Thanks in large part to Pinterest and HGTV, the DIY trend is becoming an increasingly popular craze. From jewelry, to home decor, just about everyone is working on a personalized project these days. With the demand for boutique experiences ever increasing, more and more products and services are being created in-house- and Trivia Nights are no exception.
Creating a DIY Trivia Night makes sense for a laundry list of reasons. In addition to saving money by using the resources you already have at your disposal, the benefits of creating a custom experience tailored to your customers cannot be overstated.
While the upsides of a DIY Trivia Night are great, there are certain logistics to consider. That’s why we’ve compiled this beginner’s guide with tips and tricks for starting a Trivia Night to “DIY for”.
Leverage your resources wisely
One of the many benefits of DIY Trivia Nights is the ability to use resources already at your disposal, rather than paying a premium for someone else’s. The two major resources you likely already have on-hand are audio equipment and a staff member to host the show.
With the host and equipment covered, that just leaves the Trivia show itself. This is where your most precious resource comes into play- time. Between researching, writing, and fact checking an entire show worth of questions, composing a Trivia show from scratch can be extremely time consuming.
Rather than spending hours every week writing a show from the ground up, some Trivia companies like Last Call Trivia offer subscriptions that include everything you need. By investing in a Last Call Trivia subscription, you can instantly access a brand-new, expertly-written Trivia game each week. Plus, it also includes promotional materials, access to our user-friendly gameplay app, and more to make running your own Trivia Night simple.
Pro Tip: You’ve already got the host and the equipment. Get the Trivia with Last Call Trivia.
Select the right person to host your shows
Let’s circle back to one of the resources you already have on hand for your DIY Trivia Night- a host.
While hosting Trivia is a relatively simple (and incredibly fun!) task, there are certain qualities that you should look for when selecting the member of your staff for the job.
First, make sure your host is comfortable with speaking in front of, and entertaining, a large crowd. They should have a personality that resonates with your customers in order to make the shows enjoyable for the players.
Also, it’s important to pick a host who is reliable and punctual. If your Trivia host regularly calls out at the last minute, or shows up late, you will find yourself scrambling for a replacement at the eleventh hour.
Finally, your host should be able to remain calm under pressure. Hosting Trivia involves lots of multitasking, in addition to the occasional outburst from an angry player. Select a member of your staff that you trust to keep a cool head regardless of any hiccups which may occur during a show.
Pro Tip: Pick someone from your staff who is outgoing and reliable.
Consider the preferences of your audience
Starting a DIY Trivia Night offers you the unique advantage of tailoring your shows to perfectly fit the needs of your customers. In addition to selecting a host that meshes well with your audience, you can also figure out what night of the week, start time, and music preferences they have.
If you have never had a Trivia Night before, be sure to ask your regulars about their preferences on the above items. By tailoring the show to the preferences of your players, you create a unique experience that they can’t get anywhere else. And that’s what DIY is all about!
Pro Tip: Customize your Trivia show to meet the needs of your crowd.
In the age of customization, starting a DIY Trivia Night can provide a valuable competitive advantage. By pairing the resources you already have with a subscription to Last Call Trivia, you can create a wildly successful Trivia Night at a fraction of the cost of full-service options. And unlike other DIY trends (looking at you, Mason jars), custom Trivia Nights will never go out of style.