Unboxed: A Board Game Industry Discussion

Bonus Round with Jillian Ross

Do rising tides really raise all ships? Brotherwise Games thought so when they created a free, fan-focused, publisher-driven magazine called Turn Order for Gen Con 2023. Danni and Jen ask Brotherwise Marketing Designer, Jillian Ross, to share their lessons learned from this creative marketing endeavor.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Jillian Ross
Brotherwise Games
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E12 Omnichannel Sales & Marketing

Your game is designed, manufactured, and shipped. Now it's time to sell it, but where?! Matt Aiken, co-owner of Keymaster Games, joins Danni and Jen to share his experience diving into the world of omnichannel sales & marketing (OSM). Is omnichannel strategy right for you? Matt parses through the opportunities and challenges of selling your product across multiple platforms.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Matt Aiken
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

Bonus Round with Joe Wiggins

Box sizes: Who knew they could have such a powerful impact on product and sales strategy? The team at Allplay sure does! Danni and Jen tap Allplay COO, Joe Wiggins' knowledge bank about limiting the Allplay board game product catalog to two box sizes and the impact this decision has had on development and their relationship with customers.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Joe Wiggins
Allplay
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E11 So You Wanna Start a Cult?

Community building shares a common foundation with starting a cult. At least, that's what Danni and Jen think. They share insights on how to build a sustainable community around your games and brand by reflecting on your mission, onboarding new members, organizing outreach, establishing boundaries, and having a consistent schedule.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Scott Almes
Elizabeth Hargrave
Travis D. Hill
Cole Werhle
Audio transcription available here!
Episode timestamps:
0:00 - Experience at Tabletop Network
7:33 - Remember the M.O.O.N.S.
12:25 - M = Mission
19:04 - O = Onboard
24:10 - O = Outreach
32:38 - N = No-Gos
38:14 - S = Schedule
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E10 Create Lasting Media Partnerships

When was the last time you evaluated how your publisher/media relationships are going? Danni and Jen connect with some of their longest running media partnerships to see what's working, and how we can continue to grow those relationships long into the future. Investment here is about way more than money!
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Suzanne Sheldon
Danielle Standring
Grant Lyons
Audio transcription available here!
Episode timestamps:
0:00 - Publisher-creator relationships in the board game industry
5:31 - Media categories and their roles
14:57 - Publisher goals for successful game marketing
19:37 - Content creator goals and approaches
27:30 - Best practices for publishers and creators
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E9 Build Content to Drive Demand

How do we effectively use content to drive demand for our products? Danni and Jen share some observations from major campaigns both outside and inside the board game industry to inspire your own content marketing strategies.
Special thanks to our episode contributors:
Van Ryder Games
Wyrmwood Gaming
Audio transcription available here.
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E8 Marketing Green

How do we work greener in gaming? Guest T. Caires joins Danni and Jen to talk about the Green Games Guide and the future of making and marketing games greener.
Audio transcription available here.
Episode timestamps:
0:00 - Introducing T. Caires
1:41 - What is the Green Games Guide
3:23 - What does it mean to be green?
7:49 - How to be more green in your life?
12:38 - Thoughtful and intentional production
17:52 - Hidden costs of replacements
21:53 - Is paper marketing green?
30:00 - Small changes to existing products
33:16 - Think like the end-user
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E7 Is Crowdfunding Right For You?

Danni and Jen discuss three essential questions that have helped them find success in crowdfunding games. 
Audio transcription available here.
Episode timestamps:
0:00 - What is the threshold you need to hit in order for a product to have long-term success?
13:18 - How crowdfunding is not the end all, be all
18:38 - Crowdfunding is like a floating holiday
23:33 - When you have a crowdfunding campaign, you’re creating instant gratification
29:41 - The importance of making it as easy as possible for backers
35:30 - Kickstarter campaigns as a marketing tool for games
40:06 - Launch dates are a powerful day of marketing
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E6 Lifestyle Photography & Videography

Danni and Jen outline the basics of lifestyle photography and videography, how to get the most bang for your buck, and challenge listeners to think critically about visual needs for their specific product.
 
Audio transcription available here.
 
Originally aired on Twitter Spaces on January 26, 2023.Episode timestamps:
0:00 - Why do we take lifestyle photos and videos?
4:24 - What types of video content can you create?
8:33 - Deciding on and asking for aspect ratio ahead of time..
14:04 - How do lifestyle visuals play a role on Amazon?
17:01 - What to consider when you’re asking for that content.
21:19 - How storyboards are used with specific types of video.
25:12 - Turing white photos into transparent assets.
31:25 - Pricing and packaging considerations.
Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!

S1:E5 2022 Holiday Trends

Danni and Jen recap fun, engaging marketing trends they saw and tested during the 2022 holiday season. From gift guides to giving back to the community, let these marketing ideas inspire your holiday planning in 2023.
 
Audio transcription available here.
 
Originally aired on Twitter Spaces on December 6, 2022.Episode timestamps:
0:00 - When did you start seeing holiday messaging this year?
13:08 - How to segment your audience?
18:15 - Gift Guides
21:42 - Importance of consistency in sales
32:14 - Using social media during holiday
36:16 - Following trends and changes
40:22 - Environmental giving and charity
50:00 - How to inspire confidence and increase sales
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Episode written and produced by Danni Loe & Jennifer Graham-Macht.
If you liked this episode, support us further by treating us to a Ko-fi and following us on Bluesky and Threads!