Target Personas
This week, we looked into the customers in the market, and determining which customers to target. To figure this out, it is best to distribute surveys, to a specific audience. Generally looking at an age group, or specific demographic, such as college students, in order to get a more accurate reading. Once a number of people have completed these surveys, the company can create a "persona" for the game's target. This tells the company what type of customer to build the game around. Is the customer someone who will spend a lot of time, focused on this game? Will they be playing games alone, or with friends? Are they the type to spend money on these games? These are all questions to ask, in order to solve the question of the game's persona.
Once that is decided, the next step is to make sure your game has an identity, as well as your company. What will make your game, and your company, different than other games, of the same style? If you are creating an RPG, what makes it different than the number of RPGs out already? Is it the play style? The story? Maybe it's the character selection. Whatever the case, customers won't want "more of the same". So make your company, and its products, something unique.
When looking at the customer base, and whether or not to grow a project, there are statistics that can be measured, early into the release. What is the trial rate, of your game? In other words, within a specified time period, how many people, out of the entire population, are trying your game? How many people continue to play the game, into the next period? How many people pick it up, later? These are metrics to consider, when looking at where to aim your game's targeting. Do you need to adjust the specs, of the game, because of the demographic trying it, the most? What differences can be seen, in the demographics, from when you first released? These changes can help you best predict the changes in customer base, as well as predicted sales pitches.
You can measure the trial demographics in 5 category types: Definitely will buy, probably will buy, may or may not buy, probably will not buy, and definitely will not buy. These categories will tell you which customers to focus your attention on. When focusing on a specific demographics of customers, make sure the "awareness" of your game, and company, is high. The more people that know about your product, the more people are more likely to try it. You can't try what you don't know exists.