Advertising Strategy

[Hatu]

Hi all,

Hatu here again. Today I am submitting my report to Creator for the plans on improving TS and increasing visitors to the websites and forums.

I wanted to make sure I got some input from the fans and players first. Advertising JG is the main goal here, but I want to also improve Turbo Sliders for the sake of future and current players.

I know that TS has been discussed A TON here (obviously), and a lot of you have your opinions on what you want to see changed... So here goes!

I have my own ideas im going to include in my report, but I want to make sure I get some input from you all to get the full spectrum.
1) better demo mode
2) less money to buy full version
3) better advertising

Question #1: What do you think would be a good way to get more customers via advertising?

Question #2: What do you want changed about the DEMO MODE specifically?

[dede]

Question #1: What do you think would be a good way to get more customers via advertising?

The best way to sell licenses is to show the whole game & cups to costumers -> I sold licenses showing the punaball cups we organise.
I think that many demo players don't know that TS has (or had, it depends on the point of view) a community that organises cups etc. Game is more fun that what they think. Maybe an in-game-calendar or cup-section could be a good way to show it.

Question #2: What do you want changed about the DEMO MODE specifically?

My list is here

[Jeffrey]

Question #1: What do you think would be a good way to get more customers via advertising?


When we advertise the game we need to show people that the game is customizable. In other words it comes with a couple of tracks and 5 cars but players can find other tracks or make their own. Also cars, on the net there are many different cars.

I found this came a long time ago, installed the demo but did not like it. But lately a couple of months ago, i found jazzy site by mistake and brought me back to TS.

Hope you get my point

[Mouse]

Well one thing could be to "stretch" the truth a bit. Example:

- There are thousands of custom tracks made by players
thats good - but you can stretch it a bit to make it sounds better :
- New tracks are being created and released by track making experts every day!
of course, not EVERY day, but its close. and we are not "experts" but there are some very great tracks being created.

i think explaining the game like this will reel in more people. Go go go Hatu!

[Flexman]

Question #2: What do you want changed about the DEMO MODE specifically?

The list dede wrote was very good. Especially:

- permission to drive at all tracks and servers (if server is full, demo players are kicked or switched as spectators when a full player joins)
- no permission to build tracks (& tiles & terrains)
- changing car colors (and only grey demo-players)

...and also the other points.

I specially like the idea that demo players are allowed in all racing servers but still registered players are taken first if some server is full. That's a nice idea, dede!

What this game also needs is some official server in Europe where you have the standard cars, 4 laps race, 20 tracks cup and about 100 typical Turbosliders tracks that aren't too long.

[Jarno]

nice ideas yes.

About that car color:
It is not so good to have like 20grey cars in race. But idea is good. It would be best that there is random stripe over those grey cars so demo players can regonize theyselves.

[Hengari]

- New tracks are being created and released by track making experts every day!
of course, not EVERY day, but its close. and we are not "experts" but there are some very great tracks being created.

With TL track generator you can make tracks by the second.
"Create as many new tracks as you like with just a couple pushes of a button." Thanks to Lzan.

Check our site for downloads and sample-tracks.

[road_oktane]

ok, we all know TS in Brasil is something apart.

We got many active players, cups and more entertainment.

But i think the only way to get more players is selling TS in a box, or on some kind of magazines whose sells cheap games in their full versions.


Demo players must get:

-1 fuel track
-1 mod tracks (tsb f1, for example)
-1 battle track (a single one)
-1 mini puna track (just to check it out)


TS needs:

-Statistic / account system

[Mouse]

- New tracks are being created and released by track making experts every day!
of course, not EVERY day, but its close. and we are not "experts" but there are some very great tracks being created.

With TL track generator you can make tracks by the second.
"Create as many new tracks as you like with just a couple pushes of a button." Thanks to Lzan.

Check our site for downloads and sample-tracks.

Great! That would be a nice ad!

[xzeal]

Question #1: What do you think would be a good way to get more customers via advertising?

Question #2: What do you want changed about the DEMO MODE specifically?

#2 if you got time to read a "not-so-very-well-constructed" text then i wrote down some thoughts about the demo version at http://tsnews.pri.ee/other/fots.htm , i still don't know why i titled it "future of ts".

[Ande]

I found this came a long time ago, installed the demo but did not like it. But lately a couple of months ago, i found jazzy site by mistake and brought me back to TS.

Just out of curiosity, what was exactly was the point that made you give the game a second chance? Being able to customize everything and seeing lots of nice extra tracks and cars?

By the way, do you and others think people in general watch the demo recordings and are they any good? I wonder if they should be made harder to miss...

[CHUD]

Here are some of my ideas.

When loading game, there is a logo for JollyGoodGames. But thats about it until a person closes the game. It would be nice to have more in game advertising. Maybe on main list of game. We can have a spot to show different websites one can go to for TurboSliders information. A link to this very forum would be beneficial. Is it possible to have a choice in the game to automatically close game and go to a website? How about on maps themselves. Can the game maps and player created maps have website information incorporated in the graphics? This would be a free way to get new players involved on our community.

Point #2. Is it possible to create maps that have time limits of existence? In other words, can you create a map for demo players to only be able to play for one month and then it stop being a demo map. For example, allow demo players to play one specific punaball track for the month of August. Come September, the map disappears and a new track is allowed for one month like battlefield. Then October, a new track is available for only one month....et cetera, et cetera.... It gives the players a chance to see the great features of the full version. Hence, they really want to buy it and you guys can finally make some income.

My next idea has more to do with the players. If advertising commences and brings in more demo players. It would be nice if the regulars participate in more DEMO cups. New players are more apt to get excited with 15 other racers instead of racing by himself. We can go a long way in being friendly and enticing people to buy full version by telling all about the better aspects of it. Full players do not want to waste a lot of time there but maybe if the owners of game tell us when major advertising is going out, we can at least try to get people to play at least in one cup a day or something.

My 4th point. I do believe $10-15 is a better price, just compared to all the free games out there in existence. $20 might be achieved if JollyGoodGames had a better recruiting reimbursement program. Instead of getting a discount if you buy multiple full versions at one time, it would be nice to have people get a piece of the action. Maybe $5 for every person you get to buy full version. A lot of people might be apt to give you advertising by convincing friends and other players to buy. That way, everyone is happy. JollyGG makes money and so do the more active players.

Thank you,

[Hatu]

great there, that of sparked me up. we should put the URL to the forum in the game. demo for sure.

[Creator]

Here are some of my ideas.

It would be nice to have more in game advertising. Maybe on main list of game. We can have a spot to show different websites one can go to for TurboSliders information. A link to this very forum would be beneficial. Is it possible to have a choice in the game to automatically close game and go to a website? How about on maps themselves. Can the game maps and player created maps have website information incorporated in the graphics? This would be a free way to get new players involved on our community.

That's a good idea actually. It shouldn't be too hard to add some links to the game. A link to the forum as well as more nagging for purchasing the full version...

My 4th point. I do believe $10-15 is a better price, just compared to all the free games out there in existence. $20 might be achieved if JollyGoodGames had a better recruiting reimbursement program. Instead of getting a discount if you buy multiple full versions at one time, it would be nice to have people get a piece of the action. Maybe $5 for every person you get to buy full version. A lot of people might be apt to give you advertising by convincing friends and other players to buy. That way, everyone is happy. JollyGG makes money and so do the more active players.

We've tried $12.95 price point. No significant difference in sales. It seems those who are willing to pay will be ok with $19.95 (in most countries at least) and those who say $19.95 is too much mostly wouldn't pay even if we lowered the price.

Now, we DO have an affiliate program and it pays 30% commission for all sales. Mostly people use it by creating affiliate-tagged sales links which will automatically give them affiliate commission on all sales. This is only available for credit card purchases though, so we also credit affiliate commissions manually for paypal/giro purchases but that works on case-by-case basis. Msg me if interested.

[dede]

Here are some of my ideas.
We've tried $12.95 price point. No significant difference in sales. It seems those who are willing to pay will be ok with $19.95 (in most countries at least) and those who say $19.95 is too much mostly wouldn't pay even if we lowered the price.

[Flexman]

We've tried $12.95 price point. No significant difference in sales. It seems those who are willing to pay will be ok with $19.95

Maybe you'd try $9.95, it sound less.

Another thing is the payment: None of my friends has a credit card, also most people are too lazy for doing bank transmissions and are thinking twice about the price before transmitting the money.

So if people could pay with something that makes them think less about the price that would be fine. Best example is if you pay via cellphone. I bet if you could pay via a simple phone call to some expensive 0900-number there would be much more registrations because people usually think less about the price if they do things immediately. I already talked about that with Ande but it seems to be difficult and expensive to get such a number. But as things in the phone sector might change quickly, maybe you keep an eye on this!

Another thing is PayPal. You pay on a click. Unfortuantely they do not accept bank accounts so you'll still need a credit card from here.

And i'm still curious for your comments on the suggestions for the demo mode. As I do not see many reasons why one should register the game now since most of the full racing servers are empty, you'd really consider about getting the players hooked to the game so that they want to pay for some small extras. I like the ideas mentioned here about demo players being allowed in all racing servers. Also xzeal had a good argument that they still need an identidy though eventually not having full controls over their car colors and names.

[xzeal]

Most of the people who buy the full version have played the demo for a while. That means they have thought it through and do not buy it spontaneously. That pay by phone does sound interesting, but i doubt it would increase sales much. However how about a "pay by mail" Or however itis called. How can this be a slicks'n'slide clone if you can't pay the same way . Jam the money in an enveloupe with an application wait a 2 or 3 days and voila . It wouldn't cost JGG a dime ( just time) and you have people in france finalnd and US, so... I may be alone on this, but a few years back when i didn't have an online bank account that was the way i prefered to buy (indie) games.

I really don't think that pay by phone would work well, i'm guessing there are lots of hidden expenditures etc. Besides i haven't seen any site offer that internationally, so i'm sceptical.

I do think that getting a huge demo "population" would make some of them buy the full version to show how dedicated fans they are and that can be done with a much looser restrictions. Besides it is much easier to brainwash demo players into buying a TS license then random joes and janes on the internet.

[mikko]

Jam the money in an enveloupe with an application wait a 2 or 3 days and voila . It wouldn't cost JGG a dime ( just time) and you have people in france finalnd and US, so... I may be alone on this, but a few years back when i didn't have an online bank account that was the way i prefered to buy (indie) games.

Sending money in a letter from one country to another is usually prohibited and might even lead to criminal prosecution.

[Flexman]

Most of the people who buy the full version have played the demo for a while. That means they have thought it through and do not buy it spontaneously. That pay by phone does sound interesting, but i doubt it would increase sales much.

That was just my idea about paying. Still the most important thing would be to give the demo players more possibilities as - like you said - usually people pay who played the game for a while.

I still think it might help a little bit if you could pay per phone but allowing demo players racing everywhere is the first priority solution as now most here agree.

[Hengari]

Most of the people who buy the full version have played the demo for a while. That means they have thought it through and do not buy it spontaneously. That pay by phone does sound interesting, but i doubt it would increase sales much.

It is true that if the decision is strong, people will buy the game even if it means using bank transfers or other not so easy ways to buy. If it could be possible to pay via SMS it could increase the amount of sold licenses because it doesn't take long to buy the game. But that "buy without thinking" possibly would not increase the amount of players. This could work atleast in Finland.

People are lazy. It's the basic fact.

I don't really know what should or could be done to entice people to buy TS but one factor could be a good TS-site which is clear and there is link to download and buy TS and this forum and other stuff. Like it is done on other game-sites. JGG site provides much information but it looks aw... Oh, now the site looks much better than it used to be.

Also now the forum works better when you don't have to input the "code" every time you post.

[Ande]

Yes, SMS paying would definitely be a very good way to pay for the game. Unfortunately, it is very hard and expensive to make that possible. If I understood correctly, you would have to make a different contract for each country you plan to make it possible. And the operators take so much money for it that nothing is left unless the sales are very very big. But yes, it is of course worth occasionally checking whether the situation has changed...

UPDATE: It seems that some development is happening in the field. For example, PayPal seems to have some plans regarding SMS payments. So maybe it would be possible in the future - let's hope so.

UPDATE 2: PayPal system might still need you to add money to your PayPal account first... But anyway, it would be odd if someone didn't make less expensive SMS payment systems for general use in the future.

[Hatu]

Jam the money in an enveloupe with an application wait a 2 or 3 days and voila . It wouldn't cost JGG a dime ( just time) and you have people in france finalnd and US, so... I may be alone on this, but a few years back when i didn't have an online bank account that was the way i prefered to buy (indie) games.

Sending money in a letter from one country to another is usually prohibited and might even lead to criminal prosecution.

this could be interesting. we have offices on 2 continents. including the USA

[Jeffrey]

Just out of curiosity, what was exactly was the point that made you give the game a second chance? Being able to customize everything and seeing lots of nice extra tracks and cars?

Yes that was what brought me back to turbo sliders again. I personally don't like the small tracks and the 5 cars which come with the game. But then when i found out that you can add/make tracks and cars..

then i got back to TS gas down.

And i think this is the beauty of TS, that it is customizable and everyone can play which tracks he likes and which cars he likes.

[dede]

And i think this is the beauty of TS, that it is customizable and everyone can play which tracks he likes and which cars he likes.

But this is also a problem: everyone plays a different thing and there are not enough players to do good cups etc. Anyways, I think that TS has to be customizable. We just need more players.

[Flexman]

Yes that was what brought me back to turbo sliders again. I personally don't like the small tracks and the 5 cars which come with the game.

I think that also shows that something is wrong with the marketing. Turbosliders had enough players who enjoyed small tracks, short races and the standard cars. But new players rather think it's a Formula 1 game then what it was ment to be.

And i think this is the beauty of TS, that it is customizable and everyone can play which tracks he likes and which cars he likes.

That's true and there is nothing bad in customizing the game for your F1 needs but as long as there are few players it's difficult to get them in one server when everyone likes different things. So from the official side it really would be nice to see some official servers for standard TS-Racing with smaller tracks, standard cars, 4 laps and also fun tracks.