How using validation can save you time, money, resources - and save you from a crushing and potential failure of a launch.

1. Marketing Validation
for Indie Developers
How using validation can save you
time, money, resources -
and save you from a crushing
and potential failure of a launch.

2. Validation == higher chance of success.

3. What people think it looks like:

4. What it actually looks like
(using something like Uber as an example)

5. Marketing Validation is more than just a
gut-check. It's about testing the waters,
and seeing if your idea has legs...
Before investing everything!

6. The various methods of validation
# What does your inner circle think?
# What does your game dev peers
think?
# What does the market think?
# What does social media think?
# What do your beta testers think?
# What do your alpha testers think?
# What do your professional peers think?
# What does the press/influencers think?
# What do your launch buyers think?

7. VALIDATION
CONCEPT #1
Starting small, then expanding.
Example:
Wasteland 2 was a idea that kept
floating around. Then it became a
kickstarter to see if people were
willing to put money in the project.
Then it was released on Steam.

8. VALIDATION
CONCEPT #2
You don't need a YES for
everything. You just need to
know you're on the RIGHT
TRACK.
Example:
Your friends may say no because
they don’t get it.
Your peers may say no because
they don’t get it.
But when you test it in a gaming
forum, they says there’s something
interesting here and they’re willing
to commit.

9. If you're getting a lot of
NOs, that's a Red Flag and
there's a SERIOUS
problem.
If you're getting a some NOs, it's a Yellow Flag that there's a problem.

10. Let’s talk methods of validation!

11. # What does your inner circle think?
EXAMPLE: Friends. Family. BENEFIT: They might get so interested, they'll be willing to help out.

12. # What does your game dev peers think?
Examples: People who know you from
networking. Dev studios and shared
spaces.
BENEFIT: They can provide
perspective that you can't see.

13. # What does the market think?
EXAMPLE: Think competitors. Is there a big enough fan-base to recoup your investment?

14. # What does social
media think?
This is not a binary test. You’ll be testing
hundreds/thousands of times.

15. # What do your beta testers think?

16. # What do your alpha testers think?
BENEFIT: Beta testers may have
weeks/months with your game,
and know it inside and out.
They're too invested.
Alpha testers provide fresh eyes
to give you more valuable
feedback on the end result.

17. # What do fans of the genre think?
If they’re not on board with what you’re doing,
you’re going to have a serious problem.

18. # What do your
professional peers think?
Example: Those who already have
experience in game development.
BENEFIT: You're too heavily invested
now, and only fresh outside eyes can
see problems headed your way.
Remember, they've been there before.

19. # What does the press/influencers think?
EXAMPLE: Pitch
emails, reviews,
youtubers and twitch
streamers.
BENEFIT: Red flag: If
many influencers are
not getting it or showing
interest, that may be a
sign of your launch
results.

20. # What do your launch buyers think?
EXAMPLE: The first wave of buyers.
BENEFIT: Their feedback and guide your next
version. Even if you messed up your launch, if you're
committed, you can still make a comeback. (Through
sales, through positive feedback, etc.)

21. Rocky Kev
Founder of Serious Game Devs Only
SeriousGameDevsOnly.com
Twitter: @rockykev
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www.flaticon.com

22. For more marketing strategies, audience building strategies, and PR
strategies specific to game development, Join the Serious Game
Developers Only community -- For devs who treat game development like
a business.
Want more?
Get additional resources and bonuses so you can launch successfully at:
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