Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
From: [j--p--w] at [tirith.carleton.edu] (John A. Nephew)
Subject: Re: Small company advertising/smart moves?
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 06:39:33 GMT

In article <[1993 Jan 11 132428 9992] at [vela.acs.oakland.edu]>
[m w lucas] at [vela.acs.oakla]`
>We're starting a new game company, and we're looking for cheap ways to
>advertise.  We're looking for fanzines, BBSs that do multi-genre games,
>and so on.
>And we've had this nice, long thread about dumb things companies have
>done; how about *smart* things that new, small companies can do to
>stay in business?

Here are a couple tips:

* Send a zillion review copies out to all the RPG magazines you've heard of,
and scout out the others.  A partial list: Dragon, Challenge, Abyss, The Gamer,
The Scroll, The Last Province, Vortext.  Dragon is notoriously slow in getting
reviews into print (expect to wait many months), but you'll find the others --
especially the smaller ones -- will be eager to express an opinion soon.

Especially don't miss Dave Nalle's magazine, ABYSS.  He'll probably shred your
game (Just kidding, Dave... :>), but you may learn something along the way. 
Read all reviews with an eye toward improving your next effort.

* Get a list of distributors from an established game company.  I can't think
of any of us who wouldn't be happy to share.

* Send a copy of the game to everyone on that list, with a letter.  A couple
days after you expect the copy to have arrived, follow it up with a phone call,
if you can.  Don't harass them -- just be professional, and make yourself
available.

* Establish local contacts -- gamers, game stores, etc.  Look for people
willing to express their honest opinions, especially on topics like packaging
and presentation (which are paramount in many retailers' minds).  But stay true
to yourself -- just because Bill the Game Store Owner notes that products
featuring large-breasted women in chainmail bikinis sell well doesn't mean you
should make that the template for your cover designs!

* Attend conventions.  Give out flyers, and donate some prizes in exchange for
advertising space.

There are a few ideas.  Hope they help.

-John Nephew
President, Atlas Games