Hi all,
I'm in the process of trying to get together a regular, multi-table PFS "group" hosted at a local (Portland, OR) gaming store (Guardian Games). So far, maybe because it's summer, it has been difficult to get folks to commit but I think I've finally got at least one table together for 8/1/09. I'd like to make this a monthly thing with multiple DMs running different scenarios...help spread the Paizo love in Portland.
So, the question: is there a Paizo program to get some sort of freebies to entice new players to come check it out? If not, could one be created? Would this have to go through the gaming store or do you guys "trust" local DMs enough to hand out some copies of the Bonus Bestiary or something similar as a way of getting players interested in PFS, and Pathfinder in general?
M
Venture-Captain, Missouri—Cape Girardeau
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Quite honestly, I've found that running a pathfinder Society event has helped the sales of all things Paizo at our FLGS. After our first session, five people pre-ordered the Pathfinder RPG for August, two bought Pathfinder Chronicles supplements (Absolom, and a Gazeteer), one bouth a faction based Pathfinder Companion (Taldor), and even I couldn't resist... I bought a Game Mastery Combat Pad.
With all that, why would Paizo GIVE something away?
(That said, it would be nice!)
Well, I think that probably holds for the folks that are already decided on coming...I was thinking more as a way of getting folks that maybe don't already know about Paizo to show up, play, and see the quality of their products. Also, I was thinking promotional stuff, like the Bonus Bestiary or posters or something like that.
In truth I may not need it. It seems for my upcoming event I've got a full table already and may be working on a second. I've recruited a second DM just in case we have two.
M
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I've spoken to several people at my local gaming and comic book store and the problem is this...
Many gamers don't even know what Pathfinder is. Many gamers are surprised that Pathfinder is D&D 3.5+ and that PRPG is compatible with D&D 3.5. I'm in awe they don't know, but it's true.
For some reason people aren't identifying Pathfinder RPG with D&D. D&D should be on the front or back of everything somewhere. "3.5 OGL" in a small box doesn't seem adequate for the average consumer.
Maybe part of the problem is the store itself if they aren't promoting it. And that Paizo probably can't use the D&D logo or brand name.
Yeah, I'm getting the feeling that's the case in my area. Most folks seem to know it's D&D based but don't know much about Pathfinder Society. That's okay, though, I'm making the info available on my calendar items and had already planned on having to do some education, character creation help, and registration assistance. I'm going to bring a set of pre-registered PFS numbers and pre-gens with me so hopefully we can get this one running smoothly and take it from there.
I've given the store the link to the PFS one-sheet and Joshua's information...so maybe they can find out from him what support Paizo can offer to local "Chapter Builders"...
M
And that Paizo probably can't use the D&D logo or brand name.
Correct.
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Venture-Captain, Missouri—Cape Girardeau
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I see more of the opposite... lots of interest in playing and very little interest in GMing. Much as I dislike WotC and 4E, they did give away a lot of support product to DMs for running the Living Campaigns. I ran three Green Regent adventures for our old FLGS, and received the Spell Templates, and a few miniatures to boot.
While I understand that Paizo is still fresh to the game, I would hope that some time down the road we GMs can get some love... even if it is only a promotional discount for a Paizo product, like a Map Pack!
Heh, well, Joshua craftily ducked my question but I've given my local store the one-sheet so hopefully they'll contact him and get a Valeros standee or something :)
In the meantime, it looks like we might actually be getting as many as two tables together this Saturday at Guardian Games in Portland. Hopefully we'll build it into something regular and popular.
For DMs: I've made a couple of "tent signs" with the PFS logo and including the text "Pathfinder Society Organized Play", "Scenario #xx: {scenario name}", and "Drop-In Players Welcome". If any DMs think these might come in handy for their public sessions I'm happy to send the layered PNG files (you can edit your scenario name...or remove it if you prefer) by e-mail. Just ping me at michaela at acaciarg dot com and I'll send them along.
To Paizo: For game stores hosting these events it'd be cool if you could offer them some promotional posters or similar and maybe a table stand with handouts describing what PFS is all about. Love to have something neat like that sitting near us as we game so people come by and check it out. Any kind of stuff to give people who come by and try it out would be cool too...even if it's just a <$1.00 sticker for their window or something. Just some thoughts - maybe you've already got a whole program in place and I just don't know about it.
M
Hmmm... I wonder is there a PFS Game Master's Kit? Perhaps a PFS scenario or two (or three), with a bit of swag for each of up to 6 players: Pregens, a Paizo d20, coupons for a few bucks off PFRPG, PFS membership and maybe a miniature for each pregen. For the GM nice Paizo/PFRPG GM T-shirt or book-bag and for the store a PFRPG poster and/or counter stand-up thingy with coupons attached.
I would gladly pay $50 or so for such a kit... Now, of course, I will check the store to see if such is already available...
To Paizo: For game stores hosting these events it'd be cool if you could offer them some promotional posters or similar and maybe a table stand with handouts describing what PFS is all about. Love to have something neat like that sitting near us as we game so people come by and check it out. Any kind of stuff to give people who come by and try it out would be cool too...even if it's just a <$1.00 sticker for their window or something. Just some thoughts - maybe you've already got a whole program in place and I just don't know about it.
M
GMTA :)
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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That is a very excellent idea. I will add something like this to the agenda. A major part of our efforts so far for "Season 0" has focused on the structure of the campaign, the format of the scenarios, and the basics of how the thing will work in general. With most of that work behind us, we will increasingly be focusing on building the pillars of regional growth and retail play programs and the like.
Suggestions on how best to do this (what would bring you into a store, what would help to get an active multi-table group going in a region, etc.) would be most helpful. A kit like this is a very good idea.
GMTA
Georgia Motor Trucking Association? :) Edit: Oh, duh. I'm bad with acronyms despite having served in the Army ;)
Hi Erik,
The stuff WotC gives to GMs is cool (AoE templates and whatnot) but I think the stuff I'd really like to see is in the vein of point-of-purchase material - posters, table stands, take-one informational brochures, player quick-start kit with pre-reg card and a one-sheet on making a character, etc. AND, stuff to help out the stores with their own promo material or web sites - logos, boilerplate text, etc.
As far as getting players involved it would be quite cool to be able to give them some sort of bauble for playing their PFS the first time - or maybe, if you want control of it, something you send them for registering the pre-gen they picked up at the table and played.
A free scenario or map pack or something for GMs in appreciation of their promotional efforts would be just stellar, of course. :) Or you can just sign my PFRPG book (with a "c" if you please) next Paizocon. ;)
M
edit: I realized I didn't really answer about the contents of the GM kit but all of the stuff Michael Donovan mentioned above would make for a really nice kit for running and promoting PFS. I do like the idea of a "player quick-start kit". I've sort of made my own with a pre-gen, pre-reg card, and a mini to play with (yeah, Imma get that back though) but something offical would be amazing.
GMTAGeorgia Motor Trucking Association? :) Edit: Oh, duh. I'm bad with acronyms despite having served in the Army ;)
...edit: I realized I didn't really answer about the contents of the GM kit but all of the stuff Michael Donovan mentioned above would make for a really nice kit for running and promoting PFS. I do like the idea of a "player quick-start kit". I've sort of made my own with a pre-gen, pre-reg card, and a mini to play with (yeah, Imma get that back though) but something offical would be amazing.
GMTA = Great Minds Think Alike :) I served in the Navy, AF, and TX-ANG, so I am flush with acronyms, but that's old BBS shorthand.
I checked out the organized play guide and downloaded a scenario... one geared more toward a quick-start intro with the noted swag would work rather well.
BTW, my day-job is marketing... on the technology side, building database systems for humongous companies for collecting customer feedback, analyzing, reporting and campaigning...
No matter the industry, a tangible product intro and gathering of feedback can be extremely beneficial to the company and the customers.
A blitz of swag and easily presented kits in the hands of existing and potential customers are tangible enticements that can have huge returns and can go a long way toward increasing the loyal customer base.
Argh! I just mixed my job with my hobby! I now feel extremely disoriented... :(
That is a very excellent idea. I will add something like this to the agenda. A major part of our efforts so far for "Season 0" has focused on the structure of the campaign, the format of the scenarios, and the basics of how the thing will work in general. With most of that work behind us, we will increasingly be focusing on building the pillars of regional growth and retail play programs and the like.
Suggestions on how best to do this (what would bring you into a store, what would help to get an active multi-table group going in a region, etc.) would be most helpful. A kit like this is a very good idea.
What would bring me to the store is the offer of free goodies. The fact that gamers are tactile creatures who like free stuff we can hold and use and will pay to get more makes us very susceptible to this sort of thing. In this regard, we are perfectly willing marketing victims, myself included :) In fact, some of us are willing to pay to help bring in additional customers, at least in part to expand local groups and keep our FLGS in business. We also respond well to invitations of membership, discounts in exchange for playing or GMing, anything that provides loot and bragging rights...
Of course, as I'm sure you know, return on investment is king. A kit that costs (actual cost to produce) $2 per person for 100 players, with even an abysmal 4% immediate response rate for the purchase of PFRPG books has a break-even (retail) at 4 books. That response rate is very low even by direct marketing standards. In-store promos with a qualified audience should boost response rate to at least 10%, for total retail sales of about $500 on an investment of $200 - on the first day. Beyond this, the repeat purchase rate even without further incentive will continue and will likely propagate by referrals. So, a $200 set of 20 five-player kits, perhaps paid for in part by GMs or stores, and even with a poor response rate will generate quite a healthy return on investment.
However, all that business stuff aside - I really just like free goodies, fun gaming sessions, and any half-baked excuse to blow my toy budget at my FLGS :)
Once hooked, maintaining is relatively easy, requiring less investment, but more frequent communication. Lots of folks forget this: communicate with the customers frequently and directly. A lot of this can be done through membership email newsletters and such, but hard mail pieces work better, especially if such consist of truly useful things for both GMs and players; such as, scenario updates, poster maps, pregen refreshes, how-to based on other group experiences, etc...
Ok, work has now completely polluted by hobby time... BTW, just got my Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting in the mail today... Nice job! :)
You probably know better about this that I but I'd always heard a direct-mail response rate of something like 2% was the norm? Of course, it's probably much higher among targeted folks (and I'd call RPGers in a gaming store about as targeted as you can get for PFRPG).
In any case, I think your basic analysis is correct. A pretty small investment in this could pay off pretty well. It'd be at least worth some tests to see how customers respond.
M
You probably know better about this that I but I'd always heard a direct-mail response rate of something like 2% was the norm? Of course, it's probably much higher among targeted folks (and I'd call RPGers in a gaming store about as targeted as you can get for PFRPG).
In any case, I think your basic analysis is correct. A pretty small investment in this could pay off pretty well. It'd be at least worth some tests to see how customers respond.
M
Yep - blind direct marketing is about 2%, targeted runs up to 10% (for an extremely good campaign). Response is a bit higher for small-audience qualified targeting. As a rule, I never figure on more than 10% for an audience like ours and therefore am pleasantly surprised when it works out better :)
Y'all just let me know when the GM kit is ready and I'll order one right away :)
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How about distributing "Pathfinder Bucks" to PFS GMs? They could be $5 vouchers toward any Pathfinder product at a participating retailer or paizo.com. You cold limit it to one voucher per purchase (or address online). The idea being that PFS GMs give them to new players after they're first scenario. (probably would need tighter restrictions to prevent abuse)
As an reward to PFS GMs, my FLGS has offered a 20% discount on all Paizo products. Hopefully, this will encourage some players to take that step (so I am not the lone Pathfinder Society GM at the store anymore!)
That's a nice incentive. I assume that having people gaming in-house is a good thing for stores so it seems like it should be a common program...but I've never heard anything similar.
One of our local stores, Guardian Games in Portland, is probably one of the most play-friendly places I've been but I don't think they do this. Though they've been helpful they haven't (yet) been proactive about PFS. I think that'll change once we get it going though.
M
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Director of Brand Strategy
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As an reward to PFS GMs, my FLGS has offered a 20% discount on all Paizo products. Hopefully, this will encourage some players to take that step (so I am not the lone Pathfinder Society GM at the store anymore!)That's a nice incentive. I assume that having people gaming in-house is a good thing for stores so it seems like it should be a common program...but I've never heard anything similar.
One of our local stores, Guardian Games in Portland, is probably one of the most play-friendly places I've been but I don't think they do this. Though they've been helpful they haven't (yet) been proactive about PFS. I think that'll change once we get it going though.
M
Back when our local group played at a game store (before it went out of business last December) we used to have all players in org play pay $3 per game. Each GM would get $5 credit for each slot they ran. The store got the difference. Charging to play isn't always feasible since it restricts the gaming to only those willing or able to pay, but it does give stores a reason to support the games and GMs an incentive to donate their time.
Not a bad idea when you've got people that already want to play. I've thought of putting out a tips jar at my games :)
In the case of PFS I hope to attract new people to the game, though, so I don't a pay-per-play thing's going to help with that. I'm considering trying to put aside some cash for a raffle gift for players that complete a scenario...nice set of dice or something, or a gift certificate for the store. Not sure if I want to go there though, which is why I'm hoping maybe Paizo can come up with some sort of incentive for new players, beyond playing such a COOL game, of course!
M
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Director of Brand Strategy
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Not a bad idea when you've got people that already want to play. I've thought of putting out a tips jar at my games :)
In the case of PFS I hope to attract new people to the game, though, so I don't a pay-per-play thing's going to help with that. I'm considering trying to put aside some cash for a raffle gift for players that complete a scenario...nice set of dice or something, or a gift certificate for the store. Not sure if I want to go there though, which is why I'm hoping maybe Paizo can come up with some sort of incentive for new players, beyond playing such a COOL game, of course!
M
If you reward people too much outside of the in-game rewards, they can come to expect it, and will be disappointed when they stop getting free swag.
Good point. Main interest was in attracting folks for their first game though, not a continuing rewards system. Lots of people around here are pretty focused on 4e, so I want to win them over to PFRPG...at least some of the new people and those grognards that are still winnable. Nothing against 4e, mind you, I just happen to like Paizo.
M