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The people who support your project, you should ask them if they would back your project. If they truly do back this and want it to go on, then they should have no problem backing you! You are using a testy subject though, since much of America is racist. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out what happens! Good luck bud

ksampson wrote:This is my first time doing a Kickstarter campaign. I'm just in day 4/30 but I've noticed that there has been an overwhelming number of people who are in support of it, but haven't backed it yet. Is that normal in the early stage? Anyone have advice on how to get supporters to take the plunge? I assume the more backers in the early stage the better!? I'm definitely sending out personal e-mails & FB messages to ask for donations. Any advice? Thanks!

I think that your best chance of getting someone to back you early (no matter who you are nor what your project is), is for something on your project page to "connect" with the person viewing your project page.

And the best way to accomplish that is by making a positive first impression, when they visit your project page for the very first time.

When you reach for the Facebook message or for the e-mail message that is a plea for money, that is just, exactly what it is - a plea for money. You are seeking to appeal to their wallet, and contrary to popular belief, an awful lot of people have brains guarding their wallets. Many of them also hedge their bets, by having personal experiences to call upon, as an additional guard upon their wallets. In other words, people will naturally be more on guard (and, hence, less likely to pledge) in instances where you are straight up asking them to pledge money. - regardless of what the reason is.

So, when you invite someone to pledge to back your project, you are, in essence, also inviting the skeptic in them to tag along.

There is a reason why your project page should be taken seriously. A big part of the challenge of getting people to back you is to get them to your project page, first, which is where the pledge buttons for your campaign are.

I visited your project page, last night, and I didn't even receive a Facebook message or an e-mail in which you appealed for a donation. Yet your project page didn't make a good, solid first impression with me. It didn't even make a good second impression with me, as I was watching your project video - this in spite of the fact that you are a well-spoken individual, and in spite of the fact that you look comfortable in front of the camera talking to people.

Your project page is visually boring. Your project image has a cobbled together look to it (the letters not aligned, although that was intentional on your part). Plus, it's a documentary that you are wanting to create, which to many people equates to boredom in film.

Those things collectively formed your project page's first impression for me.

The second impression came at the point in your project video where I am struck by the irony of your overall message about lack of diversity in major Hollywood films, with you sitting at your desk with the movie poster of Tom Cruise behind you. I was like, "Say what? Huh?? What's THAT?!" You advocate in favor of diversity, yet the poster behind your own desk is a poster child (pardon the pun) for a lack of diversity. To me, you are sending mixed messages, and that tends to generate confusion, which in turn can impede your project's ability to persuade people to pledge. I highlight this for you, to underscore that the message that you think that a project creator is sending out to people may not necessarily be the same message that they end up receiving.

To get people to pledge, something or someone has to persuade them to part with money. The actual amount is far less relevant than the initial barrier of persuading them to actually pledge, which requires that they are receptive to either the message or the messenger.

If your project page makes a bad first impression with people, then they may not be willing to give your project a second chance, later. If it makes a positive first impression, however, even if they don't pledge upon their initial visit to your project page, your project will reside in their memory along with that positive first impression that it made. Thus, should they visit it again, the positive first impression can translate into them already being receptive to your project, and by extension, receptive to the possibility of pledging to support it.

ksampson wrote:Charles,

Thanks so much for taking the time to analyze the project page. I appreciate your honest but respectful feedback. I've definitely learned a lot in the first week of this campaign that I'd implement if I ever do another. You've given me some helpful things to think of in the remaining 24 days as I continue forward. There is no denying that my project may appeal to a niche market, but I do believe there is a way to hit a universal appeal and truth which is what you are getting at. Thanks again!

Kevin

Actually, what I am getting at is that your approach to communicating, via your project page and project video, is deficient, irrespective of what you are advocating in favor of.

Consider your own choice of words, in your response to me. "There is no denying that my project may appeal to a niche market..." OK, if you - the project creator - believes that there is no denying that your project may appeal to a niche market, then you've already shot your own project in the foot.

Diversity, itself, does not inherently imply a niche market. Far from it, in fact.

Universal appeals and universal truths are one thing. How you choose to communicate your project and to articulate what you are trying to say about your project are not necessarily universal truth, incarnate.

Your project talks about Hollywood, so let's use Hollywood, as an example, to illustrate a point. Whether a given Hollywood film embraces diversity in its casting or not, Hollywood films are notorious for requiring multiple takes, before they get it right. Not always, of course, but many times.

Your project page is no different from a Hollywood film, in that regard.

If you feel that your project appeals to a niche market, then why shouldn't those that you seek to attract to it feel the same way that you do?

One thing that you might want to keep in mind about crowd funding projects is that those who are attracted to them are likely to be amongst the most scrutinizing of what is being communicated by project pages. The people not attracted to your project page in the first place likely don't care enough to even bother to comment, one way or another.

Also, Kevin, you might want to create a thread dedicated specifically to your project. It will facilitate receiving feedback and commenting on it, specifically.

Charles wrote:

ksampson wrote:Charles,

Thanks so much for taking the time to analyze the project page. I appreciate your honest but respectful feedback. I've definitely learned a lot in the first week of this campaign that I'd implement if I ever do another. You've given me some helpful things to think of in the remaining 24 days as I continue forward. There is no denying that my project may appeal to a niche market, but I do believe there is a way to hit a universal appeal and truth which is what you are getting at. Thanks again!

Kevin

Actually, what I am getting at is that your approach to communicating, via your project page and project video, is deficient, irrespective of what you are advocating in favor of....

Thanks for clarifying, I see what you mean Charles. I think creating the thread is a great idea as well. I know what I want to communicate and achieve with the project and you've exposed some flaws that I will fix to make sure that message is understood when people visit the project page. I appreciate the tough love Charles! I'm listening!

Nothing to lose by asking them to back it. They say no? So what, you didn't get their money. Didn't have it in the first place either but at least you tried. If people are showing interest you need to engage them.

Inventalator wrote:Nothing to lose by asking them to back it. They say no? So what, you didn't get their money. Didn't have it in the first place either but at least you tried. If people are showing interest you need to engage them.

Thanks for your input! You're definitely right. I've started to implement that.