The first players of your new game should be the players of your previous game.

Few days ago we talked about the Fan Base, now we can see why it's so important.
Did you published a new game but you haven't the same downloads of your previous game ?

You have to follow and study your fan base when you're developing your new game.

First of all analyze which kind of gamers are following your projects and will play your new game. Because the first players of your new game should be the players of your previous game. It's more easy share something to someone that already know how you work.

On our Facebook fan page we made a poll, analyzing 6 kind of gamers : The Artist, The Performer, The Collector, The Thinker, The Quester and the Achiever.
The results ? Several "Questers".
How use this result ? We posted, after this poll, a post about a famous rpg game, Nocturne. The result : several Likes -> Test Passed (Fan Base confirmed).

Now let's analyze your games and your fan base.
If you developed a Puzzle game to play in the free time on your mobile phone... you should focus your attention about this kind of gamers. Where do they play my games ? In the metro ? At the bus stop ?
Ok. So, if you will develop a long Rpg ... you can lose your fan base.

Seth Godin (an famous American author, entrepreneur, marketer, and public speaker) says :

"You must develop products, services, and techniques that the market will actually seek out"

And you can start with your little "market". Not all the players in the world... but only your fan base (already created with your previous game).

Let's think about a singer like Michael Bublè. Jazz, Soul and Pop. His fans love him and his music. And when he releases a new album... you know that there are Jazz, Soul and Pop tracks. But.... what's happen if Michael Bublè releases a Hard Black Metal Album ?! His fans don't love the Metal Music... so if he will organize a tour... nobody will come. Neither his fans nor new fans of the Metal (becase he's new in this area).

So, analyze your game. What's the main feature of your game ? Not according to you. But you ask it at your fans. Meet them or chat with them.
Discover what they love of your game.
They love your graphics ? Good. In your next game, use the same graphic style with something of new.
They love your plot ? Good. Analyze the main aspect of your plot and make a new plot like the previous, in your next game.
They love your gameplay ? In your next game use the same gameplay but with something of new.

Think to GTA. It's one of the best game ever made. It changes its graphic style, his features but it has always a gameplay focused on an open world where the player can choose missions to progress an overall story, as well as engaging in side activities, all consisting of action-adventure, driving, third-person shooting, occasional role-playing, stealth, and racing elements.
It works and the Rockstar Games know it.

Remember that all the gamers have the same importance, you as a game designer, you should really think about your  kind of gamers during your design phase and ask yourself if the game has the same strength of your previus game (adding always something of new)

Is it works ? If you're thinking "oh my honey, it's easy to quote the success of a game like GTA... ! But about an indie game ? Where are the examples ?"

You can see Andrea Ferrara (Aprilskies). He released before Coline et le Trésor, then Donald Dowell. They are all funny point & click with easter eggs and a funny graphics. Game by game, the downloads growed up. And also with only a very short demo (Tales) the downloads were good. Because the fan base was the same. When he released a race game, Red Hot Overdrive ... the downloads falled.