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Over Promising and Under Delivering Is A Gigantic Marketing Error That Happens All Too Often
Marketing that has a disconnect between what it portrays and the reality of the customer experience does more harm than good. It disappoints customers and they will go elsewhere in the future. Robinson & Associates announces five steps for better marketing.
Casino guests probably will not return to play again if their gaming experience does not match the promise of the casino’s marketing. That’s marketing that misses the mark.
Boise, Idaho March 20, 2012
Robinson & Associates, Inc., today announced how casino marketing often has a disconnect between what it portrays and the reality of the casino floor, possibly eroding new revenue streams.
“I once saw a casino television ad in which a few young men were playing black jack and they weren’t doing well,” says Martin R. Baird, chief executive officer of Robinson & Associates, a guest service consulting firm to the global gaming industry. “Then one of them decided they should go for it and they did. What an amazing difference! Suddenly, they were winning and they were joyful. As if that reflected real life. Then the ad made matters worse by stating, ‘Relive your glory days.’ It made me grind my teeth.”
It’s good for casinos to market themselves but only when it’s properly done, Baird says. “Marketing is necessary,” Baird notes. “It creates trial and casino customers who give a property a whirl after seeing an ad just might become regulars. But they probably will not return if their gaming experience does not match the promise of the marketing. That’s marketing that misses the mark, and casino guests who do not return to play again and again represent lost revenue.”
Robinson & Associates announced the following five tips on how casino marketing can effectively hit its target.
Deliver the Right Message. Advertisements and other marketing efforts should show that the casino offers what customers want, according to Baird. “Then the casino should back up that promise by actually providing the desired experience,” Baird says. “Do that and new customers will return.”
Know What Customers Want. The marketing message cannot be crafted until the casino knows what guests want in a gaming experience, Baird says. “Comment cards and satisfaction surveys get casinos nowhere in truly understanding customers,” Baird points out. “They need an approach that is new to the gaming industry.”
Identify Customer Advocates. Baird explains that all casinos have guests who play at their favorite property again and again in good economic times and bad. “They really like the casino and they tell their friends and associates about it without being asked to do so,” Baird says. “They are far beyond satisfied or loyal. They are casino customer advocates. The casino must find out who these advocates are and why they are repeat customers. How does the casino give them the gaming experience they seek?”
Know What Prevents Customers from Becoming Advocates. “Casinos also need to know why other customers are not advocates,” Baird says. “What does the casino do that does not win these customers over? Once the casino knows why some guests are advocates and others are not, it has a blueprint for success.”
Roll Out Internal Improvements. The next step is to use this new information to change how the property operates and how it provides casino customer service, Baird says. “This will create the gaming experience guests desire, and more and more guests will become advocates,” Baird says. “Now the casino can advertise what it offers.”
Baird gave an example of why customer advocates are not a myth.
“Most people have a favorite restaurant they patronize repeatedly,” Baird says. “Maybe it’s the outstanding food. Perhaps there’s a favorite waiter or waitress who is a pleasure to interact with. Whatever the reason, someone loves this place and routinely tells friends about it. The restaurant doesn’t ask the person to do this. That person is an advocate and the more advocates the restaurant has, the more successful it will be because advocates represent repeat business and new business. This kind of advocacy happens all the time.”
Advocates are real people with real influence, Baird says. “Find out who these people are, learn from them and realign your casino for the future,” Baird says. “Then by all means, do your marketing. You are on the mark and should let the world know.”
For nearly 20 years, Robinson & Associates, Inc., has been dedicated to helping casinos improve their guest service so they can compete and generate future growth and profitability. A Boise, Idaho-based consulting firm to the global gaming industry, Robinson & Associates is the world leader in casino guest experience measurement and improvement. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.casinocustomerservice.com or contact Lydia Baird, director of business development, at 208-991-2037 or lbaird(at)raresults(dot)com. Robinson & Associates is a member of the Casino Management Association and an associate member of the National Indian Gaming Association.
