Marketing 101 - Part Two

Discussion in 'Game Marketing' started by calmackay79, Feb 20, 2016.

  1. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    APP LAUNCHING
    NOTE - Due to the size of this post I am forced to split it over numerous entries....

    So once again, I'm skipping a few chapters, but don't worry I will slowly include them all and once complete I will cut/paste into a complete guide and leave it in the forums for everyone. I had a couple of requests this week to address approaching publishers and what to do on the two week lead up to your app launch.

    At this stage we are assuming you have -

    1) Built a great app, with amazing icon, have included ASO through your description and keywords. Your images used in your screenshots look professional and you have a supporting video for the IOS store.

    2) You have active business pages on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest and have been attending to them daily with posts, images & updates; building a following up through the creation of your app.

    3) Have a website landing page that you have also been updating with media packs available and a small blog addressing your app building career/adventure.

    4) You have a planned monetisation technique to make profit from your app, you have also logged your work hours and purchases so you have a set figure to measure your profits against so you know your mark against expenses, identifying how much you need to make in order to deem your app a success.

    5) Your app has been submitted to the app stores you wish to launch on, has been approved, but is dormant ready for early access/promo codes for marketing purposes.

    MORE TO FOLLOW...
     
  2. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    Now its time to reach out to Publishers, touch base with them and let them know you have a great new app for their consideration. Theres a couple of great lists people have compiled on these forums, and also some publishers also post directly into the forums. Put together your own list and put to one side - its time for you to make an email template.

    Below is a template I put together for one of our games - this is not a plug for my game, it is just easier to show how a template should be laid out with an old one I have. You can see my fonts are dated, and there are a few alignment issues, but generally its a sound email to send to publishers. NOTE - this is your email page, NOT an attachment. NEVER send attachments on initial contact, publishers and reviewers are too busy to open and download every email attachment they get.

    When you send out your mass email, make sure you BCC it, DO NOT CC everyone in your email - this instantly turns people off due to you breaking their trust by sharing their email with strangers.

    Below the template you will see points about it.
    cal pow dash template.png
    calpow dash template2.png
     
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  3. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    1) Subject line - You need their attention from the initial first line. make sure its catchy, stay away from overused lines such as 'THE NEXT FLAPPY BIRD!' and don't use capitals - keep it professional. If you have already made contact and have a direct email/name, even better!

    2) Icon/header - In the email, open with your Icon and a header - let the reviewer/publisher see your app name and icon from the get go.

    3) Sub Line - Next write one line that sums up availability of your app in one sentence.

    4) Main Paragraph - Next is the main meat of your delivery, hopefully your reviewer is still reading by now and its time to explain your game, your audience, and why your app is special/worth publishing/reviewing.

    5) Screen shots - Insert your screen shots also, in around the middle of the content, so whoever opens it can see what your app game style is.

    6) Add a quick blurb or quote - About yourself, this makes the template more personal.

    7) Links - Include links to the game itself, or promo codes/early access if not launched or if it costs money. Give them access to ascertain if they want to work with you or review it.

    8) Video link - Same as the game links, include this also. We use links to trusted sites instead of downloads, as when they wait to download something you will probably lose their interest.

    9) A link to more information to your app, usually your website you launched earlier while making the game. This will allow the reviewer/publisher access to find out more about your business without contacting you.

    10) Close out your template with # # # - This is the traditional way to finish off PR announcements, it tells the reader that your sales pitch is finished.

    11) Details - Finish off your email with contact details for you, including phone & emails/VOIP's

    Now that you have made your Email template - send it to every reviewer you know of, I was going to attach a list of mobile app reviewers, but it is pretty dated and needs a massive update, so i'll start another thread and start grouping reviewers together and encourage you guys to help add to it.

    Same with Publishers guys, send it out and see what comes back, this includes the apple review email, fire them off a copy also.

    NOTE - Make sure you follow the publishers/reviewers requests, eg - sending a violent game to a kids game publisher is pointless to everyone involved.


    Now you will also want to set up google alerts - this will allow anything that may be reviewed with your app; alert you to its release, this allows you to interact with any comments that are posted.

    Wow! your probably thinking - thats alot of work, but truth is, we are just getting started. If your serious about your app this will be a busy two weeks. Its time to hit your social media accounts and hit them hard, You will want to be posting at least 8 times a day on each account, using a scheduling social media manager like hootsuite or coscheduler can help plan this out and make it easier on your planning. Inbetween this you want to be active on forum sites like Touch arcade etc (maybe we can make a forum list also?) Comment on other peoples topics, slip in comments about your own app and also launch your template onto a new thread and bump it continuously leading up to launch.

    Use your marketing budget to also boost posts and your pages to help hit new groups of people.

    All this should consume you for the two weeks leading up to launch. If your hanging out for a publisher or get interest from one - push back your launch date and ease up on your social media blitz. Deal with the publishers and if you come to an agreement that awesome! grats on your hookup! If not continue planning for your own launch.
     
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  4. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    At launch its time to announce to the world that your app is live - this is a painful day, but its time to hit your email lists you have been compiling. 'What email lists?' you ask? well all the emails you have been gathering every time someone follows you or likes you. You need to send off your template to every follower with an additional quick blurb about your launch and thankyou for your support, make them feel engaged!

    I know, I know, looong day! but all this boosting will help you break out of the mediocre launches and help your app gain traction.

    Follow up your launch by continuing on your social media blitz and forum attack for the next two weeks after launch - if its a paid app, give away any remaining promo codes (you get more with updates) and try to be responsive to comments. Promote reviews that people make, add links, say thank you! Two weeks after launch you can start slowing down, don't forget to be responsive to emails and thank people that say they tried your game, link videos that people put up on youtube etc on your website - Engage your community!

    These are only short articles, you could literally write books (and people do) on these subjects - I am open to questions, corrections and enquires into helping create your empire.

    Cal is Director of MackDavi Creative - A company that specialises in social media marketing, web site building & mobile app development (both games & informative)


    Feel free to contact me through this site for any enquiries.
     
  5. dineshpatil416

    dineshpatil416 Boxer

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  6. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    Thanks @dineshpatil416 I wanted to post it to Marketing 101, but for some reason I couldn't no matter how much I broke it down.
     
  7. heathclose

    heathclose Miniboss Boxer

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    awesome stuff @calmackay79 , if you are unable to post to marketing 101 any longer, can you edit your titles to include "- Marketing 101" so we can easily see it's part of the series... and/or tag them all with "marketing 101" or something so we can search that term and see the whole series come back?
     
  8. Eric H

    Eric H Boxer

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    Thanks for these marketing tips @calmackay79.
    I'm currently in the thick of it pre-launch, and it's good to see i'm doing a few things right.
     
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  9. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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  10. heathclose

    heathclose Miniboss Boxer

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    awesome!
     
  11. rizwanashraf

    rizwanashraf Avid Boxer

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    Great Information, Want to add one thing only. Active Instagram Profile as well.
     
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  12. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    Social Platform management really comes down to what you can handle @rizwanashraf Its better to do something really well, than many things mediocre. I'm strong with the three I talk about, but have never really used Instagram due to it being more mobile based around its operation, but now you can feed Instagram from Facebook - you make a pretty valid point. If anyone has strong Instagram knowledge I welcome a blurb about its use.
     
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  13. Phill Mason

    Phill Mason Serious Boxer

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    Top info @calmackay79, many thanks for posting, it's a great reference, cheers.
     
  14. BossGames

    BossGames Boxer

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    calmackay79 likes this.
  15. JoeWilson

    JoeWilson Avid Boxer

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    Nice list of steps and template! Thanks. PR I typically send out look very similar. But I have been doing a build up to launch. I'm going to follow this for sure! thanks!
     
  16. Wings n Armor

    Wings n Armor Avid Boxer

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    MARKETING is vital
     
  17. hunttrader

    hunttrader Boxer

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    Awesome post.
     
  18. themanualfocus

    themanualfocus Boxer

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  19. energizerlithium

    energizerlithium Avid Boxer

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    Your posts are awesome @calmackay79 , very helpful. I just had a question regarding social media platforms. I don't use them but I've heard that Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Fan pages can greatly impact your downloads and it can be a very helpful launch strategy.

    Some people even say that a lot of publishers use huge followings on social media platforms to get massive downloads, but I'm not sure what to think of that.

    How well would social media even convert in terms of percentage, and what's the number of followers/fans etc you'd need to see an actual impact on your downloads? 100,000, 1,000,000?

    Anyone have an idea, and what would you say about this @calmackay79?
     
  20. calmackay79

    calmackay79 Boxer

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    Hello @energizerlithium Thank you for your kind words, hopefully they all help a bit. I am just starting to find my feet again after replacing my laptop, so you should start hearing more from me again in the near future.

    As to your question, it really boils down to a few basic fundamentals, I'll use facebook as my medium as I'm most familiar with it, but the idea is the same across all social media sites (slightly different in each case, but core is same)

    Building a fan base makes a massive difference to your downloads, but trying to do it a week before launch is never going to happen. You need to create a community, not pitch a product.

    How to do this? spark up a cliché little group around something similar to your game, and run with it throughout the buiild, even while your in conception phase, eg making your first platformer? Make a platformer fan page around Mario, Sonic, Megaman - the old gods if you will. But don't just say you like them, put up memes that ppl can share, add links to cool mario shirts, and slowly slowly add in your own, but do it in a way that encourages comment (do you like 'A' or 'B') Like back on their comments, share stuff that they show you - make a community!

    I've written about this in my other segment, and cover some of this stuff, but as you grow - so will your audience, and you will hopefully attract a couple of 'groupies' = ppl that post and comment alot. Invite them to be posting members! let them do your work for you (just watch them for awhile to start)

    Now actual conversions is a tricky one as your encouraging downloads through a community based point, not direct sales (unless your running ads) So it kinda ramps up similar to apps, You probably won't notice an increase in numbers until your pushing 10k+ likes (I would actually say more like 50k+) at that point you will start to notice your posts will affect downloads, but only very slowly to start, the big numbers come from a million plus likes, just like apps, you tube videos & celebrity endorsements.

    But its free, and it only takes 20-30minutes a day to do once you know how effectively. So its easy to keep building your base, letting it grow as your app business does......hope this helps!
     

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