Nicole Barker - Raving Consulting

Data Analysis for a More
Profitable Casino
It’s more about telling stories than drowning in columns and rows of numbers
Inside this issue:
How not &
to shoot
yourself in the foot twice
Nicole Barker, Raving Partner, Database
Marketing
while managing point reinvestment … 1
Free play: The gaming industry’s jagged little
pill – Part I … 3
Free play: The gaming industry’s jagged little
pill – Part II … 5
When a report is not a report – It’s not
acceptable to perpetuate reporting that does
nothing for you business … 7
Here’s a quiz: Is a tiered card program for your
top 200 players, or your bottom 2,000 players?
…9
Data analytics – It’s more about telling stories
than drowning yourself in columns and rows of
numbers … 11
About Nicole … 13
Case Study Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel … 15
Case Study Suquamish Clearwater Casino
Resort … 18
ravingconsulting.com
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Ms. Nicole Barker, Lakewood, Colorado
 10 + years in the gaming industry
 Served as Direct Marketing Manager for Harrah’s Las Vegas, Harrah’s
Laughlin and the Rio for 5 years
 Founded Barker Enterprises, Inc. in 2005
 6+ years as Raving’s Senior Database Marketing Consultant
 Primary marketing consultant for Raving’s partnerships with:
Turning Stone Resort Casino, NY
Rivers Casino, IL
Coeur D’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, ID
Foxwoods Casino Resort, CT
BJ’s Bingo & Slots, WA
Ontario Lottery & Gaming, Toronto, ON
Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel, LA
Indigo Sky Resort Casino, OK
 Returning Presenter at:
Casino Marketing Conference & Tradeshow
NIGA – National Indian Gaming Association
Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference
Raving’s Advanced Sales Model for your Host Department
G2E – Global Gaming Expo
 Contributing Writer for:
Indian Country Today E-Magazine
Casino Journal
Raving’s Strategic Solutions Magazine
 Additional Contacts:
Ms. Jenynne DeNoble, General Manager
BJ’s Bingo & Slots, Washington
[email protected]
Mr. Mike Redivio, Director of Player Development
Turning Stone Resort Casino, New York
[email protected]
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Raving People
Dennis Conrad, President, Raving Consulting Company
Steve Browne, President, Raving Service
Christine Faria, VP of Marketing and Communications
Amy Hergenrother, VP of Business Development
Becky Conrad, Treasurer
Amy Ponce, Office Manager
Raving Facts
 Founded: May 1, 1998
 Home Office: Reno, Nevada
 Core Discipline: Gaming & Hospitality
 Core Skills:
Casino Marketing
Database Analysis and Segmentation
Opticity Software
Gaming Technology: IGT, Bally, Konami & Aristocrat
Direct Mail/Direct Marketing
Promotions Planning & Analysis
Casino Math and Analysis
Player Loyalty and Market Research
Player Reinvestment and VIP Programs
On-Line and Wireless Gaming
Gaming Employee Training
Host & Player Development Skills
Gaming Guest Service
Surveillance & Security
Food & Beverage
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Raving Channel Partners
Nicole Barker, Direct Marketing, Database Analysis & Segmentation, Player
Reinvestment, Host & Player Development Analysis
Toby O’Brien, Marketing, Promotions, Strategic Planning, Players Clubs, Senior
Staff Engagements
Debra Hilgeman, Ph.D., Casino Marketing & Research, Player Loyalty & VIP
Programs, Players Clubs
Tami Jones, Variable Print & Direct Mail, Direct Marketing, CSG Direct, Inc.
Derk Boss, CFE, CPP, CSP, Security & Surveillance, DJ Boss Associates
Dennis Khanh, Food and Beverage Management, Audits, Training & Creative
Sean Vestal, Casino Marketing & Host & Player Development
Adam Smithline, Data Analysis and Software (Opticity), Opticity, Inc.
Rob Gallo, Online and Wireless Gaming, Peak Gaming Group, Inc.
Marin Denning, (Oneida Nation), Tribal Leadership in Gaming
Gary Galonek, Player Loyalty and Fulfillment, All Star Incentive Marketing
Bob Orr, Human Resources, Human Resource Group, LLC
Michael Meczka, Research and Analytics, MMRC, Inc.
Autumn Gregg, Casino Promotions, SCA Gaming, Inc.
Mark Astone, Branding, Advertising & Media Services, Catalyst
Kell Houston, Gaming Entertainment, Houston Entertainment, Inc.
John Stewart, Property Design and Construction, Encompass, DDC, Inc.
Rich Lehman, Casino Math & Free Play Analysis, DiCentric, Inc.
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Case Study:
Marketing, Promotions & Database Analysis Program
Property Description
The State of Louisiana hosts 15 riverboat casinos, pari-mutuel facilities and one land based
commercial casino in New Orleans. Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel is one the Chitimacha
tribal casino in the state and is located about an hour in either direction from their nearest
competitor. They have 2300 slots, 50 table games, live action poker room, simulcast racing,
an event center, nightclub and six restaurants.
Cypress has been a client of Raving since summer 2009, Raving has partnered with them
on a Guest Service Design Program, Marketing, Promotions & Database Analysis, Table
Games Analysis and Host and Player Development.
We asked Shannon Redmond, Director of Marketing, to share some specific marketing
challenges that Raving helped Cypress overcome through their Marketing, Promotions and
Database Analysis program. She shared with us:
I see SUCH huge differences in what we do now as compared to what we did before
Raving. For the month of March 2011 - our year over year gaming revenue has gone up
+8.5%. Our competition: Evangeline Downs (-7.8%), Amelia Bell (-7.5%), Baton Rouge
Market (-6.7%). These were just a few of the challenges and solutions we worked on with
Raving:
Challenge 1: How do we utilize our database more effectively?
We were sending mass mail to everyone in our database; the same mail piece with the
same information to every person who had been in our door for the past year.
Raving Solution:
Target players utilizing worth segmentation including demographics, ADT etc.
Results:
•Significant cost savings in direct mail program.
•Targeted current players of value versus “anyone” in database.
•Taught us what customer to target with what promotion.
•Taught us to look at what level customer was actually participating in what promotion –
leading to more targeted promotions.
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Challenge 2: We run promotions, but have found that we are doing the same types of
promotions over and over. How do we make ourselves stand out from the competition?
How do we measure the results?
Raving Solution:
Utilize different types and varieties of promotions that had been proven in the industry.
Create clear objectives and goals for different promotions.
Results:
• Promotions results show an increase in customer participation and increase in spend per
head for the group participating. This is directly related to the creation of “threshold
promotions” where the reward is earned. Prior to Raving, the promotions were primarily Hot
Seat promotions (everyone had an equal shot of winning) and no play level required.
• Never before did we have promotions to drive midweek traffic that resulted in increased
revenues.
• Positive customer feedback, including comments on how it is more “fun”; huge
improvement in morale on the floor with employees by getting every department involved in
the promotions – one particular promotion had an increase of 30% in participation with the
only difference being the involvement of the employees.
• Our IT staff now supplies the RIGHT data – and we’ve created entirely new promotions
while being able to track and show results that actually mean something. The format has
been designed where ease of measuring results has lead to much more effective proformas
that can be used as tools for planning the next promotion, as well as showing results.
Challenge 3: Are our gifts appropriate and helping drive carded play?
Raving Solution:
Focus groups administered by Raving helped with “what the customer wants” – and by
utilizing this data:
Results:
• The Gift of the Month program has consistently shown an increase in spend per head 20%
higher than the average spend per head
• Carded coin in has increased since the Raving changes have been implemented: 1st
quarter 2010 (prior to Raving) 69.8%; 1st quarter 2011 (Raving changes implemented)
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Case Study:
Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort
Property Description
Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort is a naturally breathtaking casino and hotel
nestled among the pines and cedars of the scenic Kitsap Peninsula. This expansive,
luxurious retreat offers four-diamond amenities and a wide array of indoor and
outdoor pleasures, including a full-service spa, zero entry pool, and of course, the
endless excitement of video poker, craps, keno and roulette. The resort is a halfhour ferry ride from downtown Seattle.
Challenge
According to the Senior Management Team at Suquamish Clearwater Casino
Resort, they were looking for some specific tools to answer the following questions:
1. Are we reinvesting too much in our players; are our players club reinvestment
levels on target?
2. How do we stay within our marketing budget? Is our marketing budget
appropriate to our desired results?
3. How do we utilize our database more effectively?
4. We run promotions, we're busy, the head count is great, but how do we
improve our ROI?
5. Demographics- how do we reach out further and how much should we
spend?
Solution
Based on the challenges listed above, Raving recommended a Marketing
Reinvestment Program. The program entailed two senior Raving consultants
conducting database review and analysis, financial budgets for marketing and
promotions, and providing Clearwater with innovative working spreadsheets and
templates for future planning and implementation of promotions, player
development and direct marketing.
The Win
According to the Senior Management at Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort:
"The Raving team provided us with a variety of options regarding the challenges
listed above. The innovative database analysis and spreadsheets allowed us to look
at our entire player base with new goals and objectives for player development and
promotions. We will be incorporating the marketing and database analysis as part of
our 2013 marketing plan. They understood our challenges and we were very
pleased with the way they worked with our team to understand and provide us with
alternatives to approach our reinvestment programs. We have engaged the same
consultants to partner with us for review and analysis over the next four quarters."
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To receive our free electronic publications or
to find out more about our custom programs:
Amy Hergenrother
VP Business Development
[email protected]
ravingconsulting.com
775-329-7864
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