How Can One Piece of Tape Cause so Many Problems?

It seems like a simple enough problem, almost innocuous. Our new shipment arrived from the factory this week with every box taped shut in three places instead of two. No big deal, right? Well, in fact that one piece of tape short circuited months and months of analysis, planning and design. One little, stinking piece of Scotch tape.

That additional piece of tape was used to secure the bookflap on our new bookfap boxes. The bookflap box was the solution to a problem that we had identified as a major issue for our first release, DidYa Know, two years ago. That game was packaged in an attractive tin can. The tin looked great and had a terrific embossed pattern and logo that gave it a substantial feel. There was only one problem, it was too small to print enough words to properly convey what was inside. Customers would be drawn to pick the package up from a shelf (a good thing), but could not understand what was inside within the 6-8 second window necessary. So, back on the shelf it went. Sales were disappointingly flat.

When it came time to design our new game line, we were faced with the quandry of how to convey the necessary messages without incurring the expense of and waste of an over-sized box. The solution was a bookflap style box. With this design we essentially doubled the amount of printable realestate without increasing the footprint of the box or utilizing wasteful clamshell packaging. Thanks to the great design work of Brigetta Cassar, we settled on a series of designs for all the games that achieved of our messaging objectives; include a sample of game content, the rules of the game, a photo of the contents and the game's audience.

As I opened the first of our newly produced games, I spotted the most painful looking 1/2 inch of cellophane and rubber adhesive I'd ever seen. There it was, sealing off half of all our hard work from the eyes of the public. Leaving us, essentially, where we started with the first DidYa Know games. Talk about painful. As I write this I am locked in a "negotiation" with the printing company (Yaquinto Printing of Dallas, TX) who is currently claiming ignorance and deflecting any responsibility for the error. This chapter will be continued...

Flipping on the Switch for the Sales Machine

I finally have new products to sell. It's been a long time since I've been able to say that. After all, the last time I took delivery of a shipment of newly produced games was two years ago. A lot's happened since then, including a humbling education on what I did and didn't know about marketing, merchandising and various other skills essential to designing, producing, marketing and selling consumer goods. But nevertheless, four new games have been shepherded through specification, product development and production and have arrived today at our fulfillment warehouse for short term storage awaiting orders from consumers and retailers.

Our VP of Sales, Andy Moberg and I have often discussed the difficulty in switching into "sales mode" after you have been engrossed in another task, such as dealing with a production issue or even doing sales-related work like customer service or marketing. To be a successful salesman, you need to "have your game face on" as they say. If you're doing telemarketing, you need to have your script (whether written or memorized) prepared with flawless delivery. If you're making your pitch in person, then you also need to work on the physical aspects of your presentation (e.g. your powerpoint, written supplements, demos or other props.) But most importantly, it's imperative to have your "radar" fired up. You need to be able to read your prospect's responses, however overt or subtle, and make course corrections in your presentation to address his concerns and tickle his pleasure centers.

Being a salesman for nearly 15 years, the process of prospecting and pitching is something that feels as comfortably familiar as a pair of running shoes. It's what I naturally equate with "working" and it was a difficult feeling to overcome early in the history of On The Spot Games. As I planned the companies products and worked through administrative issues, there were countless non-sales milestones to be achieved and I often found myself feeling lost because I had nothing to sell.

But now that's all in the past. Eight long months of product development, tradeshow marketing, PR planning, production and fulfillment planning have resulted in 30,000 new games sitting in a warehouse ready to be sold. Time to fire up the radar and put on my game face. Maybe I'll watch Glen Gary Glen Ross...

Of course, the sales honeymoon will be a short one. After all, as The Big Picture Guy I can't afford to burrow in for too long. We've got a new product development cycle to start. A PR campaign to run. Order fulfillment to execute. And that's just to maintain organic growth. To spur on the growth that we're looking for over the next five years will take an even greater effort to attract talented team members and engage investors. While I will be putting on those comfortable running shoes, it won't be for a leisurely walk.

How Can You Possibly Guarantee Fun?

That's what my friend Mike Pinkowski asked after I told him my plans to offer guaranteed fun to our customers who purchase one of our new games for 2006. I've put in a ton of work and pushed our designers hard to come up with games that are easy to learn and fun to play again and again. I thought the best way to convey that was NOT to rely simply on word of mouth to filter out about what a blast these games are. I'm way too impatient for that.

It's also has a lot to do with the nature of the game business. There are plenty of games on the shelves of retailers these days with familiar names and familiar play experiences. Although people are open to try new things, they're more likely to stick with "safe" choices unless they are given some compelling reason to risk something new. However, simply printing the word "Guarantee" and sending out some press releases are not sufficient. I felt I really needed to make some meaningful statement that conveyed what my expectations were for them and what I was willing to do to back them up.

If I'm shopping for a game and somebody points out to me that an On The Spot Game is guaranteed fun, my first reaction would be "what the hell does that mean?" Thinking long and hard about this question, I surmised that if a game is truly fun, there is one outcome that will result; I'll want to play it again.

Now the guarantee makes sense. "Aha. If I spend my hard earned money on this game, then it's not going to sit on a shelf." That is tangilble benefit that I believe any game buyer can sink there teeth into.

And what if I'm wrong? What if you, Mr. Customer, for whatever reason don't have fun with this game? I could offer you your money back and we could both throw our hands up and say "oh, well." But that wouldn't be very satisfying for anybody, because you still haven't had any fun. That's where the Founder's Pledge comes in; "If You Don't Wanna Play Again, then Our Founder Gets It!" Which means, I'm willing to put my humility on the line for the sake of a few laughs for you. I've got several "trusted" associates compiling a list of fun "stunts" that would provide a few chuckles for those few who were not truly tickled by our games.

So, with that, I throw myself at the mercy of my friends and customers. My friends will make the list stunts and ultimately the fun-deprived will choose my fate. I've heard one of the choices will be to enlist a fish monger from Pike Place Market to knock an apple off my head with a flying salmon. Sounds like fun. (Gulp.)

Parents Need a Break to Have Their Own Fun Too
I have a set of five basic principles that I follow in order to maintain my health and well being;

1. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep almost every day
2. Eat six time each day
3. Make smart food choices - eat the right portions and the right foods from as local a source as possible
   
4. Drink 10 +/- glasses of water per day
5. Include 30 - 60 minutes of ME time as part of my daily schedule

Principle number five has huge ramifications for parents, yet it's usually the first one that new parents will eliminate. I guess I should expand on my definition of ME time. Me time is time spent for the benefit of your own mind and body. I usually spend my Me time exercising, but it can also be spent in quiet meditation.

As parents, there is an impulse for us to focus on "The Kids. The Kids. The Kids." and neglect ourselves in the process. We've all heard it before; "I've got no time to work out. The kids' schedule just keep me running all day." Ironically, this "Kids First" mentality ultimately exhausts a parent, both physically and mentally. Ultimately, leaving him less fit to keep up with the kids and thus starting a downward spiral towards degrading health.

That's why Me time is so important. By scheduling a 30-60 minutes break every day for yourself, you allow your body and mind an opportunity to recharge. Personally, I find that its the only time of the day when I can truly clear my mind of the many issues that fill my day as a parent and a business owner. And in some instances, my Me time results in an idea or a solution to a nagging problem. I often come back from a long bike ride with a head filled with ideas for new activities with the kids or a new game idea. Even if I don't return home with a brainstorm, I've got a smile on my face and am ready to handle whatever the kids can throw my way.

Scheduling Me time can be as difficult as the actual exercise for some. My wife and I have worked out a fairly simple schedule. I work out in the morning before work, she works out after work. I get Saturday morning, while she gets Sunday. We both are convinced of the benefits Me time to each of us as individuals, spouses and parents and so will be as flexible as possible to ensure that each of us gets in the necessary time to recharge.