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Introduction to Casino Marketing Topics. Principles of Casino Marketing. Abundant Expertise. How does casino marketing expertise differ from legal or accounting expertise? It is far more abundant!. Success: The Burden of Proof. Where does this burden lie? With the marketing activity
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Introduction to Casino Marketing Topics Principles of Casino Marketing
Abundant Expertise • How does casino marketing expertise differ from legal or accounting expertise? • It is far more abundant!
Success: The Burden of Proof • Where does this burden lie? • With the marketing activity • That is, the activity is a failure, until “proven” successful • A declaration of success, it just that - a declaration • Such declarations are common, but are usually poorly supported • Why are such claims of success poorly supported? • There are considerable measurement challenges
Measurement Challenges • What are the sources of these challenges? • Failure to develop a measurement plan in the proposal/planning process • Unrecorded transactions • The complex casino environment • i.e., many factors influence gaming volumes
Unrecorded Transactions • What are the sources of unrecorded transactions? • Many table game players go unrated • Plus, many observed ratings lack integrity • Few reliable automated tracking systems for table games • Many slot players do not insert tracking cards • Many gaming venues throughout world do not have an online slot system
Complex Casino Environment • Besides the marketing activity of interest, what other factors could affect gaming volumes? • Day of the week • Hotel occupancy • Food offers • Holiday periods • Special events • Direct mail offers, & many more!
Casino Marketing History • How has historical performance influenced modern casino marketing practices? • Many executives believe that the marketing activities of historically profitable times led to the success of those times • In reality, it was favorable supply-demand conditions that fueled the success
Bottom-line Justification • What is it? • Using summary-level financial success as evidence of marketing success, with respect to specific casino marketing activities
Activity vs. Success • What is the issue here? • In short, it is quantity over quality • However, the opposite condition is recommended • i.e., quality over quantity
From Innovation to Failure • Can you describe the troubling pattern of many successful casino marketing efforts? • A successful activity is created • It is replicated too often • Excessive replication = diminished results • Marketers work accounting magic • Creative accounting is exposed, & activity dies
Figure 1.1. Customer Draw Power: Gaming vs. Amenities Within The Casino Life Cycle Framework ( + ) Amenity Offerings Importance Casinos in New Gaming Jurisdictions Las Vegas Hotel-Casinos Gaming Activities ( - ) Introduction Growth Maturity Decline Phase of the Gaming/Casino Life Cycle
Figure 1.2. Table Game Profit Margin By Average Bet: After Expenses (comp, labor, gaming taxes, etc.) 100% Profit Margin 0% $1,000 $5 $25 $75 $100 $200 $500 $10,000 Average Bet
Figure 1.3. Table Game Profit Margin By Average Bet: After Expenses and Discounts 100% Profit Margin 0% $1,000 $5 $25 $75 $100 $200 $500 $10,000 Average Bet
Figure 1.4. Slot Profits, Bet per Spin, & Player Supply: Before Premium Player Incentives (High) Profit Per Player # of Players (Low) (Low) (High) Amount Wagered Per Spin
The Customer Experience • In general how will this affect casino marketing activities? • No marketing activity can survive poor customer experiences
Home of the Smiling Dealers • What was the moral of this story? • Management must understand that the treatment of employees affects how they treat customers • A desired customer experience cannot be produced by putting a slogan on a t-shirt
Line-item Management • What is it? • Assumes that each line of the income statement is independent, specifically… • Revenues and expenses are unrelated • Typically occurs as part of an unimaginative cost-cutting effort • Such cost-cutting leads to unfavorable customer experiences, which… • Leads to decreased repatronage intentions, and, ultimately, decreased L-T profit
Line-item Management • What are some of the common causes? • Difficult economic conditions • Austerity programs • S-T profit focus • Newly hired CEO, w/ a cost-cutting focus • Also, Wall Street analysts can pressure public gaming companies into line-item management • Usually in the form of ill-advised cost cutting, over concern for quarterly earnings – i.e., S-T focus
Customer Service: Value v. Cost • The value of customer service can be difficult to quantify • Unfortunately, the cost of customer is much easier to quantify • These conditions fuel short-sighted cost-cutting adventures
Discussion Items • In your view, what was the moral of the free-bottled-water story? • What action would you have taken? • What was your take on the across-the-board cost-cutting story? • This happens frequently in the gaming industry • Is there any defense for such actions?