by Gary Green
62 pp. Penny Arcade Press, 2019, $29.95
Last month, the New York Times reported that in the past four years, there have been roughly 1200 books written about Donald Trump. The most recent tell-alls from John Bolton, Michael Cohen, Mary Trump and Bob Woodward have soared to record sales numbers. However, it’s fake news (stop hitting me! It’s a joke!) because I’m fairly certain the Times didn’t count Gary Green’s Formulaic released last year. Meaning that the correct total is at least 1,201.
To be fair, there’s not really that much about Donald Trump in this book, with three exceptions: the future President’s picture on the cover standing alongside Green; the author once worked as a VP at a Trump casino; and there’s an instructive bit about the value of adding Donald Trump’s name to a piece of email (with results both amusing and enlightening.)
Just like Green did, I used all the Trump references to get your attention. You must by now realize that books on branding – and there are hundreds out there – don’t generally ride the top of the bestseller list. But if you’re in the casino business, this little book is a must read.
An Amazon search will confirm that there are countless volumes available on branding, including the excellent and casino-specific Reel Marketing by Julia Carcamo that I reviewed last month. That one goes into the important marketing details of building a brand, logos, operations, advertising, even sonics. Every casino marketer should read it. Green’s book is different. Everyone in the industry should read it.
In the note About The Author, Green is not exactly humble, citing his many credentials in the gaming industry. Apparently, he’s done everything except invent dice. But surprisingly, he leaves out one of his most important resume credits: Green is an accomplished musician and entertainer.
I believe that is what makes this book special. He takes a lifetime of practical experience on the casino floor and combines it with his showmanship to create what might actually be an entertaining book on branding. I never thought I’d use that word in association with this topic. Not only that, it’s a useful guide to actually positioning (a word I much prefer to “branding”) your casino.
I’ve never sat down and talked with Green, but we’ve been casual Facebook friends for years, and I’ve sat in the audience for a few of his presentations at various gaming shows. At times, I think we’ve had a Vulcan mind meld on many operational issues. He first earned my respect several years back with a contrarian essay on Millennials. His thoughts on their generation, and their future gaming potential, are repeated and expanded in this book, and that alone is worth whatever you might have to pay for it. The hardcover is admittedly a bit pricey at $29.95, but the Kindle edition is quite affordable at $10.95, and it’s actually free if you opt for a Kindle subscription. And libraries around the country are rapidly expanding their e-book options.
However you elect to get it, you should. You’ll breeze through these 62 pages inside of an evening, but the lessons will – or should – last a lifetime. Here are just a few teasers:
- The pros/cons of a “Gift of the Month” program
- The value of really, really knowing your guests.
- Is a tag line important?
- What is the secret of RFM?
Those are just a few of the hidden gems of this book. It is highly, highly recommended, even if you don’t fly on Delta Airlines – a reference you’ll only get once you read the book.
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