Community Marketing with Danni Loe

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!

Final marketing tip from Dan & Connie to new board game creators:

“Don’t underestimate the value of curating a positive community for your campaign. Stay on top of replying to fan comments on your campaign page, BoardGameGeek, and social media. Be honest and respectful to your backers and they’ll (more often than not) show the same to you. Also, take screenshots and make a folder of positive comments as a pick-me-up on tough days!”

Thanks for listening to the Board Game Marketing Podcast!

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