Welcome to the world of Video Game Public Relations (PR)! Whether you’re just starting your journey in PR or you’re here out of curiosity to understand what makes this industry tick, you’ve come to the right place for an overview of the basics. This blog series is designed to serve as an overview of PR essentials, tailored specifically for professionals taking their first steps in the PR arena or those who are eager to understand what PR entails in the world of gaming.
This is Part 2 of a 4-part series. You can navigate to other entries below:
- Part 1 – Video Game PR Essentials
- Part 2 – The Sales Funnel – You are here!
- Part 3 – Building a PR & Marketing Campaign
- Part 4 – The Life Cycle of a PR Campaign
the Sales Funnel
The sales funnel is a model that outlines the typical journey a consumer takes before making a purchase. This concept is crucial for PR professionals as it helps break apart the promotional stages of a game from initial exposure to the final sale (and beyond!). For the sake of simplicity, we will explore a simplified version of this funnel, divided into four main stages.
Awareness
This stage is all about visibility. Your goal is to get as many people as possible to notice your game. It doesn’t matter whether they are your target audience at this point; exposure is key. Not a lot is necessary at this stage other than your first visuals and the very basics of your marketing essentials (which we will touch on in the next entry).
This stage typically kicks off with the game reveal. Remember, when it comes to PR, First impressions DO matter, so ensure that the visuals and initial marketing materials you are showing as part of your reveal are polished and reflect the quality of the game. These elements will represent your project throughout its lifecycle, and whether you intend for it or not, these will be the assets that will be referenced whenever someone’s talking about your game. Make them shine!
Interest
Now, the focus shifts to engaging your target audience. This stage should revolve around highlighting the Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) of your game —those things that set your title apart. The interest stage is about deepening the —you guessed it—interest of those who have already noticed your game by providing more specific information, such as gameplay mechanics, story elements, and other differentiators. This phase often builds up to important announcements like the game’s release date, pricing, and platform availability.
Decision
Also known as the customer or consumer stage. At this point, the consumer is poised to make the purchase. This stage is about conversion—turning interest into units sold. The key here is to reinforce the consumer’s decision by emphasizing the game’s positive aspects and unique features. Discussing what players love about the game, its development insights, and fostering a welcoming community can help solidify this decision.
Evangelists
This stage is also known as the fan stage or the loyalty stage. The final stage of the sales funnel focuses on those who not only purchased the game but loved it enough to become its champions. These are your evangelists.
Effective community management can turn active fans into vocal advocates who promote the game through word-of-mouth, both within their inner circle and across social media. Engaging these fans through channels like Discord can ensure they feel valued and integral to the game’s community, encouraging them to spread the word even further.
By understanding and effectively managing each stage of the sales funnel, you can maximize the reach and impact of your game’s PR campaign. Each stage is designed to build upon the last, slowly building up interest in order to maximize potential sales and sustained community support.
With your previous knowledge on the 6 pillars of games PR and your new-found understanding of the Sales Funnel, you are finally ready to build the PR plan for your upcoming game. Check out the next entry in our explainer series for a step-by-step guide on how to do so!
Part 3 – Video Game PR 101: Building a PR & Marketing Campaign