What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaign?
  • AshMRichter
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by AshMRichter » Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:40 am

    I think everyone has this conception that they'll just pop an idea online and it will get instantly funded. But there's so much more legwork and especially prepwork that goes into building a campaign. And no matter how well you plan, there are always still hiccups. Its incredibly hard work.

    So definitely catch up on your sleep before you launch. ;)


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    Inventalator
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by Inventalator » Thu Jul 17, 2014 4:29 pm

    Treat it like you're dealing with investors because you essentially are. You're raising funds for a venture and you need to put in the back-end effort and planning to build your network and tailor your campaign to your target market of users.
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  • Sue
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by Sue » Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:44 pm

    Running a campaign is like running for office, and it's hard work.
  • Shuzza
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by Shuzza » Sat Jul 19, 2014 1:51 am

    Thanks for the info & advice James & Louise -
    You both did make me think of the amount of work ahead in the long term, and the first person I will hire is someone to help with managing my FB & twitter. I have two people intermittently helping for free now, and feel they are saving me. I'm doing some PR this time around and expect big things, but with that comes a lot of touches - getting back to people quickly.

    I have found someone on Fiverr that seems helpful for little money and may really try to keep that relation ship - also found some essentially worthless connections, but just trying things out. Lots of people mean well, but drop the ball so you need more than one or two to depend on.

    I reached out to long term friends about two months before starting to promise me 4 hours sometime in August and had about 1/2 sign up to help for free, some with more skill than others. I just know this is all easier with someone else, so wanted some people lined up to talk to, help with facebook, make phone calls, etc... I'll report back in Sept how it all worked out.
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  • MattBnB
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by MattBnB » Sat Jul 19, 2014 2:07 am

    Learn from others who have done it.

    Don't launch early, have marketing ready.
    Hit up family and friends early to get speed.
    Have a quatity video.
    Give good updates.

    Check out some of these successful campaigners for more.

    http://artofthekickstart.com
    Successful Kickstarter inventors share their secrets...
    Check out Art of the Kickstart .... http://artofthekickstart.com
  • rb510
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by rb510 » Tue Jul 22, 2014 5:26 pm

    Does anyone know of a person or group of people that would be willing to promote/push an Indiegogo project? We launched on Kickstarter and we promoted through our Facebook/Twitter/Instagram contacts so we can't blast out to them again. Does anyone have any experience with this or know of anyone who could promote for us? We'd be willing to give them a percentage of the money we raise on Indiegogo.

    Thanks!
  • BawsSocks
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by BawsSocks » Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:42 am

    Hi all,

    I am working on a crowd funding campaign and I was wanting to see what might be some good ideas for branding and marketing my sock brand, BawsSocks, We are currently still in the Kickstarter campign, but we are looking for ways to expand after the campaign is over. Any Suggestions?

    Thanks,
    The Team at BawsSocks

    Campaign Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/97 ... r-the-baws
  • giantpanda
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by giantpanda » Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:39 pm

    The biggest thing I've learned is that just being on Kickstarter will get you almost no traffic. Even if you're making a documentary about the 6th man on the moon, no one cares. Literally 95% of our backers are friends and family. We're 15 days into our campaign and only 349 people have viewed our video. I cannot stress enough that, in my experience, Kickstarter is merely a platform, and offers almost no innate traffic.

    I would also warn people that there is a definite guilt factor. Seeings so many friends and families donating money brings tons of guilt with it, especially for those who don't have much money to donate, but still do.

    Kickstarter has been a huge wake up call in regards to learning who has your back. It's shocking the people we consider close friends who will promise to share the link on multiple occasions but never do.
    My Kickstarter about Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell - http://kck.st/1ysB9VV
  • Shuzza
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by Shuzza » Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:00 am

    it is a mighty uphill battle if your crowd generally doesn't hang out on kickstarter. You have to engage them, then get the to sign up on kickstarter THEN onto Amazon.... wish there was less of a barrier to entry.
  • Shuzza
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    Re: What have you learned from running a Kickstarter campaig

    by Shuzza » Fri Aug 01, 2014 4:21 pm

    MY LUCKY 50TH POST! And I think they have mostly been quite relevant - not just filler. I JUST read your article above on conversion and did not even know we had access to all that info! I paged down under my pledge graph and see where all the donations are coming from! WoW - how helpful. Made my day as I feel like throwing in the towel, very frustrated and have just a weekend ahead to look forward to which we know doesn't help.

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