Board Game Marketing Podcast

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Ross Thompson about everything you need to know when you're thinking about different distribution channels and retail for your game. He explains the tiers involved in the distribution organization and gives you tips on how you can get prepared to go into retail even before getting fully funded.

We discuss:

• [01:36]: Ross tells us who he is, a bit about his experience, and how the different tiers of fulfillment and distribution work together.
• [04:19]: Why and how you should contact distributors and retailers before your campaign finishes.
• [08:11]: Ross talks about how to manage and think ahead with quantities so you're ready to go into retail after getting funded.
• [10:17]: What a retailer kit for retailers is, how does it affect your PR strategy, and why is it important.
• [16:24]: Your energy and resources should be invested depending on the main goal you want to achieve with your game. Is it quantity? Quality? Mentions?
• [18:55]: How distributors think about price, and who you should be partnering with to distribute your own game.
• [24:38]: What is the difference between a crowdfunding audience and a retail audience, and how you should think about it if you want to create a brand after crowdfunding.
• [28:52]: What makes a customer come back to buy from you? How to promote your games and produce new fresh content.
• [33:56]: The difference between thinking just about a local or regional market, and an international market, and how that can make or break your brand.
• [38:30]: Being involved in the publishing and board game community online can only help you grow as a creator. You should be getting informed about what's going on in the community and forming relationships with other creators, publishers, and everyone that can be a part of your creative journey.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Game on TableTop Website

Game on TableTop on Facebook

Game on TableTop on Instagram

Game on TableTop on Twitter

Game on TableTop on Youtube

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Alex Lu, creator of Dogs BOND, a family board game about rescuing dogs that promotes dog adoption. Perfect for all dog lovers out there. He talks about how he prepared for launch, where did he find his audience, and how he kept engagement and excitement up during the live campaign days.

We discuss:

• [01:22]: Alex tells us about him and about where the inspiration came from for his first game "Dogs BOND", which goal is to be a game that includes the whole family, and raises awareness about dog adoption.
• [05:34]: How Alex chose the dog breeds he included in the game, and how diversity is also something that he also took into consideration when creating his characters.
• [09:35]: While Alex looked for and found his audience, and how he partnered with animal shelters to create more conversations about the importance of adoption, as a way to promote his game and his awareness message further.
• [17:56]: Alex talks about how he created his first game prototype for his team to try out, all the way to how launch day went.
• [23:37]: How Alex kept being proactive during the 30 days of the campaign, and how he engaged with his audience and included their suggestions on the game.
• [26:45]: The main advice Alex has for first-time creators is to do the incredible amount of work there is to be done before launch, but also be prepared to jump into a live campaign knowing your campaign won't be completely perfect.
• [30:09]: How to approach and help first-time backers who are not used to crowdfunding platforms.
• [32:59]: For Alex, the knowledge of when his project would be ready to launch depended on the dates he knew would work better for his audience and niche, and working backward starting from that point to build everything needed to be ready for launch.
• [36:00]: How you can get a copy of Dogs BOND!
• [37:11]: Alex used pre-launch emails and messages to educate the audience on the importance of early backing for the complete success of a project. And he did the prep ahead of time by having many of the live-campaign messages pre-written for when they got to their funding goals.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Dogs BOND campaign on Kickstarter

Dogs BOND Website

Dogs BOND on Facebook

Dogs BOND on Instagram

Dogs BOND on Twitter

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Jon Caspian, from Jon Caspian Media, about everything related to video production for crowdfunding. He tells us about the most important parts when creating visual assets, how he does storyboarding, and how he has managed to pivot his business model after 2020. Don't miss out!

We discuss:

• [01:29]: Jon tells us how he went from being a cruise ship performer to a video producer by chance. How he learned from another professional photographer. And how he eventually decided to start as an entrepreneur video producer by himself.
• [04:59]: The most important part to start creating a promo video is to have the assets close-to-perfect to be able to show people the idea behind the design and gameplay experience.
• [12:05]: How Jon does A/B testing for his videos and what he takes into account to know what might work and convert best.
• [17:36]: There's no cookie-cutter solution or setup for every promo video for a game. It depends on what your game is about, your assets, and overall on listening to what would speak faster and better to your audience.
• [24:00]: How Jon does storyboarding and some tips you can take too.
• [29:25]: Why taking the right amount of time to reach out and create videos and visual assets is crucial for success.
• [33:38]: Jon talks about some of his all-time favorite Kickstarter videos.
• [36:07]: What Jon is working on now and how you can get in touch with him.
• [38:08]: How Jon has pivoted his business model after 2020, and what's coming up in 2021.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast

Jon Caspian Website: https://joncaspian.com/

Jon Caspian Media on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joncaspianmedia

Jon Caspian Media on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joncaspian/?hl=en

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

BLOG TITLE: Building A Publishing Company With Ed Baraf

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Eduardo Baraf about the complicated and incredible journey of making a career in the board game designing and publishing world. He talks about the keys to success like building a community and really getting to know your audience, but also the importance of connecting with other people and being willing to lend a hand.

We discuss:

• [01:20]: Ed tells us a bit about his career in game design, from working in the videogame industry to launching his first game through Kickstarter, to becoming a games reviewer, to launching his own tabletop games publishing company
• [05:30]: How the marketing and board game scene has changed over the years, with the increase of games being published each year, the strength on the community and guerrilla-style of marketing; and the importance of knowing your limits when it comes to marketing and social media, and asking for help when needed.
• [15:31]: Ed talks about the importance of knowing your long-run goal with your game. The importance of asking yourself what you really want to do, to achieve, where do you see yourself going in the board game scenario. All of this will give you a good start on your journey and you won't be wasting time working on things you're not passionate about or that don't bring you closer to your goals.
• [26:08]: Ed talks about the main cores of Pencil First publishing company, and how the focus on passion, quality, community building, and communication as transversal values integrated into everything they do and offer to the public.
• [32:37]: The incredible importance of really getting to know your audience and who you're preparing your game for, is the best way to make your marketing strategy more efficient. Knowing your buyer persona and their interests will make or break your campaign.
• [42:14]: Ed mentions the importance of creating a record of each step of your production process and using it as a good opportunity for content creations, in order to share and connect with the audience waiting for the game.
• [48:32]: If you're any type of creator you are willing to help and collaborate with others, in order to create authentic relationships and learn from others. Starting conversations can lead to personal and professional growth.
• [54:02]: What Floriferuos the game is about, who worked on it and how you can get in touch with Ed.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Floriferous campaign on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ebaraf/floriferous

Ed Baraf Website: http://www.baraf.com/

Pencil First Games Website: https://www.pencilfirstgames.com/

Pencil First Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PencilFirstGames

Pencil First Games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pandasaurusgame

Pencil First Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencilfirstgames/

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Danni Loe from Pandasaurus Games about the launch of their latest game. She talks about the challenges of creating the right expectations, preparing stretch goals ahead of time, and the importance of creating strong communities.

We discuss:

• [0:33]: Danni tells us how she started with Pandasaurus, the importance of communicating with the backers during and after the campaign, and how often they do it.
• [06:41]: How they converted feedback into actionable things to incorporate in their game, without even having printed it yet.
• [08:39]: How they plan and organize game releases.
• [10:21]: How Danni and the team tackled the challenge of managing the expectations to the right size, without losing the momentum they gained before launch.
• [14:37]: Handling haters and trolls online!
• [16:21]: Advice for newbies: Plan your stretch goals ahead of time and work hand in hand with a team you trust.
• [21:32]: Using social media to promote play-testing a digital version of the game, and which platforms to use.
• [26:32]: Creating a real community feeling on different platforms, and which tools they use to manage all of them without losing the one-on-one relationships.
• [30:20]: The importance of the communities and of creating organic relationships with backers, is what will differentiate your game from others. Those relationships and the attachment people have to their passions are something you must think about when building your game's community.
• [37:02]: Last advice for game creators: play a lot of games, engage, and don't forget your call to action!

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Pandasaurus Games website: https://pandasaurusgames.com/

Pandasaurus Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pandasaurus_games/

Pandasaurus Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pandasaurusgames/

Pandasaurus Games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pandasaurusgame

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Connie and Dan about the creation of Chai, a board game for people passionate about tea (and games). They are a team dedicated to create new memorable games, and nurturing an awesome communi-tea around them. They've sold over 15,000 copies of their tea board game so far, and here's a bit of how they did it.

We discuss:

• [1:11]: Connie and Dan tell us about their introduction to the game of tabletop games throughout their lives. And how they came up with the idea of Chai.
• [08:56]: They started their marketing by making sure to not post too much about your game or trying to make a sale. But instead adding value to the market, sharing other people's games and creating valuable content that people can relate to.
• [11:43]: Creating engaging and AUTHENTIC posts and captions for Instagram, that invite people to engage and catch their attention, can be a lot of work and time investment.
• [16:20]: Knowing which type of pictures and arts will work best for your brand is a bit of trial and error. But with a cellphone camera creators have more than enough gear to start creating quality content in different formats.
• [18:58]: Starting out by finding out who their audience was through Facebook groups and playtesters that helped them realize exactly what demography the game was working best for, and perhaps adjust their strategy to better reach this exact audience.
• [24:31]: Inviting people to be part of the Facebook group through a free print and play, and having a compelling document with all of the possible FAQs, helped them connect with new people and get valuable feedback on their game.
• [34:31]: The second campaign Connie and Dan is an expansion to the original game and, although covid made it difficult to manage all of the logistics, it became a good reminder to backers of the game they already enjoyed, and it helped keep the community engaged.
• [39:28]: Life after Kickstarter is full. Creators have to keep growing the relationships they've made, research their best option for getting into retail, keep promoting and getting your game mentioned by reviewers in the tabletop game world.
• [32:03]: What's coming up in 2021 for Chai and where you can get in touch with Connie and Dan.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Steeped Games website: https://steepedgames.com/

Steeped Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steepedgames/

Steeped Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steepedgames

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Marcin Swierkot from Gamefound. They discuss how this pledge manager has evolved into a complete crowdfunding platform tailored for board game creators and enthusiasts. Its vision is to make every part of the user experience as both creator or backer the easiest and most personalized way possible, so that everyone can aim for success.

We discuss:

• [1:26]: Gamefound started as a pledge manager, but has now evolved into a complete crowdfunding platform with the vision of making everything easier for both the creator and the backer, specifically on the board games section.
• [08:39]: One of the main offers Gamefound wants to make is to create an easier alternative for calculating and managing taxes, so the creator can focus on their game as much as possible.
• [11:56]: The main difference between Kickstarter and Gamefound is that the process after the crowdfunding is completed is much easier, since it is a unique integrated system, creators will have it easier to fill in the information about shipping rates and connect it to the backers. No complications, no surprises. The other big feature will be the calculators and educational content creators will have access to, in order to make sure all of their budgetary requirements and decisions are correct, so they can assure they'll deliver their promise to backers.
• [18:15]: If you launch on a big platform like Kickstarter, you're competing with so many projects, and statistics are not clear on how the organic traffic works. Gamefound wants to create a more personalized experience for the backer, where they get to see the projects and content related to their personal preferences.
• [24:57]: Gamefound will be available in pretty much every country that Kickstarter works with, with its main page in English, but allowing projects to be created in other languages. You'll be able to use different currencies. The fees of the platform are very much like Kickstarter..
• [29:10]: Gamefound wants to support the creators in every way possible, making it easier to email and communicate with team members when they have questions. Marcin also talks about how they'll be able to do pixel tracking.
• [32:03]: What's coming up in 2021 for Gamefound.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Gamefound's website: https://gamefound.com/#/

Gamefound on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamefoundBusiness/

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Triss from The Mariana Trench, about the marketing strategy and learnings from the re-launch campaign for this game. What can creators learn from listening to their audience and the consequences of spreading too thin when it comes to trying to cover each and every social channel and marketing strategy. This is a great episode for all of those creators thinking about re-launching their own campaigns!

We discuss:

• [1:30]: How a family project became the first game Triss designed, that has led him to work for over 4 years in game development now.
• [06:07]: Triss advises you to not take the ones who came before you and the community experience for granted. Take it and implement what people are looking for into your creations. Use the constructive feedback you get.
• [10:10]: Triss creates blog posts to share the creation and thinking journey of each game, and create organic relationships with the audience and possible reviewers of the game. He uses the communities on Facebook and Twitter to grow his organic reach.
• [17:30]: The importance of having reviews and a great launch video ready before launch day to build excitement around the game. And the fear and excitement of pressing launch on your campaign and actually going live!
• [21:23]: Having great reviews, quotes, and stretch goals promotions as marketing strategies on the live campaign phase worked great for Triss.
• [23:16]: How Triss did some more traditional marketing with Facebook ads and groups, measuring the conversion rate and traffic he was getting on his landing page.
• [27:57]: Remember that even the best campaigns and projects have ups and downs, and that Kickstarter can be overwhelming, but that's ok.
• [29:40]: Where can you find Triss and the Mariana Trench game!

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

The Mariana Trench Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tristam-rossin/the-mariana-trench

Bright Light Games website: http://www.brightlight.games/

Bright Light Games on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrightLitegames

Bright Light Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightlightgames/

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Ta-Te Wu from Macaron, about the marketing strategy and learnings from the launch of the game. We talk about the importance of having a reviewer marketing strategy in place, and of finding the best reviewers that fit with a game.

We discuss:

• [1:29]: How Ta-Te went from a youth experience playing games, to board game designer and publisher.
• [06:04]: Where the inspiration for Macaron, his newest game, came from, and how from the beginning there were doubts about launching a game with a less popular name or topic.
• [14:30]: The importance of having a reviewer strategy to expand the audience reach, and including previous backers as part of the base audience for a new game.
• [18:58]: Ta-Te's updates and marketing strategy with the reviews he got.
• [22:43]: How to include previous backers into the marketing for new games, and his experience with Backerkit.
• [25:46]: An important lesson on pricing fit.
• [28:21]: How creators should work with streamers and how it can help their campaign.
• [33:16]: Why Facebook targeting is the best mass marketing strategy.
• [36:26]: The importance of researching the game community, check out the reviewers, and see who would be the best fit for your game, in order to reach the right audience.
• [40:53]: How you can get in touch with Ta-Te.

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Macaron Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tatewu/macaron-a-card-game-with-novel-tastes

Ta-Te Wu on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatewu

Ta-Te Wu on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tatewu1?lang=en

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.

In this episode, host Nalin talks with Gabe from the Board Game Design Lab. He has launched 10 crowdfunding campaigns and now is working on a huge platform to connect and help board game creators. He discusses the key points to succeed in crowdfunding and what he wants to achieve with Board Game Design Lab. Check it out!

We discuss:

• [1:20]: Who Gabe is and a bit of his podcaster journey. He has launched 10 crowdfunding campaigns so far!
• [03:16]: The key to launching a successful campaign is to understand who your audience is, listening to their input and opinions, and really getting in their mindset as consumers. Gabe creates 2 fictional characters with whom he has conversations about doubts and ideas he has about a product or campaign. These fictional but well-described characters help Gabe get into the consumer mindset.
• [7:41]: It's all about building relationships. One is better than zero, and you want to start creating those relationships one at a time and snowballing your growth from there.
• [12:38]: With entrepreneurship, community building and crowdfunding, you want to play the long game. You want to really invest time in the social channel that you actually like and grow over time. Success comes from everyday habits.
• [16:01]: The more you stick to habits that help your business grow, the easier it'll be to follow through. Scheduling time windows for specific things is a good place to start in order to get organized and do the things you need to be doing, and how this translates to the relationships you need to succeed in crowdfunding.
• [23:25]: Gabe's advice on dealing with people online who don't love your product.
• [27:28]: We live in exciting times that allow the creation of new ideas more than ever, there are no excuses anymore to not work on your dream.
• [30:25]: There's only so much you can do in 24 hours. Having self-care habits will help your creativity and productivity.
• [33:50]: What's the idea behind Board Game Design Lab and how it can help and inspire creators, the content and tools that will be available. Launching soon!

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

Board Game Design Lab: https://www.boardgamedesignlab.com/

Board Game Design Lab on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/RXuu2rR

Board Game Design Lab Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BGDLCommunity/

Gabe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bgdesignlab?lang=en

For more information on how to market your game, be sure to check out the Meeple Marketing Blog.