Our resources for StreetPass group administrators includes general recommendations, tips on getting media attention, and suggestions on growing your numbers. Want to suggest a new resource or add a great tip? Please contact us.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
StreetPass Network truly appreciates the grassroots nature of the work you’re doing. We don’t want to interfere with your initiative or plans. These resources are intended to be helpful and informational. They are not directions, just suggestions based on our professional and personal experiences.
In creating your StreetPass community, we must remind you that our group names invoke a Nintendo trademark: StreetPass. We note this to emphasize the need to conduct yourself and your events with the upmost respect for Nintendo and the StreetPass trademark.
Also, please note that it is in your best interest that no compensation exchange hands in relation to your efforts. We would strongly advise against charging any kind of fees, even to cover costs, as any perception that you are profiting from work done in such close relation to a trademark could raise serious concerns. We would suggest that any costs you incur, whether gas money or printing promotional material, be seen as an investment in your hobby.
These other recommendations are suggestions as you work to make your group experiences as successful and meaningful as possible. We encourage you to adapt these ideas in ways that work best for your community.
• Hold your group events in public, outdoor places. This makes your event free and easy for people to attend. It also means you won’t have to worry about fire codes, being asked to leave private properties such as shopping centers, etc.
• Make your meetups accessible by public transportation, if possible. If your city has a good public transit system, use it to your advantage.
• Consider holding events at iconic public locations in your community. This helps people easily find the meetup spot, increases your opportunities to engage curious passersby, talk about what you’re doing and spread the word. If you seek media attention, these iconic locations also provide a more photogenic environment.
• Work to make your events appropriate for all ages. Greet parents, ask people to refrain from foul language if necessary, etc.
• Encourage people with original Nintendo DS systems to join the event. There’s a list of games on our Resources for Gamers page that support some variation of Tag Mode. The best selling of these games is Dragon Quest IX and Nintendogs, but highlight the games that are most popular in your community.
• Although they generally lack StreetPass or Tag Mode functionality, consider welcoming Pokemon games at your meetups.
GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION
There are several media outlets you can tell about your group, including community and campus newspapers, local blogs, video game websites operating in your country, and larger outlets, such as daily newspapers and local television stations. Here are some suggested ways to approach your email or phone call to the press:
• Be authentic in your outreach. Media outlets have responded to this grassroots, nonprofit effort because it’s a timely story about how people can participate in something new and different.
• Give writers your full name and some easy ways to contact you, including an email address and at least one phone number. Providing this information helps the press reach you as easily as possible and demonstrates how much you care about what you’re doing.
• Make the story relevant to the media outlet’s audience. Don’t be afraid to provide different messages to different media outlets. Whereas a video game website might be fascinated with how people are using StreetPass in new and inventive ways, a daily newspaper might prefer to write about how the groups are making gamers more active and social. Want a sample press release? Contact us.
GROWING YOUR NUMBERS
As you work to increase your participation numbers, there are several free and paid methods we’d recommend considering.
• FREE: Carry your Nintendo 3DS with you as much as possible and set your Mii to carry a message promoting your group. Consider using 3DStxt.com, which has been promoted by G4 Media, or bit.ly to generate a shortened URL that directs people your Facebook group.
• FREE: Create homemade flyers to advertise a particular event, or your group in general, for distribution at local gaming stores such as GameStop, college campuses, or any other location where you think gamers might frequent. Make sure you get permission to distribute your flyers.
• FREE: Use your friend network on Facebook to extend group invitations. Encourage your friends to invite their friends and so on. The more succinct and fun you make your invitation, the likelier it is to be successful.
• PAID: Create business cards that feature your group’s name and contact info, including the Facebook page link. Consider sharing these cards with your early supporters and asking them to pass the cards along to other people who might be interested in your events.
• PAID: Facebook Ads require a credit card, but can be an effective way to reach new gamers. If you are unfamiliar with the Facebook Ads system, rest assured that it’s very easy to use. If you’d like some guidance on how to use it and spend your money wisely, feel free to contact us.
• PAID: Advertise your group in college or weekly newspapers. Many newspapers will be able to help you create an ad, so you don’t need to be a graphic designer to explore this option. While this is one of the more expensive ways to advertise your group, you can often negotiate ad prices. This is especially true for nonprofit efforts and if you purchase multiple ads to run across several issues.
