5 Things I Learned About Marketing and Business While Making Little Burned Maiden

For many years, I've admired the hustle of YouTubers and freelancers and people who struck out on their own and made money doing things they loved. It's only in this last year or so that I've started trying to follow suit and take all this a little more seriously--this whole "marketing" and "business" thing.

Now, I don't want to claim I know everything or I'm some kind of wizard. Full disclosure: As of today, September 28th, 2020 (one month after release), I sold 40 copies which, when including tips, made about $330 USD. It's not great. But it's decent considering my audience size of about 200ish followers--and most of them are, quite frankly, game devs who expect me to buy their games some day. That's not going to have a high conversion rate...

Nonetheless, I learned a lot even if I haven't mastered applying it. Lemme pass some of it on in a convenient numbered list!

#5 - How Not To Be A Scumbag

I hate the idea of "selling myself" or "tricking people into liking me". It feels so fake. I had to switch the way I thought about marketing to feel comfortable with it at all...

Marketing isn't ABOUT lying. It's about telling the truth effectively. It's about telling people why the thing you made is good and why they should buy it for you. It's kinda like dating! Dating isn't about tricking your SO into liking you--it's about showing why you're great and what you want ASAP. And if someone isn't interested in you, to turn them off as quick as possible. You want people who don't like you to move on because otherwise, they'll be sad and disappointed. Find people who appreciate you for who you are. When I thought about it that way, marketing became palettable.

#4 - Funnels, Conversion Rates, and the Magic of Email Marketing

Here's a little bit of the nittygritty but I will admit I'm not an expert at all. Nonetheless, these are the basic building blocks of marketing. Exposure alone is only one part of marketing.

First, you need to expose yourself to the type of people who might like your game. This is the exposure part. More of this is usually better, but you gotta target the right people.

Secondly, you must get these people invested enough to interact with you. Such as like, comment, subscribe, retweet, follow, etc. They should engage more than once and keep coming back for more. Make your marketing materials something that will make people want to do these things!

Thirdly, different platforms have different conversion rates--i.e. Amounts they convert casual fans into people buying your stuff. You can also have conversion rates for changing people between platforms. You should have stuff for people at all engagement levels--those who want to see yourself sometimes and those who want to engage all the time. I hear email marketing is the best but right now, the closest thing I have to email marketing scheme is the serialized novel I write to my friends. (I claim I have one on my website but I really don't...)

Hey, if you're not following me on social media, btw, you should! I'm on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and I have this private blog! Feel free to follow me everywhere--I write stuff and it's of varying quality levels.

#3 - Social Media Algorithms

In order to truly do reach your audience, you need to court and wrestle the eldritch abomination known as the "algorithm". Now, how you do that on each platform changes and the platforms change all the time. Like, Insta has changed to despise me. I was getting likes and follows and growing and then BAMPH! Update and now my growth is nearly zero. It sucks and then you have to relearn things and remake things. But that's just how it is.

Instead of stressing about the algorithm, wait for smarter people to crack the new one and then slowly readjust your content for the new algorithm. Feed the eldritch gods their cakes. They may reward you with steady growth.

#2 - Diversify Your Income Streams

This is something I don't do at all. I only have one income stream: My game. Did you know you can buy it and tip me as much as you want? You can! You can feed my bubble tea addiction! But seriously, it's bad to just do one thing when you're a business. Do lots of things (YouTube, Patreons, sponsorships, publishers, side hustles, etc.) That's how you actually make money on a consistent enough basis to survive.

Don't believe me? Just ask Thomas Brush, Tim Russwick, or BlackthornProd. They do this indie solo dev thing full time and that's how THEY survive.

#1 - Consistency is Key

When it comes to social media growth, the most important thing is that you regularly release content of a high enough quality that it is worth sharing. When it comes to releasing games, you must try to release them on a regular-ish schedule and of a consistent quality. When people start knowing what to expect of you, that's when they'll start trusting you. Don't be great once and never again; Be consistently not-awful. Virally is overrated. A steady growth and building of knowledge is the best thing one for which someone can ask.

And these are my top 5 lessons I learned after doing vaguely businessy things over the last nine months. I hope you found it useful! But don't stop with my knowledge--use this as a spring board, do your own research, and go farther than me! Google these things, learn them from the experts, and actually implement them if you want to go pro. I'm sure in... say, 3 years or so? You'll be just as big as you want to be!