Six Marketing Tips From... My Home Poker Game?

Happiness, at least pre-flop

One of the most successful long-term programs I've ever been involved with has, well, very little to do with my life as a marketing and advertising pro. And it might spur some good thinking for your own campaign. But first, a little personal background, as to why I developed this hobby.

I grew up in Philadelphia, PA, then moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for an opportunity in 1999. In 2006, I got an offer from an old manager to join her at a NYC start up. As CA home prices were dooming us to a life of rentals, I took the offer, and bought a home near a train station between Manhattan and Philly. But as we had never lived in this area before, and our friends in our old home town were still pretty far away, we felt a little rootless and lonely at the start.

That's where the poker game came in. I invited friends from Philly, co-workers from New York, and the handful of people we knew in the area, and got a half dozen people to fill a table in my basement. That was in 2008, and that one-time event has now turned into once every three weeks, and one table into three or four, and a cold unfinished basement into a place people really enjoy. The game keeps growing and getting better, despite casinos opening in the area, and New Jersey players now being able to play all kinds of poker, at all hours, online. So why has it worked?

1) We found a niche.

Most home games are for very low stakes, which means that players don't take the game too seriously, and might graduate to something that keeps them more focused. At my game, we continually strive to keep things at a true middle, where no one ever loses too much, but the winners take home enough to make the day a good one.

Similarly, most home games only play one kind of poker (Texas Hold'Em, the one you are most likely to see on TV), and for similar stakes every time out. At my game, you'll find variations (Omaha, Pineapple, "bounty" events, and some other fairly unique rules) from time to time, which makes it very different from any other game I know. We still mostly play straight up hold'em, but the other offerings keep the main game fresh.

2) Know what you are not... but learn what you can.

If you are a big-time player, some of the biggest poker action in the country is still in Atlantic City, which isn't that far of a drive from where I live. As I mentioned before, there's also legal online play. And in all of these options, you'll find cutthroat play from players who might test your patience with questionable behavior or language, stakes that might put your standard of living at risk, and players who make their living from grinding away on non-professionals. You also won't find a lot of banter, running jokes, or players that are likely to become good friends outside of the game.

What you will find at my place, however, is similar tournament software, chips, cards, chairs, snacks and drinks -- because while I'm not the kind of guy who plays in casinos too often, I am the kind of marketer who is always looking to see what others in my consumer category are doing. And what I can emulate, or maybe even do better.

Oh, and here's another key point: while the game is for middle stakes, we still have a relatively big money event at the end of every year, because we squirrel away a portion of every tournament pot to a Player of the Year prize. If you win that, you get your name on the wall, and a pot that will make for a very merry holiday season. Which also encourages everyone involved to not skip events, since consistent attendance is pretty much required, along with good play and luck, to taking down that prize.

3) Empower evangelists... but with control.

If you are a regular at my game, and you bring a new player, you get a portion of your tournament fee waved... but only if that new player is invited back to play again. (Remember what I said about people with questionable behavior at the table? Life's too short to play poker with folks like that. Especially in my home.) The actual cost to the game for this policy? Nothing, since it just means the overall pot is a little smaller. The actual benefit to the game? Tremendous, because...

4) You always have to grow the list, even to just stay the same size.

Capacity at my room is capped, because there just isn't room for more. And we're getting closer and closer to filling that, but still haven't... because some people are going to move, or stop coming to the game for all sorts of reasons. So... it's like any other marketing campaign, in that some part of the list is always going offline. Which means that I've got to...

5) Commit to marketing research.

Every year, I survey my players with an anonymous online customer satisfaction poll, and measure the results on all of the things I've tried. I've gotten actionable feedback on things that people aren't usually comfortable with bringing up in person, or what they've seen and liked at other games. And the simple fact that I ask for this feedback, rather than just drop the terms of the game on players, makes them feel like this is their game, and something they are truly invested in.

6) Legal compliance matters.

 I run what is known as a "social game". My game takes no percentage or "rake" of the pots, charges nothing for admission or seats, and I happily report all gambling wins (and less happily, losses) on my tax returns. My players know each other, and the "house" holds no advantage over any other player. We also don't play for high enough stakes to cause trouble, and haven't ever had a noise issue with the neighbors. So while running the game has some risks (in that all endeavors in life carry some risk), I've done the homework to lessen mine.

One final point on all of this... while my game has nothing to do with my professional life, it has also done it no end of good. Because you'd be amazed at just how much business can crop up around a table when people are having a good time, and appreciating the care you put into creating a good customer experience. And just how much you care about sweating the details...

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You've read this far, so by all means, connect with me personally on LinkedIn.You can always email me at davidlmountain at gmail.com. And, as always, I'd love to hear what you think about this in the comments.