KickstarterForum.org

We'll go live on November 2nd, which would have been Mom's 83rd birthday. Full pre-launch details here:
http://prefundia.com/projects/view/rest ... ruck/2705/

The link describes exactly what we're planning, how we plan to get it done and why the entire restoration effort has always been a tribute to Mom's memory. People will be able to check out the project video and also leave their email to be among the first to receive updates. And of course I will answer any questions anyone may have.

Hope you'll check it out! Thank you!

Good luck with your project!.. and I'm sure your mom will be very proud!

I think the most likely people to donate to this campaign would be in your local community, unless you can think of some rewards that might pull strangers into the project in some way aside from a t-shirt/mention.

sbriggman wrote:I think the most likely people to donate to this campaign would be in your local community, unless you can think of some rewards that might pull strangers into the project in some way aside from a t-shirt/mention.

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated. My intent is to appeal to people who love classic vehicles, road trips, car shows and cruise nights, who are all over the world. A regular online video series is also part of the project, which of course would also appeal to people all around the globe.

I know this project is not a typical Kickstarter effort, but neither was potato salad. When I heard about that I knew I had to give it a shot. The odds are admittedly long because it doesn't seem like there's much crossover between classic cars and crowd funding, but you never know unless you try!

Thanks again...

Over all, the project page is substantially lacking in visual appeal elements. The video aside, your photos are few, and they aren't particularly bright and colorful. So, for visitors who scroll and browse before reading, you offer precious little in the way of visual bait to catch their eye.

You might want to consider adding $1, $10, and $20 pledge levels. Those are common currency denominations, and people are used to spending money in those increments. The $1 pledge is simply a way to get the low budget passer-by. Having a designated $1 pledge level, rather than relying simply upon the default green button, is as much a psychological thing, as anything else. They may feel more of a buy in. I say that as someone who does a lot of one dollar pledges.

I understand the mom angle. I think that pretty much anybody will "get that." But, I don't think that it will make much difference to your attempt to gather funding - at least, not in your project page's current incarnation.

As I sit and just scroll the page up and down, looking to see what actually grabs my eye, there's just not a lot there. Yet, your goal is thirty five grand.

Maybe you can swing it with your updates - but, most people who visit your project page will likely see your main page, and not your updates.

Your video doesn't have the best quality to it. Some of it may be dated, but you don't have a lot of good quality video. When you talk to people at the car cruise ins, you tend to cut their heads off, and the quality of those isn't that great, either. The guy with the 1949 tag on his 1948 truck, that's a good example of a moment that resonates well.

Even the photo of you in the old truck isn't a good quality photo.

I don't begrudge you trying to fund the entire restoration in one fell swoop. I just think that, with what you have on display, that's going to end up being an awfully high mountain to climb.

For the most part, your rewards aren't particularly interesting, much less exciting. For fifty bucks, you'll send them an MP3 thank you. Really?! There's nothing wrong with doing that, per se, but is it likely to make people want to pledge fifty dollars to this project? I don't think so.

So, if your project page is lacking in the visual department, and if your video quality isn't good, and if your rewards don't excite people, how does all of that, collectively, bode for your chances of gaining thirty-five thousand dollars? Not very well, from my perspective.

I remember well my daddy starting an old peach flat, many years ago, as well as numerous other vehicles, back when I was young. I think that vehicle restoration projects can succeed using Kickstarter as a funding platform. But, it's not like you have it set up so that, if I want to fund a tire or a rear view mirror or a starter, that people can do so. You want them to buy in to your project, to invest a part of themselves, and not just their money. The challenge is to figure out how to adapt Kickstarter to best promote your project.

For the amount of time that you have allocated to having a draft page prior to launch, your project page has changed very little. Your video has a lot of your voice in it, but very little of you in it, if you know what I mean.

Good luck with your Kickstarter, John!

That is a cool idea. I wish you luck with your kickstarter. Maybe I'll see you on the road in your truck someday?

Charles wrote:Over all, the project page is substantially lacking in visual appeal elements. The video aside, your photos are few, and they aren't particularly bright and colorful. So, for visitors who scroll and browse before reading, you offer precious little in the way of visual bait to catch their eye.

The approach is to keep it simple and MAKE them read, then also perhaps hit the blog, Facebook page, etc to learn more before they jump on board. I think the project page is just the beginning. That's why there's not a lot of pics or endless text. I've seen a lot of project pages that go on and on, with a lot of really busy graphics and seemingly taking forever to get to the real substance. Big time tune-out factor.

Charles wrote:I understand the mom angle. I think that pretty much anybody will "get that." But, I don't think that it will make much difference to your attempt to gather funding - at least, not in your project page's current incarnation.

It's not an "angle." It's an important part of the story. From the first day (long before Kickstarter even existed), the effort to get this truck back on the road has always been a tribute to my mother's memory, as anyone who has read the very first post on the blog or the only note posted on the Facebook page understands.

Charles wrote:As I sit and just scroll the page up and down, looking to see what actually grabs my eye, there's just not a lot there. Yet, your goal is thirty five grand.

Yes, and the project page includes a specific financial breakdown.

Charles wrote:I don't begrudge you trying to fund the entire restoration in one fell swoop. I just think that, with what you have on display, that's going to end up being an awfully high mountain to climb.

As I have said, I know the odds are long. They would be regardless of how I presented this project. I'd just like to keep it simple and show people the real deal - Just a regular guy who's maybe not the most skilled person to ever hold a camera, but who truly loves old trucks, classic cars and road trips, and is just trying to make his dream a reality. Seems to me a lot of people would be able to connect with that approach.

Charles wrote:For the amount of time that you have allocated to having a draft page prior to launch, your project page has changed very little.

Really? Completely re-written, much shorter, pictures added is "changed very little?"

Charles wrote:Your video has a lot of your voice in it, but very little of you in it, if you know what I mean.

Just the way I decided to do it. Tried to do outdoor footage with me and the truck, but the overall quality was very inconsistent.

Charles wrote:Good luck with your Kickstarter, John!

Thanks very much, Charles. I appreciate your feedback.

dmullin wrote:That is a cool idea. I wish you luck with your kickstarter. Maybe I'll see you on the road in your truck someday?

Thank you! I hope you do see us on the road!

HI everyone, just signed up on this great site. Good luck in your kick-starter campaign and hope all your hard work is supported.
I also have a kick-starter campaigning I'm putting together and will post it here soon. H

Good luck to you. I'm sure your mother is smiling down.