sizes and space needs we can vouch for from events we run.

How do you choose the right client entertainment ideas?

Start with the relationship, then the room. Five questions narrow the field quickly, and each one rules out a few of the ideas below.

1. Where is the relationship? New prospects want an easy, low-risk way to chat. Long-standing accounts can take something more playful.
2. How many people? Ten guests and 300 guests need completely different formats.
3. How much talking do you want? Games that run in the background help people mingle. Hosted shows keep everyone facing the front.
4. Who is in the mix? Consider mixed seniority, mixed abilities, non-drinkers and anyone who dislikes being the centre of attention.
5. Who hosts? If your own people will be busy hosting, choose something that comes with its own presenter or staff.

Interactive and competitive ideas for clients who like to play

If your clients enjoy a bit of friendly rivalry, a game gives them a shared reason to talk. These are formats we run.

1. Driving simulators

A driving simulator gives guests a race to chat about. Our driving simulators run from 1 to 16 simulators, with 55-inch screens and force-feedback wheels, and VR headsets as an option. Custom branding is available.

When we brought simulators to a Howdens event, Diane Collins, Business Developer there, told us: “The driving simulator was amazing and enjoyed by all our customers and staff.” Note the “customers and staff” part. A shared game puts your team and your clients on the same footing.

2. VR experiences

VR gives clients a “have you tried this?” moment, and guests need no VR experience. The VR Flight Simulator runs 1 to 30 headsets, each needing about 1 x 1 m, with real 360-degree fighter-jet footage and full staffing. The VR escape room puts teams of 4 to 10 round a table of about 2 x 2 m, scales to 500 participants and needs no VR experience.

Choose the flight simulator for a drop-in reception where guests dip in and out. Choose the escape room when you want clients and your own people to work together on a puzzle, which suits key accounts better than strangers.

3. Game shows, quizzes and Taskmaster-style challenges

A hosted game show works when you have a large crowd and want one shared moment. Our game shows and quizzes cover Taskmaster-style challenges, Cube challenges, quizzes and bingo, themed around your company, with setup included. They suit post-conference or end-of-day socials.

For Laravel Live we ran post-conference entertainment for 300 guests. Their CTO / VP of Engineering, Jonathan Behr, described it as an “after-conference social with 250+ guests” and said everything “was handled perfectly”.

Keep the stakes light. Pair clients with colleagues, not against them, and give out small prizes so nobody feels exposed.

4. The Betrayers (Traitors-style) for smaller groups

The Betrayers is inspired by the TV show The Traitors, with a professional presenter and all AV included. We adapt it from a boardroom to a conference hall, so it works for a close group of key accounts as well as a bigger evening.

Games like this are talk-heavy, so they suit clients who enjoy banter. For a quieter guest list, pick something where nobody has to hold the floor.

5. Retro arcade and games lounge

An arcade lounge is the easiest way to keep a reception moving. Our arcade games cover retro cabinets (Street Fighter, Pong, Pac-Man), air hockey, table football, darts, shuffleboard and beer pong. It runs as a free-flow, drop-in format, so guests play for five minutes between conversations and there is always something else to do while you wait.

What relaxed, conversation-first ideas work for clients?

If your clients would rather talk than compete, choose something that gives them a shared activity without a scoreboard. The trade-off is that you carry more of the hosting yourself.

• Tastings and food experiences (wine, whisky, chocolate, cocktail-making) are easy to follow and good for small groups. Plan alternatives for non-drinkers, and do not build the whole evening around alcohol.
• Workshops such as pottery, flower arranging or cooking give hands-on time and a take-home item. They suit groups small enough to work round a table.
• Sport and outdoor days (golf, padel, a day at the races) work for relationships built over years. Check fitness and mobility with every guest first.
• A private dinner with a hook, such as a guest speaker or a short quiz between courses, suits senior guests who want a proper evening.

We run interactive entertainment rather than these formats, so treat this list as general guidance and check availability with the venue or supplier you pick.

Which branded and high-impact ideas make clients remember you?

Branding turns entertainment into marketing, as long as the activity is fun first. Guests will forgive a logo on a game. They will not forgive a game that feels like an advert.

6. Custom AR spaces

We build custom, branded AR spaces and AR games for activations, conferences and trade shows. They work best when the game ties to what you sell, such as a product reveal that guests earn by playing.

7. Branded reaction wall and axe throwing

For an annual corporate party, DPA Microphones hired branded Reaction Wall and Axe Throwing activities from us. Alyssia, their Events Lead, called them “super reliable, easy to use and fun for all.”

8. Custom theming

Custom branding and theming are available with our corporate events. A racing night, a retro arcade evening or a company-colour game show all feel more intentional than the same activity with no theme.

What suits each occasion?

Match the format to the moment, not just the guest list.

• After-conference social (conference events): a game show or arcade lounge. Guests are tired and want something easy. A hosted show or free-flow games need no effort to join.
• Client Christmas party: a Traitors-style evening or a game show with festive theming. Offer non-alcoholic options and make sure the entertainment is not the only reason to be there.
• Thank-you event for key accounts: a VR escape room or a private dinner with a light game. Make it personal, and invite the people your clients actually work with.
• Prospecting day: driving simulators or VR. Low-pressure activities with a queue give your team easy conversation starters.

Pick two or three ideas from the list above and mix them. For team-focused guests, see our team building events. A reception with an arcade lounge, a simulator corner and a short hosted game covers a range of guests.

What mistakes should you avoid when entertaining clients?

Most client-entertainment failures come from poor fit, not poor ideas.

• Alcohol as the only activity. Not everyone drinks, and some clients are driving or have rules about hospitality. Always include a real alternative.
• Over-competitive formats. Public losing is awkward when the person you lose to is your supplier. Use teams, mixed pairs and light prizes.
• Ignoring inclusion. Check mobility, vision, dietary needs and anyone who dislikes being on stage, and confirm the details with your supplier. Ask us about your guests’ needs before the day.
• No host. Clients should not have to work out how a game runs. Choose a format with a presenter or staff, so your own team can talk to guests instead.
• Ignoring your own hospitality policy. Check your company’s rules, and those of your clients, before inviting anyone. Many organisations have limits on what staff can accept.

Planning checklist and how we can run it

Work backwards from the date and tick these off:

1. Agree the aim: thank-you, prospecting or relationship-building.
2. Set the guest list and the likely numbers.
3. Choose the venue, or ask us to find one. Venue finding is free as standard with our corporate events.
4. Pick the format and check the space it needs.
5. Check accessibility, dietary and alcohol-free options.
6. Decide who hosts, and brief them.
7. Confirm setup and breakdown times with the venue.
8. Plan the follow-up message to guests for the day after.

We handle corporate events for “20 people or 2000”, with full planning and coordination, setup, breakdown and all equipment, professional hosts, with custom branding available. You can start with our corporate events service or ask about a full event management package.

FAQs

What are some creative content ideas for an event?

Interactive and branded formats give you the most to talk about afterwards. Think a driving simulator line-up with custom branding, a custom AR game, a Taskmaster-style challenge show or a Traitors-inspired evening. Anything guests can play, photograph and discuss beats a talk they only listen to.

What are some good themes for corporate events?

For client events, themes that work are the ones guests can join in with: a racing night, a game show, a retro arcade lounge, a murder-mystery evening or a sports-day tournament. Keep dress codes optional and make the theme show up in the games and branding, not just the decorations.

What are some examples of corporate events?

Corporate events include conferences, away days, team building, product launches, client appreciation evenings, after-conference socials, trade-show stands and Christmas parties. Client events sit between hospitality and marketing: the aim is to build the relationship while giving guests something worth attending.

How many people can you entertain at a client event?

It depends on the format. A Traitors-style game suits a boardroom or a conference hall, while a driving simulator line-up runs from 1 to 16 simulators and a VR escape room scales to 500 participants. Tell your supplier the guest list and the room, and they will size the format to fit.

Tell us about your event and we’ll put together a tailored proposal. We reply to enquiries within one business day.