Crazy marketing idea I had, it worked!

[Georgia Poker]

So I'm (always) brainstorming for new ideas to drive traffic to my affliate sites, right? I love the idea of branding poker chips with custom logos, urls, etc to get people to hold on to the chip and visit my sites. After reading the current thread about the custom chips I decided to brush off my thinking cap and my color printer and I made a run of 100 chips with one of my urls on it. What I did next was something I've never tried before but had the crazy idea to try it.

I went to my local t-shirt shop at the mall and had them make me a tshirt that reads:

Play Poker? Ask me for a FREE POKER CHIP!

I then filled two pockets with chips and went walking around a local bar that was hosting a free roll with about 60 players. I emptied my pockets in about an hour and already have FOUR signups just 48 hours later. One has already converted to a RMP

Just goes to show you that you don't always have to dress up like a pink bunny to make money B) I have to admit I felt kinda silly walking around in the shirt but I had several guys come to me and I walked up to several others as they would bust out of the tourney. If I get a few conversions out of it then I'm in good shape cause I have 1000's of chips that I bought in bulk back when I was giving away chip sets (I have long quit ago quit doing that, ask me why later) so these chips are now used exclusively to promote my sites.

Brilliant dude.........that is awesome. It is all a number game and the more exposure you get the better. I may try that at one of our local charity poker nights.......although a great deal of these guys are already under me.

I love talking poker so it just gives you a reason to meet new people and get players under you.

I know alot of people hate offline promotions, mainly the SEO gurus and web geniuses. And rightfully so, they don't need to promote this way, but if you are gonna dabble in offline stuff doing what your doing is the right way to go about it.

I would much rather do an offline promotion like the one your doing than put up a crappy banner farm that gets no traffic.

[ICISIC]

hey georgia how much do the chips sell for? which ones did u use? and what site were u promoting?

[Georgia Poker]

I bought the chips from 5 Star Deal last year when they were running a special. I bought 100,00 chips from them with cases, cards, and dice. The funny thing I remember was that the shipment weighed something like 2 tons!!! Anyway, I paid 31.00 for each 500 chip set and they are your basic 11.5 gram composite chips. The cases are really junk and like I said, I stopped giving them away as promos for the most part so I'm using the ones I have left over as advertising outlets.

[CasinoMack]

I like the idea. congrats.

[Webgator]

Originally posted by Georgia Poker@Jun 16 2005, 02:32 PM
After reading the current thread about the custom chips I decided to brush off my thinking cap and my color printer and I made a run of 100 chips with one of my urls on it.

Congrats on the success.

What did you print on to put on the chips? Blank sticker sheets?

Thanks!

[Georgia Poker]

Yeah, I used Avery brand labels but I don't have the model # here with me to give out. I'll post it later tonight when I get home. I may play with spraying some of the chips with a clear laquer to see if that makes them look "prettier"

[bfuchs]

hey Georgia, thanks for the great idea. can you fill us in the details for instance amt of people there, time spent doing it, amount of chips given out, rmp and play money.

thanks

[muchmoney]

Wow, this is a fantasitc idea, I'm getting my t-shirts and chips today!

[Atorvastatin]

Might be a good idea to leave some of the chips in bar bathrooms, poker books sections at the bookstore etc. Someone is likely to pick up a spare poker chip laying around then maybe visit your site or sign up with your bonus code. Give it a shot.