[Crimson Exodus] Tips for promoting a roleplaying game

[clausbo]

Ok, so I've published my second roleplaying related book, and my first fully fledged roleplaying game, but how in the name of the Empress do I get the word out?

I'm proud of the what I think is a very solid product. I've achieved my aim of writing a game system that encourages roleplaying and creativity, allows tactical play and provides a lot of detail while keeping the rules simple. The setting is a sword & sorcery meets Tolkien fantasy blend which I've somewhat unfairly summed up a few times as "sword & sorcery with elves & orcs". Unfairly because there is a lot more to the setting than that.

I got it selling on DriveThruRPG/RPGNow, I'm blogging about the game on my website, I have a facebook page, I've created a preview PDF and I've announced it in the appropriate threads on the main forums. I've shown off some of the professional artwork from the book. I've created the first couple of episodes in a series of youtube tutorials on the game. I've not got any reviews yet which I know is terrible and neither do I have any actual play reports. I'll try to rectify both of those, and if anyone has any suggestions on how to get a product reviewed tell me, but is there anything else I should be doing?

Thank You

Claus
http://www.radicalapproach.co.uk

[Vulpinoid]

This is exactly where I'm sitting with my game FUBAR.

I'm desperately trying to come up with novel way to market the product without spending heaps of money that I don't have.

One of the things I've always heard mentioned as a good idea is to send out the game to people who guarantee to review it for you. Feed on those reviews, seed them onto your facebook group.

If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to let you know.

[Mike Sugarbaker]

The best way in this day and age to promote a game is to be an active member of a community of enthusiasts. In practical terms, as much as I wish it were otherwise, that means participating on web forums. If you come across as an interested human who happens to have a game, not as a shill, you can start forming a sort of "street team" of people who blog and influence others. Or you can just learn a lot from them and find the seeds of your next game!

[ADGBoss]

How do you get people to buy your game? Easy - you get people to play your game. Local and national conventions usually have a place for the non-big boys to come and show off a bit. You may only get two or three players per slot but handing them a card or a cheap trinket with the URL to buy your game is a great way to start. Better yet, have a few hard copies ready to sell if you indeed have them or get cheap 1gb thumb drives with the PDFs.

Between conventions, advertise game days at your Local store and show up and play. Run the hell out of the game.

Also find someone who is enthusiastic, give them a copy (hard copy is best, otherwise its too easy to copy PDFs) and let them run some games.

Could someone who knows speak on the process of getting reviews on something like rpg.net?

[Mark Truman]

I got it selling on DriveThruRPG/RPGNow, I'm blogging about the game on my website, I have a facebook page, I've created a preview PDF and I've announced it in the appropriate threads on the main forums. I've shown off some of the professional artwork from the book. I've created the first couple of episodes in a series of youtube tutorials on the game. I've not got any reviews yet which I know is terrible and neither do I have any actual play reports. I'll try to rectify both of those, and if anyone has any suggestions on how to get a product reviewed tell me, but is there anything else I should be doing?

I've run a successful non-rpg business for some time, and I can tell you that patience is your best friend.  Just keep pushing at the marketing, don't get discouraged, and make sure that you really treat your early adopters well.  Get their email addresses.  Update them on the next game.  Ask them if they want to do a webinar to learn how to run the game really well, etc.

It sounds to me like you've done really well so far.  Just keep it up!  And let us know how it goes!