Prerelease weekend: a three-week promotion timeline

A prerelease is the closest thing a game store has to a holiday. Seats are limited, players are excited, and a good weekend brings in people who don’t usually come to weekly events. Start promoting about three weeks out.

Three weeks out: announce

• Post the dates, formats, start times, entry fee and seat count.
• Open registration and preorders the same day.
• Email your list first. Subscribers should hear before social media does.
• Put a flyer at the register and on the front door.
• Add each event to your Google Business Profile and as a Facebook event.

Two weeks out: build interest

• Share preview cards as they’re revealed, with your store’s take on what’s exciting.
• Post seat counts as they fill: “18 of 32 seats taken.”
• Open a Discord channel or thread for the event.
• Remind preorder customers when and how to pick up sealed product.

Final week: logistics and last seats

• A “what to bring” post: sleeves, dice, a pen and a deck box.
• A last-seats post when you’re down to a handful.
• An event-day schedule: check-in, start times and food breaks.
• Staff and judge schedules set, and tables planned.

Prerelease weekend: show it

• Stories and photos throughout the day. Ask before posting faces.
• Spotlight big pulls and good sportsmanship.
• Before players leave, remind them about release-day pickup and next week’s events.

Afterward: turn new players into regulars

• Post a recap with photos and thank-yous within a day.
• Email attendees with release-day hours and the next weekly event.
• Announce the first weekly event with the new set right away.
• Note what sold out and what didn’t, for next time.