Are you looking to raise money for a board game or tabletop?
Want to do it with a crowdfunding campaign?
In today’s article, I’m sharing some awesome tips and tricks that I have for launching your board game on Kickstarter.
These suggestions can help to steer you in the right direction when it comes to crowdfunding a game.
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There, I’m always putting out videos related to crowdfunding to help you fund your dream projects.
For now, let’s talk about board games.
Board games on Kickstarter have raised over one billion dollars, making for a very lucrative market. Are you ready to get in on the action?
Let’s dive in.
Study Successful Board Game Examples
As you get started brainstorming for your Kickstarter campaign, it’s always helpful to study successful campaigns that have come before you.
If possible, fund some campaigns that you admire. You don’t have to throw a large chunk of money at them, but you’ll get a better idea of how that campaign makes contact with its backers through marketing.
You should also check out podcasts and other industry examples where creators talk about their process.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Implement successful elements into your campaign for a better chance of reaching your own funding goal.
Nail Down Your Logistics… ASAP
Sometimes I’ll be talking to someone who is looking to raise money for a board game, and they have a great concept behind it.
Maybe they’ve even made a prototype and done some playtesting at home. However, they haven’t sought out a manufacturer and other key elements.
You’ll need artists, a dedicated team, and more to assemble and deliver your board game.
Until you have the details nailed down, it’s difficult to actually get started in launching your Kickstarter campaign.
Keep in mind that unless you have a means of delivering your project to the public, you’re still in the idea stage. Push past it!
Invest In Marketing
This tip always seems to be a bit unnerving for board game creators, who tend to be highly creative.
However, without a dedicated marketing strategy, no matter how creative and compelling your idea, it’s going to be difficult to raise funds.
Ask yourself some of the following questions:
- How are you going to get this project in front of your target audience?
- How will you compel people to play the game?
- What is your strategy for making a killer Kickstarter campaign video?
You’ll have to create hard assets such as your video, gifs, and illustrations that ignite interest on your campaign page.
You’ll also need an outreach strategy that includes things like email lists, social media, and targeted ad campaigns.
Remember to include your marketing budget when you are laying out your logistical strategy. This will affect how your game is priced on Kickstarter, so don’t overlook this vital component!
Stretch Goals, Add-Ons, Announcements
Stretch goals, add-ons, and announcements can serve to maintain momentum for your campaign and pique interest. I’ve defined these for you below:
Stretch goals: additional funding goals once you’ve reached your initial funding mark.
Add-ons: additional rewards or perks for backers to choose from when backing your product.
Announcements: making contact with backers during the campaign to update them on the progress of the project.
Do a little bit of additional research on these elements, and consider making a content calendar for when your campaign goes live.
This will help to keep your audience engaged and excited about your project!
Demonstrate FUN
When building out your Kickstarter video and campaign page, it’s important to demonstrate value.
And when it comes to board games, the value is in the fun that you are promising to your backers.
Use b-roll footage and photos of playtesting to show just how awesome your game is. You want to leave people feeling like the game can bring excitement into their lives, making them more likely to convert into a backer.
Attend Live Events
Especially in the tabletop and board game niche, attending live events can provide you with:
- An incredible networking opportunity
- Opportunity for people to playtest and join an interest list
- Feedback on your game
- B-roll footage and photos for social proof
Live events are an awesome way to make connections with people in the industry who might be interested in promoting or supporting your game.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity!
Get an Influencer
When thinking about the promotion of your game, getting an influencer to vouch for your project can go a long way.
Get someone that people in the gaming industry rely on for discovering the next big idea.
Influencers lead social circles. They’re idea spreaders, and they can help you bring your game to life.
A great testimonial through a blog post, Youtube video, or social media shoutout can drive traffic to your campaign page. And even better, this traffic might have a higher chance of converting into funding because people already have a positive association with your project.
Conclusions
I hope you enjoyed today’s video and found some of these tips to be helpful when launching your board game with crowdfunding!
Think you’re ready to start making some moves?
Check out my FREE Kickstarter course for a more in-depth analysis of how to bring your board game to life.
You can also schedule a free coaching call with me—I’d love to help you out.
Go forth confidently. You just might have the next tabletop craze!
