My friend recently sent me a photo of some big apples he had bought, but until he placed one next to a normal sized apple, it was difficult to see what he was raving about. I needed perspective.

When casinos use big data for marketing purposes they need to make sure they have perspective to ensure that the correct message goes to the correct customer. Below is an example of two people who have identical demographic profiles but are two very different people! Prince Charles and Ozzy Osbourne will definitely need individualized marketing and not a “one fits all” message.

Casinos need systems that will help them identify what’s most important to each individual customer, so that marketing can deliver the most motivating influences to them, connecting with each one on a deeper level, which in turn, will help increase revenues.

At CHEETEYE, we’re excited about our recent partnership with Mike Aponte and Peerless Analytics. Mike is the famous leader of the MIT blackjack team, featured in the bestselling book, “Bringing Down The House”, and the major motion picture, “21”. Together with him, we are currently helping casinos on three continents better connect with their customers, thereby making marketing more purposeful, effective and profitable. The future looks bright for these early adopters! For information on how to get the process going at your casino, contact Barbara Roylance at REVEYE.

I recently attended the Casino Marketing Conference in Vegas and one of my highlights was listening to Jim Rogers, the CEO of KOA (Kampgrounds of America), and former Harras executive. Jim was also featured on Undercover Boss, so I was looking forward to hearing about the insights he gained from this brave venture.

One of the valuable lessons Jim learned on Undercover Boss was that KOA’s marketing was ineffective. Many surprised viewers commented that they weren’t aware that KOA offered all the things they saw on the show. KOA was failing to let people know who they were and what they offered. He then posed the question to the audience of casino marketers, “Who has the greatest casino in the USA?” The question went unanswered and caused me to think that maybe casinos suffer from the same problem that KOA did. People just don’t know who the casinos are and what they have to offer. Needless to say, the title for greatest casino in the USA is still wide open!

Of Jim’s 6 key points to help claim this coveted title, I want to leave you with 3:

1. Service quality still wins!
2. Marketing to employees is as important as marketing to players
3. Facilitate genuine engagement

We underestimate the fact that great service brings people back and that building a winning team is vital to casino health. I was excited when I heard Jim’s list as we have recently released our “Casino Care” software which is helping casinos with all the above key points.

If you’re attending G2E in Vegas this month and have a desire for your casino to be the “greatest casino in the USA”, come visit us at booth 4104, and we will show you how our software and services can make this a reality.

Brilliantly lit digital signs, with well-orchestrated messages, create an exciting atmosphere in a casino and are a vital component of any casino marketing strategy. They are tangible, visible, and stimulating. Digital signs have been around for many years but the ability to get messages on these signs has been difficult.

Changing messages and content on a digital sign should be as easy as sending an email or text and with CHEETEYE’s marketing software, TARGET, it is. Using an innovative wireless device that plugs into any digital display, TARGET is enabling casinos to get the right message onto the right digital sign at the right time. Digital signs can now be dynamic and relevant, which leads to increased customer engagement; brand loyalty and revenue.

Change your casino marketing strategy and sign them up like never before!

To request a demo of TARGET, send an email to info@cheeteye.com with your details and we will make contact with you.

Next month:
My focus will be on the world of performance assessment and relevant case studies that demonstrate the power of “always on” performance evaluation.

I had an interesting meeting with a client in Europe recently. They were accustomed to the traditional theory that slots belong to the older generation. To their surprise, through analysis, they discovered that 65% of their slots players were actually between the ages of 18 and 25. Their new game plan is to increase this group of 18-25’s average spend by 10% which will make a huge difference to the casino’s revenue. But my advice to them was, before you sign any marketing checks, get to know this new generation of consumers and there’s no better place to turn than Don Tapscott’s book, “grown up digital”, where he describes the eight norms that guide this new generation of consumers:

8 norms that guide the new generation of consumers

1. Freedom: Give me choice and the more the better
2. Customization: Make it my own
3. Scrutiny: I will check it out before I go to the store
4. Integrity: Does this company deserve my money?
5. Collaboration: Let me help you make your product or service better
6. Entertainment: Make it fun
7. Speed: Serve me now
8. Innovation: Give me the latest

My starting advice if you want to grow the average spend of this new generation of slot players:

1. Engage with them online and mobile. The average age of newspaper readers is 65+
2. Customize your message to them (See “Adding the slice to your dice”)
3. Re-look at your games. This generation wants interactive, graphical games!

We invite you to stop by booth #3910 at G2E 2013 in Las Vegas for a live demonstration of CHEETEYE’s casino marketing software and learn the secrets of new casino revenues.

Go get em!

Casinos that are able to innovate faster than their competitors are likely to deliver better profits over the long term. It’s not always the big groups that are leading this innovation charge either. My recent visit to a small but hugely profitable casino confirmed this. Their willingness to experiment with new ideas quickly was exciting to see!

Digital literacy is beginning to exceed traditional literacy and casinos therefore need to consider a new kind of customer resulting from the computer era. Innovation in mature markets means focusing on risk and compliance as well as on a unique customer experience by using big data to meet customers’ needs. This can be done with intelligent data collection and marketing. High rollers that have not entered your casino for some time need to receive compelling personal messages and those that have been on a losing spree need to be given a handsome reward and chance to recharge and rethink how to grow their coffers again. Then there are the high rollers in the making! Research shows that 20-30 year olds have a high propensity to gamble. Capture their loyalty early. The early bird captures the worm and this worm is not going to be captured like the old worms.

I’m looking forward to G2E next month where we will have an amazing team located at booth 3910. If you would like to arrange a private demo of our innovative marketing technology, send an email to jess@cheeteye.com or call Jess at 720-221-6915

I had my haircut recently at a barber that I’ve been visiting for a long time.  We have become good friends and often chat about life.  He knows that I’m involved in software but his tone changed when he heard that we develop software for casinos.  His personal casino story had not been a winning experience. He talked about how this casino was only interested in sucking every last dime out of his pocket and there was no personal interaction by the casino or its’ staff.

As I listened to his story, I wondered how many guests this casino had lost as a result of lack of personalized service in trying to interact with as many customers as possible and garnering information from them, i.e. birthday, anniversary, mobile phone number, email address.  The key to personalized service is to use that information to create a customer, instead of a dissatisfied visitor.

There are several components to guest development: identifying, attracting, and retaining.  Each of these components are important and retention has become easier with the marketing tools we have today. Retaining customers for the long run is cheaper than finding new players. When was the last time you sent your customers a birthday email or text, inviting them for a 50% discount on a meal?

A simple auto generated email like the one below has helped many of our clients express their thanks to their customers and in return retain their loyalty. For more case studies and information on marketing education visit us at booth 1045 at OIGA next month.