Monthly Archives: February 2023

What to Do if You are NOT Generating Enough Sales

What To Do if You are NOT Generating Enough Sales

As we covered in the previous articles, when it comes to marketing board games and card games, there are many marketing strategies that you can use to drive sales. However, it’s not always easy to see the results you’re looking for, even after implementing your marketing efforts.

If you’re not generating enough sales, there are some steps you can take to increase your customer acquisition value and optimize your marketing strategy.

 

 

Increase Customer Acquisition Value

  • Offer a second copy of the game at a discounted price: Consider offering customers a discount on their second purchase of the same game. This will increase your customer acquisition value and incentivize customers to make another purchase.
  • Bundle products: You can also offer bundled products, such as a game and a related item, at a discount. For example, you can bundle a game with a custom playmat, custom dice, or card sleeves. This will not only increase the value of the purchase but also incentivize customers to buy more than one item.
  • Expansions and Additional Games: When customers make a purchase, offer them additional games you have designed. It can be an expansion to the existing game, or an additional new game you have just launched. 

Remember, it costs you the same amount of money to acquire the customer even if he increased his order value. It is basically a free sale you have just made.

 

 

 

Revise your marketing strategy:

  • Showcase user-generated content: Instead of using your own content in your ads, showcase user-generated content (UGC) to build trust with your potential customers. Encourage your current customers (or paid customers haha) to post pictures and videos of them playing your game and share them on social media platforms. This will create an authentic connection with your audience and generate more interest in your game.
  • Redesign your website: If you’re not generating enough sales, consider redesigning your website. Explain and show your sell line in a different way, explain the benefits or present the overall experience in a better way. And just in case you haven’t done it already ensure that your website is mobile-responsive and easy to navigate and that your call-to-action is clear and visible. 
  • Change your ads / Consult a professional: If your current ads are not bringing in the desired results, consider changing your ad copy, images, or targeting. Consult a professional to check your ads and provide some input. There is also a chance you are not targeting the right audience. 

 

 

Last Thought

In conclusion, generating sales from your marketing efforts can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. By increasing your customer acquisition value and revising your marketing strategy, you can optimize your efforts and achieve the results you’re looking for. Keep testing and iterating until you find the right mix that works for your game and your audience.

It is easier to give up than to keep believing in what you are doing. Give yourself another two months before you stop pushing your game and dream forward.

“A leader sees his target through the chaos, and he keeps moving forward until the chaos clears up and becomes a well-trodden path” – Hersh Feb 10th 2023

 

 

10 Steps to Advertise Your Game Successfully

If you got to this article, we hope that you have already read our Board Game Marketing Fundamental and 10 steps to increase awareness of your board game. This article will be about advertising

Marketing your board game is crucial for success, and advertisements can be a great way to reach a larger audience. However, it’s important to choose the right platforms and create effective ads. Here are some steps to help with this process:

(Please note, each step here is a rabbit hole of information, and there is a lot to learn. As such, you may want to research each topic in more detail independently or hire a professional marketing firm.)

1.Choose at least two platforms to promote your game in (Facebook, Google, Amazon, Youtube etc.)

Choosing platforms to advertise your board game is important for targeting the right audience. It’s essential to understand your potential customers and where they are most active online. For example, if your audience is primarily on Facebook, advertising on Facebook will be more effective. If they constantly shop on Amazon or watch Youtube all day, reach them overthere. 

2.Check what keywords your audience looks for on the chosen platforms

Choosing relevant keywords for your advertising campaign can make or break your campaign’s success. You can use keyword research tools like Google Adwords Keyword Planner, SEMRush, or Ahrefs to help you understand what keywords your audience is searching for on your chosen platform. This will help you create an effective advertising campaign that targets the right people.

Keywords do not only mean specific words, but also things people are searching for. Understand what they are searching for and show them relevant content. For example, if people are searching for Fun Card Games, show them in the advertisement that your game is fun.

If you are not sure what they are searching for, we always recommend you start with asking yourself, what you would have searched for if you were in their shoes.

3.Evaluate which keywords are the cheapest and have high conversion (words you can rank easily for)

After identifying your target keywords, evaluate which ones have low competition and high conversion rates. This is crucial for optimizing your ad spending and ensuring you get the most out of your investment. You can use tools like Google Analytics and other SEO tools to identify the best keywords for your campaign.

4.Choose 5 keywords to focus on

Once you’ve identified the best keywords, choose five of the most effective ones to focus on for your advertising campaign. Focusing on a few specific keywords helps to ensure that your ads are more targeted and will attract the right audience. It will also help you stay organize as you try new and different word combination

5.Create the ads content

create at least (best practice is 10 of each) 3 short video ads (Facebook, Tiktok and YouTube), 3 written ads (heading and meta description) for google and Amazon, and 3 banner ads (if you will use this channel). Each ad should represent a different view of the game e.g. actual game play, display, what players get

The purpose of this is to test which ad style works best for your audience and optimize your campaign.

6.Run the ads for a good 10 days

It’s important to run your ads for at least 10 days to collect enough data to measure the effectiveness of the campaign. You can monitor the ad performance through platforms like Facebook Ads Manager or Google Ads to see the results.

Some marketing professionals average that it takes around 5,000 USD for the algorithms of the platforms to understand who your audience is and where to target them. 

7. Do an A/B Trial with your ads

Performing an A/B test is essential to identify which ad type is most effective. Split your ad groups in half and run two different ad variations. After the 10-day run, compare the results to see which performed better.

8.After seeing the results, tweak the ads for better conversion

Review the results of your campaign, identify what worked and what didn’t, and adjust your ads accordingly. Tweak and optimize your ads based on the feedback you received from the A/B test.

9.Keep repeating until you get the best result

After analysing and tweaking the ads, repeat the process until you have achieved your desired result. Advertising is an ongoing process, and you need to keep experimenting until you find the best combination for your board game.

10.Keep Track of your ad’s performance

It is important to monitor your ad campaigns to ensure that they are performing well and generating a good return on investment (ROI). Some metrics to track include cost per click (CPC), cost per acquisition (CPA), conversion rate, and ROI. Generally speaking, you want to keep checking how much money you had to spend in order to generate X amount of money.

Closing Note

Acquiring an audience takes persistence. Make a habit of finding and maintaining good contact with your audience and soon you’ll have built a community interested in your game

Once again, remember the core foundation of your marketing efforts, and that is your audience and what they love. No one will know them better than you.

 

10 Steps for Increasing Awareness of Your Game

Like we covered in our previous article of Board Game and Card Game Marketing Fundamentals, there are two types of marketing: Discovery and advertisement. In this article we will go through 10 steps you can take to increase the awareness of your game so more people get exposed to it. 

Below are some steps that you can take to help increase the discovery and marketing of your game:

  1. Build a Facebook Page: A Facebook page for your board game can be a great tool to help people follow and know who you are. You can also consider creating pages on other social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter or Instagram. Make sure to post regularly and engage with your followers. (Facebook pages are not what they used to, and Facebook does not share your posts to other people’s feeds, still, it is important to maintain it for appearances and you can ask people to leave there 5-star reviews that will be shown in google search). 
  2. Marketing Emails: Create a list of 5-10 marketing emails that you can send out to your audience. You can use services such as Mailchimp or send them manually. These emails can include information about your game, news about upcoming events, or special offers. For this one, you will first need a place to capture your audience. Make sure you first build your website.
  3. Personal Facebook Page: This is even more important than your Facebook page. Make sure that your personal Facebook page represents who you are and the game/games you have made. If someone checks your personal page, he might continue to checking and purchasing your game.  
  4. Join Relevant Groups: Join groups on Facebook, Reddit, (Board Game Geeks – only for some), and other social media platforms where your specific audience hangs out. Engage with other members in a constructive way, and share information about your game when appropriate.
  5. Find Reviewers and Community Leaders: Within these groups, you can find the perfect reviewers and community leaders that will help you share about your game. Look for people who have an established following, and who get the most likes in those groups and ask them to mention your game as well.
  6. Reach Out to YouTube Reviewers: Find reviewers on YouTube that will talk about your game. Do not over do it, as many reviewers will not necessarily bring sales, but they will generate a bunch of super awesome User Generated Content for you to turn around and use in your ads. Check out our website for a list of over 160 different game reviewers
  7. Find Active Blogs and Publish PR articles: Find other active blogs that talk about board games and see if they will review or feature your game. Make sure to do your research and find bloggers that are a good fit for your game and your target audience. Beware of blogs that charge too much money and do not bring traffic. Use Ahefs or SEMrush to check how much traffic these websites actually get. The same goes also for press releases (PR), you can find freelancers on fiver and Upwork that will have your game show up in some news channel, but do not expect too much traffic from them. Be careful when spending money on it. 
  8. Donate Games: Donate copies of your game to charities, hospitals, game clubs, or other organizations to help increase awareness of your game. People that go there will see your game, and then go on Amazon to look for it.
  9. Host Giveaways: Doing giveaways can be an effective way to increase awareness of your game. However, be aware that they can become a bloated expense with no direct result, so use them with caution.
  10. Offer Existing Customers Benefits: Offer existing customers benefits for friend referrals. Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools out there, so incentivizing your existing customers to share your game with their friends can be a great way to spread the word about your game.

Please remember, that you first MUST identify your target audience before you start investing time and effort in any of these steps. Your audience will determine your tone of voice, your messaging, the platform and groups to be on, your colors, and so much more.  

 

 

Identify Your Game’s Target Audience

When it comes to marketing your board game, it’s essential to understand your target customers and the types of players who may be interested in your game. This knowledge will help you create marketing strategies that cater to the specific needs and preferences of each customer type, increasing the chances of success.

A target audience for a board game or card game is the specific group of people that the game is intended for. This can be based on various factors such as age, interests, hobbies, preferences, and playing styles. 

However, after working with dozens of game creators and publishers we believe that there are 5 main types of Board Game and Card Game players

 

The Five Types of Game Players

  1. Heavy Board Gamers: These customers are typically experienced players who enjoy playing board games that are highly strategic and require a lot of time to play. They tend to prefer games that have complex rules, intricate gameplay mechanics, and a high level of player interaction. Examples of games that appeal to heavy board gamers include Twilight Imperium, Terra Mystica, and Through the Ages.
  2. Light Board Gamers: These customers are typically more casual players who enjoy playing board games that are easier to learn and play. They tend to prefer games that are quick to set up and can be played between an hour and two. Examples of games that appeal to light board gamers include Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, and Settlers of Catan.
  3. Families with Kids: These customers are typically parents who want to spend quality time with their children while playing games that are fun and easy to understand. They tend to prefer games that are age-appropriate, have simple rules, and can be played in a relatively short amount of time. Examples of games that appeal to families with kids include Codename, Sushi Go,and Dixit. (some families will also like Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Candy land, and Hi Ho! Cherry-O.)
  4. Adults who want to party: These customers are typically young adults who enjoy playing games that are social and fun to play with friends while drinking or hanging out. They tend to prefer games that involve humour, partying, and don’t require a lot of strategy or deep thinking. Examples of games that appeal to adults who want to party include Cards Against Humanity, What Do You Meme?, and Joking Hazard.
  5. Educational Gamers: These customers are typically teachers or parents who want to use games as a tool to teach others or the young generation about a topic. They tend to prefer games that help with skill-building, critical thinking, and overall education. Examples of games that appeal to educational gamers include Monopoly, Chess, and Scrabble

These 5 types of customers are an overview, you can probably dive deeper and find some more nuances, but from our experience, we feel like these are the 5 main types.

Final Thoughts

It’s possible for a game to target multiple audiences at the same time, and it can even be effective in expanding the potential market for the game. For example, a game that is both fun and educational can appeal to families as well as teachers, and a game that is easy to learn and quick to play can appeal to both casual gamers and hardcore gamers who want a fast-paced experience.

However, we generally recommended focusing the marketing efforts on one primary audience at a time to avoid diluting the message and confusing potential customers. By honing in on one specific target audience, the marketing can be tailored to speak directly to their needs and interests, making it more likely to resonate and drive conversions. Once that audience has been successfully engaged, the marketing can then pivot to another target audience if desired

 

 

How to Market Your Game -Fundamentals

As a board game creator, marketing and selling your game can be challenging. The Board game and card game market is relatively saturated so it is essential your game reaches the right audience and generates the sales you need. There are two main types of marketing channels you can use: discovery and advertisement.

Discovery channels include word of mouth, press releases, reviewers, and community management. On the other hand, advertisement channels include Google ads, Amazon ads, Facebook ads, banner placement, and more.

Although these channels differ, they share some fundamental things that you must do to succeed.

Here are three things to focus on regardless of which Marketing Channel you are planning on selling in:

  1. Find your audience: Your target audience is essential to the success of your game. Identify who your game is for, why they would like it, and what makes it unique.
  2. Interact with your audience: Get to know your audience, what they like, and what they don’t like. Conduct anonymous surveys to get feedback and insights into what they’re looking for in a game. Contact game reviewers and testers and ask for their advice
  3. Build a website: Take what you have learned and build a website that represents your company and game. This is crucial for building a brand and connecting with your audience. Your website should also be built to convert visitors into customers. This means making sure your website is designed very clearly.

How to build a board game and card game website that generate sales

Creating a website that converts visitors into customers requires careful planning and execution. One might say this is a job that should be left to the professionals. However, here are some essential elements to consider when building a website that converts:

  • Clear messaging: Your website’s messaging should be clear and concise, highlighting why is your game the best option for your target audience, and what will be their experience when they play it.
  • Visuals: Use high-quality images and videos to showcase your game and help visitors visualize how it works. In this part you should also add images of the unique experience you are selling them; fun, intense, scary, and so forth.
  • User experience: Your website should be easy to navigate and use. Make sure visitors can find what they need quickly and without confusion.
  • Trust factors: Include social proof like reviews, testimonials, or awards to help build trust with potential customers.
  • Call-to-action: Your website should feature clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage visitors to take the desired action, such as purchasing your game.
  • Lead Magnet: even if your visitors do not want to purchase, you should still entice them to leave their email and subscribe. Make sure you offer them something special they can only get after they subscribed.

By following these fundamental steps, you can develop a strong marketing strategy for your board game that will help you reach your target audience, engage with them, and ultimately drive sales.

 

Marketing Channels for Board Games and Card Game

Marketing board games can be a challenge, but there are various channels you can use to reach your target audience and generate sales. In general, these channels can be divided into three:

  • Online
  • Offline
  • Crowdfunding

Online Channels

1. Your Own Store:

Selling through your own website provides more control over how you present your game to potential customers, and you also get valuable customer information every time someone purchases from your store. However, customers might be hesitant to purchase from a new website they’re unfamiliar with. It’s important to build trust by ensuring your website is secure and user-friendly. Consider offering promotions and discounts to first-time customers to incentivize purchases.

2. Platforms such as Amazon, Etsy, eBay:

Amazon and other platforms are established online marketplaces that many customers trust, making it easier to reach a wider audience. However, these platforms promote a wide variety of games, so it can be harder to stand out. Additionally, advertising on these platforms can become expensive and may not always generate a profitable return on investment. Despite these challenges, it’s still worth listing your games on these platforms, as they can help you reach customers who may not have found your game otherwise.

Offline Channels

1.Trade Shows and Conventions:

Attending trade shows and conventions can be a great way to generate buzz around your game and meet potential customers face-to-face. These events attract a wide range of attendees, including dedicated board game enthusiasts, casual gamers, and industry professionals. PAX, Essen, GAMA, and other large conventions are great places to showcase your game, but there are also many smaller, regional events that can be just as effective. At trade shows, consider offering demos or samples of your game, and make sure to have eye-catching displays and marketing materials.

2.Small Game, Toy, and Hobby Shops:

To sell your game through small retailers, you’ll need to find a distribution or fulfillment center that works with these shops. Distribution centers such as Bridge Distribution and Fulfillment can help with this, but keep in mind that turnover from these channels can be low, especially for lesser-known games. Building brand awareness and generating buzz around your game through other channels, like social media or trade shows, can help drive sales through small retailers.

3.Through Major Retailers and Shopping Chains:

Selling through major retailers like Target or Walmart can be difficult, as they typically only carry products that have already proven successful in the market. However, some retailers offer accelerator programs that provide resources and mentorship to new businesses. For example, Target’s Shape the Future of Retail accelerator program helps startups develop and refine their products for the retail market. Keep in mind that acceptance into these programs is competitive, so it’s important to have a track record and a solid business plan before applying.

By utilizing a combination of online and offline marketing channels, you can maximize your game’s visibility and reach a wider audience. It’s important to tailor your marketing strategy to your game’s unique features and target audience, and to regularly analyze and adapt your approach based on feedback and sales data.

 

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and others have become a popular way for independent creators to launch their board games. It can be an effective way to get your game in front of a large audience, generate buzz, and get early adopters to pre-order your game. The crowdfunding platform allows you to pitch your game idea to the public and get people to pledge funds to support the project.

However, crowdfunding is not for everyone and not for every game.

First – You need to ask yourself if your target audience has a proven track record of backing projects on crowdfunding pages or do they like to buy the games and get them immediately after.

Second – it takes a lot of work to build a successful crowdfunding campaign, and there are no guarantees that you will be funded. You will need to invest time and money into creating a high-quality pitch video, designing the campaign page, and building a community around your game before you even start selling.

Therefore, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of crowdfunding and carefully consider whether it is the right choice for your game.

 

Mass Game Manufacturers and POD Manufacturers Explained

Hero Time Board Game Factory

Before you choose to work with a board game and card game manufacturer, you first need to understand which type of game manufacturer you need. Many game designers who are still in the development stage get in touch with mass manufacturers, while a lower quantity manufacturer might be more suitable for them. Essentially there are two types of board game and card game manufacturers: print-on-demand (POD) and mass manufacturers.

In this article we will outline the differences

What are Print on Demand (POD) Manufacturers of Games

Print-on-demand manufacturers specialize in producing low quantities of games, usually starting from 5 games and up. They are a great option for game designers who are looking to produce a limited run of their games before they launch their crowdfunding campaign. POD manufacturers use digital printing technology, CNC cutting, and manual gluing and coating processes to produce games on a per-order basis, so there is no need to maintain large quantities of inventory, and machines.

 

However, one of the drawbacks of using a POD manufacturer is that you need to handle the artwork set up on your own. This can be a challenge for designers who are not familiar with the technical aspects of game production. In addition, the sizes used in POD are fixed and cannot be adjusted to accommodate larger or smaller game components. This is because creating molds for the manufacturing process is a costly undertaking, and the small quantities produced by POD manufacturers do not justify the expense.

What are Mass Manufacturers of Board Games and Card Games

Mass manufacturers, on the other hand, specialize in producing high volumes of games. They use large manufacturing processes, such as offset printing, to create game components. This allows for more customization options, including the ability to produce larger or smaller game components. Mass manufacturers of board games also typically have in-house graphic design teams that can help with artwork setup and provide a more polished look for your game. You can check some videos of mass production on the Hero Time Youtube Channel

One of the major benefits of using a mass manufacturer is that they are able to produce games at a lower cost per unit. This is due to the economies of scale they can achieve by producing high volumes of games. Mass manufacturers also usually have established relationships with suppliers, which can help reduce the cost of materials and shipping.

Another advantage of using a mass manufacturer is that they often offer financing options, such as 50% deposit pre order, and 50% after the order was complete. You can check Hero Time payment structure here

POD VS Mass Manufacturer in Short

Print-on-Demand Manufacturers

  • Focus on producing low quantities of games, typically starting from 5 games and up.
  • Use digital printing technology to produce games on a per-order basis, so there is no need to maintain large inventory and machines
  • Ideal for game designers looking to produce a limited run of their games, or looking for pre crowdfunding samples.
  • Require the game designer to handle the artwork set up, which can be a challenge for those not familiar with game production technicalities.
  • Have fixed sizes for the game components that cannot be adjusted, as creating molds is a costly process.
  • Require payment upfront for the order.
  • Ideal for designers who want to produce a sample run to promote their game before launching a crowdfunding campaign.

Mass Manufacturers

  • Specialize in producing high volumes of games.
  • Use traditional manufacturing processes, such as injection molding, to create game components.
  • Offer more customization options, including the ability to produce larger or smaller game components.
  • Typically have in-house graphic design teams that can assist with artwork setup and provide a polished look for the game.
  • Produce games at a lower cost per unit, due to economies of scale achieved by producing high volumes of games.
  • Usually have established relationships with suppliers, reducing the cost of materials and shipping.
  • Offer financing options, such as consignment or pre-orders, to reduce the upfront cost of producing a game.
  • Ideal for designers who want to produce a large volume of games and have more customization options.

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