KickstarterForum.org

Hi all, I'm still reading through all these posts for info and help to apply to my crowd funder project, trouble is I can't come up with anything specific to my campaign!
I make candles at home, have done it for 2 years, and have several regular customers, but I'm wanting to learn a lot more, therefore that's what I'm hoping to achiev e with my crowdstarter.
After browsing these forums I don't feel my project is speaking out to people, I feel like it's aload of rubbish and even I wouldn't pledge to myself lol.
If anyone has a little time could you please have a look and see what I can do to improve?
How do I use the advice around here and apply it to candles? I.e I've seen mentioned their should be a video but I wouldn't have a clue what should be in it!
Also targeting specific people for my project, where would you ask? I thought of gift shops etc but they will want more products than what I have to offer at the moment, I'm totally stuck!
Any advice would be gratefully recieved x
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/cottage-gifts

Hi Mrs Caddy,

We're new to Kickstarter too but I thought I'd offer some quick advice as I can feel you're "stuck in a rut" and probably over-thought your strategy. I think the best way forward is to look at who you're targetting, audience age, what candles are popular at the moment, what shapes/styles.

When I think of candles I think of two things: Sexy stuff and religion. Perhaps you could cater for either or both niches, but yours needs to stand out.

One cool idea I have is that you sell the candles in box sets, for a present or something. Another idea is that the candle smells nice, or after it's burnt away it reveals something else - perhaps a message? This could be targetted at proposals perhaps, a man and woman at a table. He lights the candle when they're eating and at the end of the meal the burnt candle will reveal "Will you Marry me" or something like this...

After you've researched your specialist area, probably best to test among friends, which candles they liked/didn't like. Then you can use the stats towards your crowdfunding...it should then pick up. But to get more funding, you'd need facts and figures into the market and places to showcase (like marketstalls?) your stuff first...all the best and hope this advice helps!

Hi,
Candle making seems like an ideal business to crowdfund here are some tips hope you like them:
Your product has to be unique - it cant look like something you could buy in waitrose - in fact the first image you have on you page looks like pretty generic candles - like you would buy in Tesco.
Have a look at these images :http://www.espace-zen.fr/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2.jpg

Secondly you should try an put up a video as these campaigns always do better than those without - perhaps the process of making a candle?

Third: you need to sell the uniqueness of the product:
Why is it special? - maybe its all natural, organic wax, scented with organic hand picked lavender etc....
Also Yorkshire is a beautiful place - sell that! take some photos outside where you have picked the flowers for the scent etc..
Put up a website so you can show more of your products, you can have a site made pretty cheaply and host it for next to nothing.
Generally I think its a great idea to sell candles on crowdfunding - you need to work on making the product stand out.
Why not use this campaign as experience and then put up a Kickstarter campaign for more money.
Hope this helps