Posts by Dennis Conrad
Goodbye Dennis, But Not Really
As most of our readers know, as of October 1, my husband Brady Scott, an enrolled Coquille Tribal member, and I purchased Raving from Dennis Conrad. I was an executive of one of Raving’s first tribal casino clients 20 years ago and hired the firm frequently in the ensuing years; I then went to work…
Read MoreCan Slot Players Tell If a Machine is “Loose” or “Tight”?
On players perceiving “tight” machines I am not a market researcher, although I think I have a basic understanding of how to ask good questions of the right people and use the information to gain some reasonably valuable insights. But as far as understanding “research jargon” (you know, such terms as “causal relationship,” “confidence level,”…
Read MoreEmployee Empowerment as a Marketing Tool
Employee “empowerment” has been a part of the business vocabulary for a few decades now. The term generally means giving team members the authority and the power to make a decision on behalf of a customer, typically one who has had a bad experience. Probably the most famous hospitality industry example of this is the…
Read MoreI’m Glad to Have the Celebrities, but Proud to Support the Cause
Dennis’ wrap up and take on Raving’s signature marketing conference At Raving’s recently concluded 19th Indian Gaming National Marketing Conference at Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, OK, a longtime friend and colleague whispered to me, “Wow, you really have some big names in Indian country at your event this year!” And he was right. Ernie…
Read MoreConsumer Value Kudos
Dennis Conrad I have often harped on the overall declining value of the casino playing experience at too many casinos, and suggested strongly that “ restoring player value” would be a profitable counter strategy. Well, that got me to thinking about the casinos I have seen in the past couple of years that ARE providing…
Read MoreSome Free Craps Consulting
I usually don’t mind anyone challenging my marketing credentials. After over 40 years in the gaming business, I feel pretty secure in my skills and knowledge. But if someone tries to tell me that I don’t know what I’m talking about when it comes to the culture, operations or marketing of the game of craps,…
Read MoreThe Top 10 Gaming Buzz Phrases
Can you guess … which buzz phrase took the #1 spot in 2016? The gaming industry has always had its own unique language. Words like “tokes,” “early out,” “EDR,” and “george,” I believe, originate in our industry. I know that “slot hopper” must have. (Google it.) In addition to this gaming vocabulary, I have increasingly…
Read MoreTurnover Among Marketing Executives
Jump or get pushed? How to lessen turnover in the marketing arena I have never seen any statistics on turnover rates for executives in the gaming industry. There probably are some executive search firms that specialize in the casino biz that could shed light on this matter and how it compares to other industries. But…
Read MoreYour Property has a Unique Advantage
Start leveraging that leverage! And get ahead of the competition. I am a big believer in the principle of leverage and have seen many good examples of that over the years in the casino industry. For example, decades ago when the Dunes (now Bellagio) in Las Vegas was being imploded, the Flamingo and Aladdin leveraged…
Read MoreHidden Marketing Messages in the Gaming Industry
You Want to Do What for Me? There is a convenience store in my hometown where I often stop to gas up my vehicle. I use a credit card and always try to get a receipt for my gas purchase from one of those thermal ticket printers at the pump. The first several times I…
Read More