How to Market a Board Game: The Basics
By Hersh GlueckTo market a board game, first find the players it is for, then talk to them and build a website that turns visitors into buyers. Only then choose your marketing channels: your own website, Amazon, conventions, shops, big retailers or crowdfunding. This guide covers the fundamentals of how to market a game, then compares every channel.
The board game and card game market is crowded, so your game has to reach the right audience to make the sales you need. There are two kinds of marketing: discovery (word of mouth, press releases, reviewers and community) and advertising (Google, Amazon and Facebook ads, banners and more). They differ, but they share the same foundation.
Check Out Our Free Resource: Fundamental Marketing Checklist
A short checklist covering the marketing fundamentals.
The Three Fundamentals
Whatever your game marketing strategy, these three come first:
- Find your audience. Decide who your game is for, why they would like it and what makes it unique. Our guide to your game target audience describes the five main types of players.
- Talk to your audience. Learn what they like and dislike. Run anonymous surveys, and ask reviewers and playtesters for their advice.
- Build a website. Use what you learned to build a website that represents your company and your game, and that turns visitors into customers.
How to Build a Website That Sells
A website that converts visitors into customers needs careful planning; it is often worth hiring a professional. These are the essentials:
- Clear messaging: say why your game is the best choice for your audience, and what they will feel when they play it.
- Visuals: high-quality images and videos that show the game and the experience: fun, intense, scary or silly.
- Easy to use: visitors should find what they need quickly, on a phone as well as a computer.
- Trust: reviews, testimonials and awards.
- A clear call to action: a visible button to buy or back the game.
- A lead magnet: visitors who do not buy should still leave their email, in return for something they can only get by subscribing.
Board Game Marketing Channels Compared
Marketing channels fall into three groups: online, offline and crowdfunding. Most publishers combine several:
| Channel | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own website | You control the presentation and get customer data from every sale | Buyers may hesitate to buy from a site they do not know | Building a brand and an email list |
| Amazon, Etsy and eBay | Trusted marketplaces with a huge audience | Hard to stand out; ads can get expensive | Reaching buyers who would not find you otherwise |
| Conventions and trade shows | Face-to-face demos, buzz and industry contacts | Travel, booth and display costs | Building early fans and meeting publishers |
| Game, toy and hobby shops | Your game on real shelves | Slow turnover for lesser-known games; usually needs a distributor | Games that already have some buzz |
| Major retailers | Huge volume | They usually only stock proven products | Games with a sales track record |
| Crowdfunding | Funds the print run and builds a community before launch | Large upfront marketing spend with no guarantee | Complex games for a dedicated hobby audience |
Online Channels
Your own store gives you the most control and valuable customer data, but buyers may hesitate with a site they do not know. Make it secure and easy to use, and consider a first-order discount. Amazon, Etsy and eBay are trusted and reach a huge audience, but many games compete there and ads can cost more than they return. It is still worth listing your game; read our guide on how to sell your board game on Amazon.
Offline Channels
Conventions and trade shows such as PAX, Essen and GAMA, and many smaller regional events, let you demo your game face to face. Bring a playable copy, an eye-catching display and marketing materials. Small game, toy and hobby shops usually buy through a distributor; turnover can be slow for lesser-known games, so build buzz online first. See our guide to board game distributors. Major retailers such as Target and Walmart usually stock only proven products, but some run programs for new brands; Target's Target Takeoff is an accelerator for brands launching at Target for the first time. Entry is competitive, so you need a sales record and a solid business plan.
Crowdfunding
Kickstarter, Gamefound and similar sites let you pitch your game, build a community and collect pledges before you print. But crowdfunding is not for everyone or every game. It takes a much larger investment than promoting your own website: campaigns that raise up to about USD 30,000 typically spend around USD 6,000 on ads and the infrastructure around the project, and income is not guaranteed even if you fund. Ask two questions first:
- Does your target audience back crowdfunding projects, or do they prefer to buy games and get them straight away?
- Can you invest the time and money for a pitch video, a campaign page and a community before you sell anything?
If your game is cheap enough to make and you believe in it, you can simply make it and sell it through the channels above. If you choose crowdfunding, compare the board game crowdfunding sites and follow our Kickstarter pre-launch plan.
Next Steps
With the fundamentals in place, grow awareness for free with our guide on how to promote a board game, then add paid reach with board game advertising.
Frequently Asked Questions
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