16 - Trade Shows and Conventions

Conventions and trade shows are excellent places to make valuable connections. These might include media contacts, publishers, manufacturers, logistics partners, or fans of your game—or of you as an author. Importantly, these connections can be made both as a visitor and as an exhibitor.

As a visitor, you can walk from booth to booth, but you’ll often miss many people—especially those without booths, like media contacts. Still, these interactions are incredibly valuable, and you can also get a good sense of what your own booth might look like next year.

Having a booth is expensive, especially considering how many people you actually reach. In terms of acquiring new customers, the investment rarely pays off—unless you’re also selling games directly at the booth. Beyond the booth rental itself, there are costs for decoration, travel, and possibly extra shipping for bulky decor or games, especially if you’re offering them by the pallet.

However, being an exhibitor makes it much easier for others to find you, and it’s also a great opportunity to showcase your work—something that’s often difficult as a visitor. Many reviewers and potential fans don’t have booths themselves, so they need to be able to find you.

Trade show contacts are extremely valuable because you’ve already made direct contact. You’ve met in person, and there’s no hesitation about reaching out again. Interested parties are not only likely to become customers—they might even become supporters by promoting your game or helping in other ways. After all, they now know the game designer personally and can get involved. The personal experience visitors have with you sticks with them for a long time. I’m convinced there’s no form of advertising with a longer-lasting effect.

Sure, people remember you when they see a picture of you or your game. But that doesn’t mean they’ll think of it at the right moment. That’s why it’s so important to point them toward your newsletter and social media. That way, they can support you when it’s time to say “Kickstarter is live!” or when there’s an interesting post to share and comment on.

You might even be able to hand out review copies directly at the show, saving on shipping costs and delivery time. That’s not to be underestimated—you often don’t have many review copies, and they need to reach and be played by as many people as possible.

During COVID, things got a lot trickier. Digital conventions became the norm. As an exhibitor, I’m still not particularly enthusiastic about them. Sometimes the “booth fees” are still quite high, and there’s a lot of extra work involved. Usually, you need to set up a website that looks professional and appealing. And unless you offer a livestream where you can interact with visitors, the whole thing lacks a personal touch. If you want the livestream to look polished, that’s a huge amount of work!

The advantage of digital conventions is their accessibility—especially since they’re usually free for visitors. So you can expect decent traffic. But that doesn’t mean visitors will “pass by” your booth like they would at a physical event. It’s a very different experience. For example, when I exhibit at Spiel in Essen, I can speak to every visitor in either German or English. Online, I have to choose just one language for the livestream. And it’s a different dynamic when someone isn’t standing in front of you. Viewers are completely anonymous—you can ask for questions and comments, but interaction has to be initiated from their side.

Also, there’s no real reason why these contacts couldn’t just be made online. Anyone attending a digital convention can find your content online anyway. Even selling at a booth doesn’t feel any different than selling through a webshop.

From others who participated digitally at Spiel, I mostly heard that it felt like a flop—expensive, a lot of effort, and not many “visitors.

After Attending Several Conventions:
Conventions vary widely—some focus entirely on board games, others on gaming in general. Gaming conventions are often split between digital and analog formats. You can see this in the attendees: a large portion is only interested in the digital side. So the number of truly interested visitors is much lower than the total attendance.
Conventions are always a big effort, and you have to weigh whether the cost is worth it. The Spiel in Essen, thanks to its size and visitor numbers, is reasonably priced. But as an exhibitor, including travel and setup/teardown, you’ll need about a week.
Still, the experience as an exhibitor at Spiel is always fantastic, and it pains me every time I can’t have a booth. I love being there every year. The connections are amazing—whether it’s fans with great ideas or other designers, publishers, and manufacturers you can learn a lot from.

What kind of experiences have you had at board game conventions, whether physical or digital? Opinions surely vary—I’m curious to hear yours!

15 – How Do You Become Part of a Community? Social Media (Part 2)

There are several social media platforms that allow you to create your own communities. Generally speaking, there are three key points to keep in mind:

• The content should be interesting to the community—otherwise, members have no incentive to stay.

• Content needs to be posted regularly, and inquiries should be answered promptly. If the channel is active, the chances of having active members increase significantly. Reach—meaning who sees your posts—is heavily influenced by activity on many platforms.

• The content should match the platform. Different platforms clearly target specific types of information.

Based on my personal experience, certain channels work particularly well when it comes to board games and Kickstarter. It’s also important to consider whether you want to build a community around a specific game/publisher or a broader topic. The effort required can vary greatly.

Facebook:
Best suited for discussions around specific topics. A large portion of the content is created by active members.
A Facebook page is mainly used to post information about a product or company. Posts here are mostly written by the owner, and followers are less involved.
Facebook Group: Facebook communities primarily operate through groups. If you want people to exchange ideas about a game, a Facebook group is a good idea. It’s important to post questions and spark discussions. It’s also recommended to allow members to post in the group, but keep an eye on things to ensure comments and posts don’t get out of hand. Facebook offers a wide range of excellent groups for topic-specific exchanges, and members tend to be very active.

Photo by dole777 on Unsplash

Instagram:
Ideal for posting images. Especially for board games, illustrations create a strong mood and atmosphere. Instagram favors frequent posting of images and stories (short posts that disappear after a while) to increase visibility. It’s a great platform for getting feedback on visuals. Don’t forget to add text to your images—questions tend to get more responses! Short videos have also become very popular and significantly increase your chances of being recommended to other users. Instagram also expects a lot of interaction beyond your own posts, such as liking and commenting on others’ content.

Blog:
A blog allows readers to get to know the author better. It’s a great way to share opinions, interests, and expertise, and to connect with like-minded individuals. As with all other channels, it’s important to engage with the community—so be sure to ask questions! Encourage readers to leave comments you can respond to. This boosts the channel’s relevance and motivates the writer. 😉

YouTube:
Like a blog, YouTube lets you share opinions, interests, and expertise. If the focus is solely on a board game or Kickstarter, a “making-of” video could be an option. However, keep in mind that a lot of material is needed to maintain community interest. If you’re creating a general board game channel, remember that producing videos is time-consuming—especially if you want them to look professional. You’ll need equipment and plenty of time.

Podcasts:
I don’t have much experience with podcasts yet, but I think they’re similar to blogs or YouTube. The main challenge is making episodes engaging through conversations with guests. So it’s not just a regular time commitment for you, but also for others. That said, board game podcasts are quite popular.

Twitter:
Seems to be less relevant for board games, since only short text posts are possible. Board games often require more explanation. While you can post images here too, Instagram offers much better options for that.

Foren:
BoardGameGeek and Reddit are examples of massive platforms. It’s definitely worth being an active part of these communities, as you can find people interested in your own community there. BoardGameGeek feels very open and helpful, though the platform is extensive and takes time to navigate. Reddit is a bit different—you should familiarize yourself with its social norms before diving in. The community is powerful, but not easily accessible.

There’s a lot to say on this topic. If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to share! Have you built your own community? How did it go? I’m really looking forward to your comments. There will definitely be more posts on this subject in the future.

14 – How Do You Become Part of a Community? Social Media (Part 1)

On social media platforms—whether it’s Facebook or online forums—it’s easy to follow a community. But does that mean you’re truly part of that group?

Even if you read every post and know exactly who writes the most interesting content, which inside jokes are common, and what social norms have developed there—you might feel like part of the group. But does the group actually recognize you as a member?

Unlike real life, just being there goes unnoticed on social media. You recognize others because they contribute—by posting or commenting. But no one notices if you’re just reading or occasionally liking something. You only become visible—and accepted—when you start contributing and interacting. That’s when the community starts to see you as one of their own.

Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash

I personally consider myself very much a part of the board game community: I’ve introduced many people to games in Salzburg and organized events. I design a game for players and have poured time and resources into the project. That certainly makes me a board gamer—but unless I actually participate in specific board game communities, people there won’t know me.

This can especially be a problem when it comes to promotion. In many groups, it’s frowned upon if your first post is a game announcement. Sure, you’re sharing something the group might genuinely enjoy—something they wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. But to them, you’re still a stranger promoting a product.

You don’t have to be part of every community. But it’s worth becoming active in key groups, especially the larger ones where conversations happen. Just be aware—it takes time and effort. Don’t expect to be well-known after just a few weeks. Post meaningful content. Engage in conversations. Offer the community something of value. That’s what builds interest in you—and eventually, in your game too.

On top of that, regular activity boosts your visibility. Many social media platforms reduce your reach if there’s little interaction. But that’s a topic for another post.

If you’re part of a board game community yourself, I’d be thrilled to receive an invite. I’d love to introduce myself and my game, and I’d be happy to answer your questions—if I’m welcome and invited, of course. I’d truly appreciate it.

13 – Why Are Newsletters So Important for Crowdfunding Projects?

When I looked into marketing for crowdfunding campaigns—at least in the board game world—the most common question I heard was: “How big is your email list? You need newsletter subscribers.”

There are several reasons for this. I’ve already mentioned that it’s good to start marketing early. But the earlier I begin, the longer interested people have to wait for the game. A newsletter gives me a way to stay in touch with very little interaction. You only have to sign up once, and from then on, you’ll stay updated with almost no effort. You can read the email and catch up when you have time—unlike social media posts, which quickly disappear into the feed.

That said, it’s really important that the newsletter is well-crafted. I want my readers to benefit from it—not feel annoyed. That starts with the subject line: it shouldn’t feel like spam. After all, the recipient signed up and showed interest in the game. So it should be clear that it’s about the game, and it shouldn’t sound like a sales pitch.

I now divide my newsletters into 4 to 5 short sections on different topics. They’re not long and are usually illustrated with images. I make sure the newsletter is concise yet informative—so readers learn something new or get a glimpse of the game. I vary the content too:

• Information about the game mechanics for those who just want to understand how it plays

• Insights about the team to build trust with the creator

• Artwork to capture the game’s atmosphere

• What’s coming next—so readers have something to look forward to

• Occasional updates on special events

With this mix, I hope to cover at least two areas of interest for each subscriber, keeping the excitement alive. I also ask questions to spark conversations with my readers—these interactions are incredibly valuable. Even later on, they help gather key feedback or rally support for your Kickstarter.

To grow your email list, mention the newsletter subscription at every opportunity. Ask people if they’d like to be added. Be transparent about how their email will be used. And definitely set up a landing page—a simple site focused on getting people to subscribe. That’s what I did for Magical Friends.

I used Mailchimp.com to send my newsletters. I'm happy with how easy it was to create and distribute them, and the site also offers great analytics tools. It even lets you create a landing page—though I’m not fully sold on those options yet. The Landing Page is still there, but now I got the Publishers site for new things to come.

Overall, I found marketing pretty challenging. I wasn’t able to grow my subscriber list as much as I’d hoped. It really takes a lot of time and persistence!

12 - How to Get Noticed

To sell a game in a meaningful quantity, friends and acquaintances alone aren’t enough—you also need to attract strangers. That’s not possible without advertising.

In this post, I’ll share some experiences from others in the industry, as well as my own journey. There are several major topics I’ll likely cover in separate posts:

• Social Media

• Newsletters

• Reviewers

• Trade Show Appearances

• Paid Advertising

But before diving into those points: When should you start advertising?

The general consensus is pretty clear—the earlier, the better. Naturally, you might wonder whether people will lose interest in the game over time. That’s true, which is why it’s crucial to keep them regularly (!) engaged with interesting updates. While some people will inevitably drop off, others will join in—and especially those who stick with your game all the way to Kickstarter are likely your most valuable fans. Those fans not only tend to support your game on Kickstarter but also often contribute to spreading the word ahead of time.

That said, there's a lot to keep in mind. Once you start telling people about your game, they should also have a way to follow you. If you don’t have a social media channel, website, or newsletter set up, the information you share will quickly be forgotten. Even worse, someone who’s genuinely excited about your project won’t be able to help spread the word.

Zeigt euch!

If you decide to launch a promotional campaign, be prepared—it marks the beginning of a larger, ongoing effort. You’ll only be able to sustain a certain level of excitement if you provide regular updates. That also means preparing enough interesting content for the weeks ahead. There's no turning back from here.

For the initial promotional effort, a Landingpage is highly recommended. It's a simple website that gives a brief overview of the game and, most importantly, offers visitors the chance to sign up for a newsletter.

More on that in the next post.

Have you had any experience with this topic? What’s your take on it? How long can you stay excited about a product? What do you enjoy supporting? Leave us a comment—we’d love to hear from you!

7 - Shipping and Warehouses

A third crucial factor in determining the selling price is shipping costs. Of course, one can handle the shipping personally and save some money, but there are many pitfalls. The more successful a project becomes, the more space is needed for full pallets and packaging cartons. While shipping and packaging materials might be slightly cheaper than using a warehouse, one should not expect significant savings for the considerable effort involved. Additionally, Kickstarter backers will also face some inconveniences.

That is why, for Magical Friends and How to Summon Them, I will definitely use warehouses that handle the shipping. These can be found online under Fulfillment Centers. One important aspect of shipping is customs. My manufacturer, Longpack, even offers direct shipping to Kickstarter backers, but the shipping costs to Europe and the USA are relatively high. While one could save part of the freight costs to warehouses (I emphasize "part" since excess inventory still needs to be stored somewhere), this is not enough to compensate for the lower shipping costs from a warehouse in the USA or Europe.

How many boardgames might be in there? Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

Moreover, customs can be quite troublesome for Kickstarter backers. If I ship my freight to Europe and the USA before distributing it to backers, I pay customs fees based on the manufacturing costs. For instance, I would be charged customs duties on €15 for manufacturing + freight. However, if I were to send the board game directly to backers in Europe or China, it might get stuck in customs, and buyers could end up paying customs fees on the €70 purchase price. Since about two-thirds of Kickstarter backers come from the USA and one-third from Europe, it makes sense to store the goods in warehouses—such as Quartermaster Logistics in the USA and Happyshops in Europe—before forwarding them to backers. If you request pricing lists, you will quickly notice that this approach results in much better shipping rates for the USA and Europe.

It is not uncommon for Kickstarter projects to partially subsidize shipping costs in certain regions. However, this must be carefully calculated. The final price should not exceed what backers are willing to pay. Customers usually resist paying more than 15% of the product price for shipping. The remaining shipping costs must be factored into the product price. Unfortunately, for customers outside of Europe or the USA, the price will be higher. However, if a Kickstarter campaign attracts a large number of customers from a specific region—such as Australia—it might be worth looking into an additional warehouse.

Shipping is a critical expense in any Kickstarter project, and miscalculations can quickly lead to financial issues. I hope this post has provided some insight into the topic! If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment—it might help others as well. You can also send me a message.

One year after the Kickstarter:
Interestingly, the ratio of USA orders to European orders in my Kickstarter turned out to be closer to 1:4—meaning significantly more European backers. Many of my buyers came from local events and conventions, which likely explains the higher number of European supporters. I believe the more backers a project gains, the more the ratio shifts. Establishing a strong presence in the USA has been challenging for me. For a future Kickstarter, I might reduce the inventory shipped to the USA, as selling off surplus stock has been difficult, leading to additional storage costs.
Another point: Sometimes, I also send packages from home. Even for these individual shipments, sending them from a warehouse within Europe is still cheaper, despite the significantly higher effort involved. I’m not sure how things would look with a shipping contract for a larger number of packages.
At the moment, customs duties in the USA are also an issue—I hope there will be better news on this soon. Until then, this remains a challenging topic in the USA.

4 - Your Jobs as a Kickstarter Creator

While Kickstarter projects can be small-scale, if you aim to launch a board game that fits the market in terms of price and quality, there’s a lot to do. You can only set a competitive retail price starting at production quantities of 1,000 pieces (in some cases, 500 pieces). Selling that many copies is no easy task.

Many of these tasks can be handled by yourself, with friends, your team, or by hiring someone. The more people you pay, however, the higher the financial risk.

Business Management: If you want to avoid losses and make a profit (even a small one), you’ll need a company. Establishing a company entails several steps. You’ll need legal advice (e.g., for copyrights, trademark laws, taxes) and have to handle bookkeeping, plan income and expenses, and assess risks. In Austria, there is good support available when starting a business.

Game Design: You’re likely handling the game design yourself. What you’ll need, however, are game testers. While friends might be sufficient at first, you’ll soon require external testers and eventually blind testers, who test the game solely using the instructions. Multiple rounds of testing and revisions are necessary, with both voluntary and paid testers available. The tighter your project timeline, the more likely you’ll need to rely on paid testers.

Illustrators and Graphic Designers: Illustrations are crucial to bringing your game to life and creating its atmosphere, as well as attracting potential customers. While simpler art styles can also be effective, the illustrations must look professional. Hiring an experienced artist is a worthwhile investment. Graphic design is equally important. While some stunning artwork may need to be adjusted for clarity, a well-designed game is essential. Illustrations and graphic design represent one of the first significant financial risks before launching your Kickstarter.

Translators and Proofreaders: Spelling errors can appear unprofessional, especially in promotional materials such as newsletters and websites. It’s equally critical to ensure the quality of the game manual. Others should review your materials, and for the final product, a professional should thoroughly examine your game.

Manufacturing and Shipping: You’ll need a manufacturer and will have to gather quotes to find the right one. Collaboration with the manufacturer is key. To transport finished games to your storage or warehouses, you’ll also require a freight company. Your Kickstarter campaign helps cover these initial production costs.

Shipping: While assembling and shipping packages yourself is possible, a successful Kickstarter will demand more space and time. Fulfillment centers can take over storage and shipping, saving you considerable effort. Though this service is pricier, it minimizes logistical challenges.

Marketing: If no one knows about your game, no one will buy it. You’ll need a website or landing page to drive interest in your newsletter. Newsletters are essential for keeping potential customers engaged over time. A well-produced video and advertising campaigns (e.g., on Facebook) are necessary for your Kickstarter launch. Collaborating with bloggers and reviewers and showcasing your game at conventions are also effective strategies. Building interactions with potential fans is vital—they can convert into Kickstarter backers. Professional help can be sought for various tasks, but advertising represents another major expense before launching your Kickstarter.

Distributors/Retail: If your Kickstarter succeeds, you’ll need to navigate the retail market. Negotiations with retailers and distributors will be necessary.

Although you can outsource some tasks, you’ll still need to familiarize yourself with each step to accurately estimate costs.

During the Kickstarter Campaign: Everything comes into play, and the workload can easily become overwhelming. This period often brings a desire for additional support, with numerous offers from others—ranging from scams to genuine assistance. Be cautious, especially with promises of quick advertising results. If you’re exploring advertising support, it may already be too late. Researching reliable help in advance is advisable.

On a positive note, you’ll meet many people who genuinely support you, particularly in the areas of retail and distribution. Prepare for a social experience!

A team is super valuable!

I will get into more details with these jobs in the following Blog Entries

What experiences have you had with these tasks? Do you work in any of these areas? I look forward to your comments!