KickstarterForum.org

Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well.


My name is Dede Hidayat, from Indonesia, and I'm planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign for my startup project. I'm here to seek feedback and advice from those who have experience in this area.

Regarding my project, my startup is a web and Android-based point of sale (POS) application. The application is fully developed and ready for sale, but I'm facing challenges with marketing costs. My startup is planning to make a big move and not just remain focused on POS services.

As for rewards, I’m thinking of offering three types of rewards:

$1 - $30: Access to a special dashboard panel where donors can view the total funds raised, see how the funds are allocated, and follow all the progress stories. This way, donors can witness the real-time journey of success (though nothing is guaranteed, I strongly believe in it).

$31 - $200: As a thank you, I will provide the WhatsMail source code, which is a marketing tool that combines WhatsApp, email, AI, web builder, and SaaS features. I normally sell this tool on Codester, but this will be given as a reward. Additionally, donors in this range will still receive the rewards from the first tier.

$201 and above: As a token of appreciation, I will provide the first and second-tier rewards, along with the source code for my POS system (non-SaaS version) from my startup.

On the financial side, I’m aiming to raise $20,000 with the following breakdown for the startup's first-quarter operations:

- $10,000 for sales team expenses (10 salespeople and 1 team leader)
- $8,000 for core team salaries, including:
- 2 Customer Support members
- 2 Support Technicians
- 1 UI/UX Designer
- 1 Mobile Developer
- 1 Frontend Developer

$2,000 for marketing efforts.

As the owner, I’ll be holding back my own earnings and focusing entirely on the project.

I’ll share more details once I publish the campaign on Kickstarter. For now, I would appreciate any feedback or suggestions regarding my plan.

Congrats on getting your POS app to a fully developed stage—definitely a huge accomplishment! It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into the rewards for your crowdfunding campaign, especially with offering actual source code, which could attract some tech-savvy backers.

Here are a few thoughts I had while reading your plan:

Marketing Costs: I see you’ve allocated $2,000 for marketing, but that seems a bit low compared to your sales team expenses. Given that you're in a competitive space, it might be worth adjusting the budget to put more into marketing. A good initial marketing push can make a big difference in reaching your target audience.

Rewards Structure: The rewards you're offering are pretty unique. I like that you’re giving backers real value, especially with the source codes. But for the higher tier, you may want to consider adding a more personal touch, like access to a founders' update call or an early adopter badge in the app, so they feel more involved.

Sales Team Focus: I noticed a large portion of your budget is going towards the sales team, which is important. Just make sure they’re aligned with the marketing efforts so both parts of your strategy work together seamlessly.

Storytelling: Since you’re going to have a special dashboard for backers to follow the progress, make sure the updates are engaging and transparent. Regularly show how their contributions are helping the project grow, which will build trust and possibly lead to more backers.

I’d also suggest getting feedback from your target users early on, so you can tweak the product and campaign as needed. Overall, it looks like you’ve got a solid foundation. Best of luck with the campaign!

Looking forward to seeing it on Kickstarter!

Hi Dede, congratulations on developing your POS startup and planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign! It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into both the project and the rewards structure.

A few suggestions that might help strengthen your campaign:

Clarity on the Vision: Since you're not solely focusing on POS services, it might be helpful to emphasize the broader vision of your startup. Highlighting where you see the company going beyond just POS solutions could resonate with potential backers who are looking for innovation and long-term potential.

Rewards Tiers: I like that you're offering practical, tech-related rewards like the source codes. Maybe consider adding a mid-range tier around $100 with something that bridges the gap between the basic dashboard access and the full source code offering. For example, early access to future features or discounted services could attract more backers in that range.

Marketing Allocation: Given that marketing is crucial for expanding your user base, $2,000 might be a bit limited depending on your plans. Maybe you could share more specifics on how you'd make the most of that budget. Backers will appreciate knowing how you plan to maximize the impact with targeted strategies, like digital ads, influencer partnerships, or other outreach efforts.

Campaign Story: When you launch on Kickstarter, make sure your campaign page includes a detailed story of your journey—what inspired you to create the POS system, the challenges you’ve faced, and your vision for the future. Personal stories help potential backers connect with your project on a deeper level.

Stretch Goals: It might also be a good idea to introduce stretch goals. If you raise more than $20,000, what will the additional funds go toward? This can motivate backers to support you even beyond the initial goal.

Best of luck with your crowdfunding campaign! Looking forward to seeing it live and rooting for your success!