These last few months, game companies have been working feverishly to prepare for this annual event.

We here at PRICE have been working closely with our clients, helping them create marketing collateral for their products that will stand out in a sea of discs, documents, and demos.

If you've ever been to E3, you know that sometimes (well, actually, most of the time) you have to fight hard for the attention of the people you want to reach most. Buyers, the media, and industry attendees are inundated with information about upcoming titles, new technologies, and business meetings. Be sure that, when you get the opportunity to actually get your materials into the hands of your intended audience, they are not soon forgotten or -- worse yet -- deposited in the circular file on the way out of the Staples Center.

This month, Erica Kohnke Kain, president of Kohnke Communications, is back with some tips on how to make your time at E3 a success with the media. And Dan Lee Rogers, a principal with Interactive Studio Management, lays out a strategy for game developers that will help get their titles in front of the industry's top publishers.

Great insights from two well-respected industry veterans.

Well, that's it for now. If you see me roaming around the vastness that is E3 in just two weeks from today, please be sure to say "hi." I'd love to meet you.

Until next time ...

Joe Cerbo
President
PRICE

As a veteran of 10 E3 shows on the PR side, I am happy to share with you the same advice I give my clients in these last two weeks before the big event:

• Do a last-minute evaluation of your announcement plans. If you are announcing myriad new projects, it may make sense to hold some of them for another month, and benefit from the dearth of news following E3. Instead, focus on one or two big stories for the show.
• Expect your media appointments to be late. Journalists try to get to every appointment they have booked, and sometimes the sprint from West to South Hall doesn't go as quickly as they planned. Don't take no-shows to heart -- these professionals are doing the best they can, and you can catch them with your post-show follow-up.
• Respect their time. The media are adept at pretending to be interested in your products. They don't want to be rude, and many have adopted what you might call a "mask of interest" out of politeness. If you arrange for a 30-minute appointment, wrap it up in 20 minutes and allow them to go.
• Don't give them anything big to take away with them. Instead, a disc with your assets is sufficient. If you are tempted to give away gifts related to your products, offer to mail them after the show to the journalists, which gives them the opportunity to turn them down.
• Resist harassment. By Day 3 of E3, you may feel panicked that some of your target publications haven't stopped by, and you may be tempted to stalk them in the hallways or at off-floor events. Rather than incur the wrath of an exhausted journalist, opt for post-show follow-up with your products and company news.

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Q: I'm a game developer and I'm wondering what is the best way to get my recently completed game into the hands of some of the better-known game publishers?

A: Dan Lee Rogers is a principal with ISM (Interactive Studio Management), a leading business management firm specializing in the interactive entertainment industry. For the past 15 years, he has pioneered business development for many of the most successful publishers, including Vivendi Universal and Virgin Interactive. Dan replies:

"You say your game was 'recently completed.' Know that, instead, the vast majority of seasoned developers brings only a demo or a short writeup to publishers, because if your idea is good, then the publisher will fund the prototype. Most developers avoid investing a significant amount of money in their own product -- and for good reason. Often, the more money a publisher invests, the more emotional interest is generated, and the more effort a publisher will make to see that the game is successful. And, in today's retail market, if a game isn't backed up by a publisher's advertising campaign, a store like Wal-Mart may not even take your game if there isn't a significant campaign behind it.

"On the other hand, if you're a young developer with not much of a track record or reputation, a publisher isn't going to see you unless you do have a near-completed game. Unfortunately, this may be your only entry ticket into the market. But, before you spend your savings, talk to industry professionals and get advice, because there are a lot of cool ideas out there.

"As for how you get in to see a publisher, just shop it around. Most publishers have people who will look at your game. Or -- and I'll try to remain objective here -- you can talk with an agent like me who knows what the market conditions are, and can give you informal advice on how to best position your product with a publisher.

"My best recommendation is this: Before you do anything, you need to have a really good sense for the business. Learn the players, know what games are out there, be aware of what's hot, have a feel for what technical features are really cool right now, and be able to talk about the next-gen consoles and how your technology is going to apply to them. Spending some time working at a publisher is the best way to give you that business savvy. And talk to an agent, whether you sign with him or not. A good agent will be honest with you. Your Mom will undoubtedly tell you how great your game is; an agent is sort of like Simon Cowell on 'American Idol.' You may not like what he has to say, but he won't pull any punches. If an agent isn't willing to take you on, it might be an indicator that your idea or tech may not be as good as you think."