WEEKLY UPDATE -- December 12, 2007

Happy Holidays!
The GAMA staff hope you and yours enjoy a very happy, healthy, and game-filled holiday! (Goodness knows we are.)


NEW GRD FORUM ON DELPHI
GAMA created a new discussion and information forum for GAMA Retail Division (GRD) members. You may have already received an invitation to join through the Delphi system.

This forum gives GAMA Retail Division members a place to discuss GAMA-related topics (the organization itself, things that members want GAMA to do, and such) with fellow members and GAMA staff. We wholeheartedly encourage GAMA Retail Division members to also participate in the industry-wide discussions at the Game Industry Network (GIN). If you aren’t familiar with the GIN, visit http://forums.delphiforums.com/titangamesinsid/start to learn more about this valuable industry resource.

To join the new GRD forum, simply follow the instructions in your invitation. All of the information you need is there, including both the forum link and the member password.

If you need a new invitation or run into any problems joining the forum, please contact Trey Reilly at programs@gama.org.

If you never used Delphi Forums before, you'll need to register for a free Delphi account. It only takes a minute and the basic level of membership is free.


HELP A NEW STORE -- BECOME A MENTOR!
- from the GAMA Retail Division

Several new stores want to join the GAMA Mentorship Program, but to make that happen we need your help. If you’re a seasoned retailer, would you take a little time to help someone new get into the business?

GAMA is happy to announce the rollout of their newly revised Mentorship Program. The Mentorship Program was created in the Spring of 2000 to assist individuals interested in opening a gaming store navigate the start up process. While the newly revised program does an even better job of this, the core for GAMA members remains the ability to match existing retailers with experienced retailers either for general business mentorship, or to assist with a problem or question in a specific business area.

Are you an established retailer? We need your help in Mentoring other retailers and thereby helping to strengthen the industry as a whole.

Are you a new retailer? Or one with questions? Sign up for the program and get the Mentoring that you need and want.

The key to making this program happen is our new profile questionnaire, which allows us to quickly match new retailers with experienced retailers outside their local market. The questionnaire allows for a much more comprehensive matching process than was available before. Importantly, the new survey does not require providing financial data, either when acting as a Mentor or when seeking assistance as a Mentee. GAMA understands that retailers are naturally hesitant about providing financial data to anyone. There’s really no need to be discussing these things if all you have is a question about POS systems. Of course, those retailers who have issues involving the financial aspects of their business will be able to discuss them confidentially with their Mentors but that information will never be in a database.

This has enormous potential to improve the quality of the retail landscape. Every year we see retailers helping each other at GTS, for many, that’s what the show is really about. But retailers want and need a mechanism by which they could do that outside of the show. While the GIN (on Delphi Forums) is a phenomenal tool, it is still a public forum. The new Mentorship Program allows retailers to seek assistance in complete confidentiality, be matched with a Mentor outside their local market, and receive advice from people who are experienced in that subject area.

If you’re interested in receiving mentorship, or volunteering as a Mentor, please register by filling out the Mentorship Questionnaire on GAMA’s Web site at http://www.gama.org/grd/mentorship. The Questionnaire is very concise and only takes a few minutes to complete.

As an association, GAMA is dedicated to helping its members sell more games; and through the GAMA Mentorship Program we’ve established the infrastructure through which our members can help each other. We hope you’ll participate and help as we work to strengthen the retail tier.-


GTS 2008 ATTENDEE AND HOTEL REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Beat the lines and the annual rush by registering early and reserving your room!

Get your badge for the 2008 GAMA Trade Show by visiting https://www.gama.org/gts/shop-online today.

Lock in the special GTS rate of just $127/night, good from April 17 (Thursday) through April 24 (Tuesday). For more information, visit www.gama.org/shows-and-events/gts/travel.


GTS DEADLINES
Contact Matt Ragsdale (614-255-4500 or sales@gama.org) for more information about these dates:
- December 21, 2008: Program Book advertising deadline
- January 25, 2008: “Timely Rate” booth deadline
- February 29, 2008: “Late Rate” booth deadline


GTS PROGRAM BOOK ADS PRODUCE TWICE FOR THE PRICE
It’s like two ads in one! Your ad in the GAMA Trade Show Program Book goes to every retailer who receives the program book in the mail before GTS. Then, your ad reaches all of the retailers who attend the show. It’s like getting two ads for the price of one!

Your GTS Program Book ad directly reaches more than 1,500 of the industry’s top retailers -- the people you want to reach. You need a GTS Program book ad!

Reserve your space and submit your advertising by December 21 to get one of the last remaining ad spaces. Call Matt Ragsdale today at 614-255-4500 or sales@gama.org to get your space. Full page, full-color ads are $1000; half-page ads are $600.

Remember to include your booth number in your ad design. Ask Matt for the details!


NEW SCHEDULE FOR GTS 2008
More education, more business! It's TWO PLUS TWO at this year's GTS! Enjoy TWO great days of training PLUS TWO awesome days of expo hall shopping with the show's new 2008 schedule.

Get more of what you need to build your business with TWO days of seminars and manufacturer-sponsored events on Monday and Thursday, at the beginning and end of the show. Sandwiched in the middle, enjoy TWO days of expo hall browsing time on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The pre-show festivities start on Sunday evening as they always do, with the traditional GAMA Retail Division "Meet and Greet" networking time, so come to Las Vegas on Sunday and stay until Thursday night! (For once, those famous Las Vegas red-eye flights make sense!)

Make your reservations now! Visit www.gama.org/shows-and-events/gts/travel for all of the travel details!


EXHIBITORS -- The next GTS booth deadline looms close. Get your booth today! Download the electronic exhibitor package from www.gama.org/gts/forms.


TWO WAYS TO SAVE ON ORIGINS GAME FAIR 2008 BADGES
Register online today at http://www.originsgamefair.com/2008/register to take advantage of these two money-saving specials!!

** Early Bird savings starting now!!** Save $20 off the normal on-site badge fee with an Early Bird badge. Act fast -- the Early Bird discount only lasts from now through January 11, 2008.

** Pay for one badge, get two! ** Get two badges for the price of one by bringing a first-time attendee to Origins in 2008 with the Expose-a-Friend program! To qualify, this needs to be your friend’s first-ever visit to Origins. You can buy one Expose-a-Friend badge for every $50 Early Bird Full Show Badge purchased. Gather your Origins buddies, then bring your whole game group!


GAMA’S CREDIT CARD PROGRAM SAVES MONEY FOR MEMBERS!
The savings just keep growing! Over 70 GAMA-member stores and manufacturers already save money every month with GAMA’s special credit card processing program through Cynergy Data. Isn’t it time to bring home more profit from your store?

Keep more of your hard-earned profits by joining GAMA’s credit card processing system. Get the details today at www.gama.org/programs/credit-card-program.


GAMA on the road
* American Library Association Midwinter Meeting, January 11-16, 2008