KickstarterForum.org

[lowkey]

Hello everyone. Call me Jan. and before I start, pardon me for my english. its not my native language.

You can check my profile, and as you can see, I am a registered user since August 2015. If you have time to spare, go through my post list. You'll learn that I am just like most of you, looking for the best way to promote our crowdfunding campaign.

Its all started when I was hired by a company with a promising product (tech product - i cannot disclose the information here as they were very clear about the terms of confidentiality)... so I wonder, I am good with fb ads, google ads, graphic design etc but I am not very familiar with how marketing works for this whole crowdfunding thing.

I did my research. I went through lots and lots of forums, bought some useless ebook, studied the behaviour of most pledgers/customers who previously supported any tech based project. Then I came across multiple third party marketing company who promised me that sky is the limit. You can guess, but I rather speak out loud.

(i) Fundedtoday (FT) Funded Today
(ii) CommandPartner
(iii) Agency 2.0.

Well they are the most respectable company in their field. Remember sondors electric bike? or maybe Flow Hive? 13 millions and counting? Each of these 3 have their own success stories or should I say portfolio to promote to their respective clients. Thats normal right? YES, it is. No sane company will not try to brag with what they achieve!

The question is, is it all true..?

Yes, and no. Some company claimed that they were the only reason behind the success of these million dollars campaign. Which is obviously a lie. Some, never denied that the campaign went viral itself because the strength of the product and the presentation BUT, still, they never admit that. They dint claim to be the reason behind the success, but they dint tell the true story either.

By now, you should know that doing a crowdfunding campaign is not as easy as to design a compelling product and hire a marketing company to promote it. It requires a lot of hardwork, mainly market AND crowd research to obtain leads to your true potential customers. From there, when you finally understand your own potential, then only you should spend money on it.

Not before. Never before. Never, ever, ever, before.

What does it mean? It means paying the marketing company to find the crowd for you and do the research for you. Why are you here in the first place? Because you need more money for your project. Why do you let them decide is your project interesting or not? You have a bike, a pink bike. You dont know which crowd to aim, and you pay them to promote it for you. Heck, do this guy, the agent, the one managing your account on behalf, does he share the same sentiment for your product like you do? You were not aiming for some hot chick with bare boobs showing off the street but you were aiming for gay guys! They dont know that. But you do.

So you pay them. with no good results. what next?

"I am sorry, but your project do not have the right material for it to went viral"...

Do you know what they did? Funded Today for example. They went to their facebook fan page, create an ads, and boost them. You paid..lets say 3,500 - 4,000 dollars. A lot of money right? How much do they spend on your ads? The ads, which about to be your great breakthrough, how much...? You dont know. I dont know. Nobody knows.

BUT, I do know how much 3,000 dollars can reach on fb ads with proper crowd target. Almost 10,000 - 15,000 of a very specific crowd. You dont believe me? Lets do it your way. Facts and figures.

1. Go to your facebook.
2. Create ads (Target for website clicks)
3. Your audience must be interested in Paypal because whats the point targeting those who dont know about Paypal right? duh. What else? They must be interested in cool material, uncrate, engadget and other techies sites. Oh, and make sure they are those who age between 22-55..I hope I dont need to explain why. Do you think those under 22 have the buying power to help you?
4. Now, enter your lifetime budget. Say, 1,000 dollars.

What does the estimate numbers shows? Lets say, less than 10,000. How bout 7,500?

Now, as you can see, the target audience for this specific ads (its not that specific in this context, i am just trying to make a point, i have my own setting for fb ads) was aiming for tech enthusiast. From 7,500 audience, you have a conversion for lets say 1%. Yes, its low, but yes, 1% is the standard conversion rate from fb ads to your site, and then to directly purchase your product.

You have 75 people joining in! Hooooray!

1,000 dollars / 75 = thats $13.00 spent for each and every one of them.

What you should do next? Communicate. Encourage them, to encourage their friends. Why do they pledge your project? Find out why they support you. Then finally you will have your real target audience. These guys, their specific interest and people around them. How big can you expand? Thats yours to find out.

So lets make a recap.

Research your audience > Create your ads > Connect with your early supporters > Finalise your crowd.

These are the step by step guide to success. The good thing about the marketing companies is they already have their own database which most likely will be suitable for your product. BUT you can never be sure. AND you should save your money. They wont tell you which is which, they'll just convince you they have one prepared. If you dont mind the hassle, go for the long way. It will be worth it, I promise you. If you want them to decide for you, be my guess.

BONUS : Refer the screenshots below.

http://imgur.com/dvfZ0YG
This is a sponsored post (fb ads) made by My Top Kickstarter Project (Funded Today)..so now, what did I do? I clicked the far top right corner and choose "Create similar Ads"...what happen next? You will know what is the best objective for your fb ads. Good trick right?

I have more up my sleeve. If you enjoy reading this, please pm me. I might help you if I am not too busy.

p/s : i love u.

sorry, i cant control myself. laugh dammit or it will be awkward! You can reach me directly by email to : Juzokeith@gmail.com

[lowkey]

I forgot to mention. If you are too lazy to do your research, theres a quick way to learn your audience.

1. Create a new facebook account
2. Like, interact and comment ONLY on product/business pages with similar niche (you can have few friends too)
3. A while after, pay more attention while you scrolling down your fb walls, and you can see sponsored ads by your competitors. With this, you can identify the most effective type of ads by analysing the engagements made by their audience. It does not include LIKES. Only shares and comments since Likes is not that valuable. But those who actually made significant comments and kind enough to share those sponsored posts will be your most organic and valuable leads.
4. Make friends with them and you'll get a good survey for the potential of your product!

See what I did there? I stopped you from flushing $2,500-4000 down the drain. Thats what I did.

[lowkey]

Some update after lurking around the forum :

I can see theres a lot of you who made some minor mistakes on what works for your advertising. First things first, yes, the best advertising platform for your crowdfunding is FACEBOOK. Proven facts. Please check the attachments below.

But even if its the best advertising for crowdfunding, doesnt mean its the best for you. Obviously. Or how sure can you that it will success? what kind of images/video/promotional materials are you using? if its a video, does it come in HD? If its an images, does it shows a person using your product OR just a good attractive pictures that work as a clickbait?

How convincing can your ads be? Thats what you need to find out. Will this or that or this or that or this or that works for your ads. How do you do this? multiple fb ads. this is where you need to spend your own money, doing things on your own.

spending say $30 per ads, for 5 different methods promoting your product, aiming at different audience.

i dont need to explain more about this. you do understand the logic behind this. you really do. the only problem about every crowdfunding campaign owner is you want to get it fast. you just need them, fast. no. is there any easy way to take someone money besides being an ass? even those big funded scam projects do relevant works with to gain such money. you are trying to run a legit business, do your research.

i have more data. but from time to time, if i see how much this posts help the others, i'll share them. i am sorry but i dont get paid nor doing business for all this. i am simply spending my time trying to help you guys since i think all this knowledge will be wasted if i dont. and i see too many peoples frustrated losing thousands of dollars to scam agencies.

if this posts help you, i would appreciate some comments. thank you.

[perfectore]

Thankyou Lowkey that was a very informative article. Thank you for the facebook adword tip at the bottom. I have recently launched my campaign and I am having a slow start but I am running a 45 day campaign so I can learn as much as possible for my future product designs.

I hired CrowdFund Social and PR Kick before the campaign. I am not finding that either have made any impact as of yet. I hope that they can perform over the next few weeks but I will be doing a very comprehensive review of all the services I hired at the end.

Any tips you can give me would be much appreciated!

Here is the link to my campaign..
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/70 ... s-best-bac

[lowkey]

Thankyou Lowkey that was a very informative article. Thank you for the facebook adword tip at the bottom. I have recently launched my campaign and I am having a slow start but I am running a 45 day campaign so I can learn as much as possible for my future product designs.

I hired CrowdFund Social and PR Kick before the campaign. I am not finding that either have made any impact as of yet. I hope that they can perform over the next few weeks but I will be doing a very comprehensive review of all the services I hired at the end.

Any tips you can give me would be much appreciated!

Here is the link to my campaign..
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/70 ... s-best-bac

Wooohoooo! First comment I received for my hardwork spent on this article! On this thread I mean. I've since receive private messages from many of you forumers here and thank you for your support. Just thought that I need to mention this beforehand so you guys wont get offended. But I am! what the heck guys told you to put out some commends here!

how did i treat all of you?
how bout the tip and tricks? zzzzz commend me now please!

and back to you sir. for your campaign. i have a few suggestion.

1. Graphic design (promotional materials)
-- some of them looks really good. like the GIF and the part where you show a good number of different people using your product. BUT, theres a few part you need to fix too. First of all, your logo. This suppose to be a good product for health. Your main logo looks more like a gaming logo. secondly is your timeline graphics. thats bad too. you see, people like to see beautiful things. it attract peoples. do you know what every pledgers usually do? they dont read about your project right away. A quick scroll down your presentation, if nothing looks interesting which in your case the timeline looks a bit dodgy, they will simply close the window and never look back. EVEN if thats the ONLY unattractive images on your campaign. Do not get offended by this. I am telling the truth, unbiased opinion as potential clients, marketing person and a young modern designer. You are the project owner. You can get easily impressed by your own project presentation provided it looks decent. Pledgers, only a small numbers do support decent presentation. Most of them? Only do the attractive one.

2. Pricing
-- I know I am not in the place to decide your pricing for you. There are certain aspects that varies from one to another. But if you are looking for more pledgers, anything far from $100.00 will be good. I know, $79 for early birds is far from $100. But, its closer to $80, which means its closer to $100.00 than $50.00. Get it? Ask yourself. Isnt $69.00 sounds better than $79.00....? The numbers itself sounds more familiar compared to 79. Theres a kick in it.

3. Video
-- you have a good material for your video. I repeat, good material. It wasnt a good promotional video. Keep them simple at first. you need a better script and editing. the one you have now is more like a person telling you his problem and people cant relate with what that. seeing and listening is two different things. for example, when you mentioned about your back ache when you are at work and how straightening them helps, you tell people, and there was a picture. try this for a script :

Fade effects, focusing on a guy looking at a screen doing work and stuff.
He start to reach out to his back using his hand.
Trying to set his back straight. and then camera zoom out from the his seats.
Showing theres a couple of other people starting to do the same thing.
And then the guy's wife called him.
And he explained how its hard for him to keep working with such condition.
The wife pity her husband.
Bought him your product.
And it fixes the problem.
*this plays with the market sentiment. you now have those who have the same problems interested with your product AND convincing people to buy the product for their partner. See what you did there? this small details matter.

It takes 4 random guys, a women, an office, camera trick, good editing and you get yourself a good video.
The total video might make up to 1 minutes.
Thats the introduction video.

Then you'll skip to interview part for 30 seconds. they will be interviewing you. and you'll explain how you get the idea and why it will make such a difference. this is where you communicate with your audience. heart to heart. if they can relate with you, they will support you. and support will convert to pledges.

Finally you'll put up the title and end screen, with notes to continue watching if they would like to hear some real results and feedbacks from your survey (which you put early on your current video). that way your video will be shorter, and they get the main important message. if they do continue to watch to the feedback phase, you'll know they love your products. how? by leaving another secret message on the final seconds telling them that they just went through the feedbacks and that means they do face the same daily problems and how you are giving away discounts for them. all they need to do is to claim the said coupon which appears only after feedback section.

i think i've said enough. if you need anything else, dont hesitate to let me know. i am more specialised on fb ads and market research but i do graphics and design too. If theres anything you dont agree with, please elaborate your point so we can see others sharing their opinion too.

*pardon my english. tq!

[timeloopwatches]

Really good in depth analysis of the crowdfunding game. Thanks for freely sharing the knowledge @lowkey. You gave me a clear idea on how and what I should be doing for my next campaign. Much appreciated buddy!

Keep up the good work, and the sharing!

[lowkey]

no problem. anything else, just let me know!

if i have some free time, i'll be glad to update the post with more information. so please feel free to check from time to time. anything else, just pm me!

[hyperstarter]

I just wanted to say, you've given some great advice.

Overall, you're right - campaign owners should do all the hard work themselves...but that's the thing, it's hard

We've been in touch with Perfectore too, it looks like they're relaunch and hope we can be more hands on. Let me know if we can offer any advice too.

[lowkey]

I am right? Not that I said marketing agencies such as yours are not good to work with.

But campaign owners must know how certain agencies work and really really really understand if they do share the same sentiment for your product. Theres no reason to rely on agencies when you yourself dont understand who your audience is. Marketing agencies are paid to promote your product. If you dont have any target audience, heck, you can just promote it to 6 years old but doesnt mean anybody will buy them!

Even if campaign owners have their target audience, can they confirm that the agencies are targeting the same audience? Or just like FT and CP, they'll inform you that it doesnt went well for them and you dont get any kind of proof for it. Marketing. Its a broad subject.

Campaign owners are advised to learn how crowdfunding works before you decide to do anything.

The typical 3 step to success does not work anymore.

Design > Pay Advertisers > Get clients

You are not NIKE. not ADIDAS. not APPLE. not a shit.

Design > Target your audience > Connect > Encourage > Get Validation > Get Support > Get Funded.

[hyperstarter]

You're right

Actually I think project owners need to take a step back. It's great to get support but at the end of the day, it's down to what you're trying to raise

There's stats like 60%+ of all campaigns fail...it could be due to lack of publicity, promotion, no outreach or could be at the end of the day the project is crap

If you've identified a target market, tested it out amongst family/friends, then strangers...and they like, then you've got a possibility of a winner campaign.