Wanna hit your Kickstarter goal faster this year?
Maybe you’ve never run a crowdfunding campaign before, but you’re wondering how to do better than the average project. The average campaign is only successful 37% of the time.
The easiest way to beat average results is to improve your tactics.
Just think back to grade school. The kids who did well on tests, and beat the average, knew the material better! That’s why they were above average.
When you were little, you only got on an elite soccer team if you were better than average soccer player. People would pick you for their team, because you’re better than the rest.
You had trained harder, knew more trick shots, and had a firm understanding of basic strategy.
That’s what I want to give you in this article. I’m going to share with you some killer Kickstarter tricks that you can use to enhance your crowdfunding campaign.
If you want more strategy and tactics, then you’ll love my Audible book, the Kickstarter Launch Formula!
1. Customize a Kickstarter Pledge Button
When you’re designing your Kickstarter campaign page, you should try to make it as visual as possible. If you browse through any of the projects on the crowdfunding website, or even take the time to look through some of the Kickstarter campaigns that I’ve had on my podcast, you’ll get a better idea of what a good page looks like.
One of the hallmarks of a killer Kickstarter campaign is that it features a pledge button, which will take creators to the URL where they can make a contribution. To give you an example, I’ll paste the OYO Nova Gym project below.
This campaign raised more than 2 million from over 17,000 backers. If you take the time to look through their page, you’ll notice that they feature a very prominent pledge button, which then will take you to the URL where you can pledge to their campaign.
The reason why you want to do this rather than rely on the Kickstarter functionality can be summed up with one word: simplicity.
If backers are already getting most of the information that they need to make a decision, then having them look right and scroll through the rewards to pick the one they want is extraneous effort.
Instead, if you have a button in the middle of the page, where their eye already is, then they don’t have to do as much work to make a pledge. You can make this button very easily by using an online tool like Canva.
Canva is an indispensable tool, and one that I recommend every crowdfunded should use. I would also upgrade to the premium version (about ~$10/month), so that you can export transparent PNG files and have a wider selection of icons, images, and fonts.
This tool is much easier to use than photoshop. It also comes with a lot of pre-defined templates so that you can really get the ball rolling quickly.
2. Create a Facebook Direct Message Button
Another epic strategy to improve the interaction between your potential backers and you, the creator, is to make use of a Facebook direct message button. This way, people who aren’t backers can message you.
Let me repeat that. People who are not yet backers can message you with any questions. The way that Kickstarter is set up right now, people have to become a backer to leave a comment. With a FB messenger button, they can ask you a question without becoming a backer.
For those potential backers who might be on the fence, this can be an easy way to nudge them onto the right side. You might also come across some good FAQ that you should add to the page to clear up confusion.
For example, in the Tipsi Tray Kickstarter campaign, the creator did this very effectively in the project page. He not only invited visitors to ask questions, but he also has his face there, adding an extra bit of a trust-factor.
This button will take you to Facebook, where you can send him a message with any question that might be on your mind. It’s a very transparent way to get any of your concerned answered in a matter of minutes.
How can you create this button?
Well, one way would be to use Adobe Stock Images and combine that with Adobe Illustrator/Adobe InDesign or Canva in order to make your own button. You could also browse ShutterShock, or the web at large to find a button.
Then, you will ink the button to your Facebook message URL. That way, when someone clicks the link, they will be taken to their messenger. From there, they will type their question or comment.
3. Facebook messenger bot
A more sophisticated strategy that has been growing in popularity is incorporating a Facebook messenger bot into your Kickstarter launch sequence. This has been detailed very extensively here.
With a Facebook messenger bot, your goal is to stay “top of mind” so that your backers don’t forget who you are. Seeing as average email open rates are around 20 – 30%, your emails won’t be read by 70-80% of your potential backers. That’s a problem.
At the time of writing, Facebook messenger bots have an open rate closer to 80% and thus have a higher chance of being seen by your potential backers. If they didn’t get your email, they’ll see your message on FB!
I wouldn’t rely entirely on a Facebook messenger bot strategy, but it’s a nice one-two knockout punch. You can use it in tandem with traditional email marketing to attack the pre-launch and two angles.
The other thing that I like about a Facebook messenger bot is that you can send rich media. I’m referring to things like an audio or video message.
Picture this… your potential backer gets a direct Facebook message from you.
They open it and see that you left a quick 30 second audio clip. They play it, and can hear your voice, almost like you’re talking to them on the phone.
In the clip, you speak directly to them tell them how much their support would mean. You quickly share what they’ll get in exchange for supporting, and when you’re planning to live on Kickstarter or another platform.
A person who hears that message has a much stronger connection with you, the product, and they are reminded of your upcoming crowdfunding campaign launch.
You could even send them a simple selfie-style video, talking directly to them, and remind them of your upcoming launch!
The great thing about a simple Facebook messenger bot is that it can also be interactive. Backers can ask questions and get answers! You can even ask questions yourself, so that you gather more qualitative data. You’ll get a better insight into your customers.
4. Facebook group
Did you know that you can use Facebook groups to coalesce your tribe?
Every tribe is only as strong as the community feel. Without a community, there can be no real tribe. It’s just a one-to-one interaction. The leader is interacting with the followers.
With a one-to-many and many-to-many interaction, the followers are interacting with each-other! It’s a subtle distinction, but can make all of the difference. Under this model, followers will feel like they’re a part of something larger. They will feel like they’re part of a movement.
In the old days you’d have to create a whole forum, like KickstarterForum or CrowdfundingForum. While there are lots of advantages to owning a forum, it is very time consuming to set up.
Instead, now, all you gotta do is make a facebook group! To get a feel for how one works, you can join the CrowdCrux Facebook group.
When it comes to a Facebook group, you have the power to let people in or boot people out. You can do things like post pre-launch content, prototyping videos, and even do livestreams.
Unlike with a simple Facebook page, a group has great community building functions, like the ability for you to mention members, ask questions, and get a discussion going. You can also more easily engage members. With a Facebook page, you basically have to pay for a boosted post to get their attention.
One simple way to incorporate a Facebook group into your marketing would be to invite your email subscribers into the group. You could also invite the people who have liked your Facebook page into the group. Finally, when you set up a landing page, you could also invite people into the group after they reach the end of the opting in process.
I also like the fact that as a campaign manager, you have less selling to do. Yes, you’ll be sharing killer content with your group members, but the enthusiastic members will also help get the bystanders excited. Emotions are contagious, even online.
You can use the emotional excitement of your most active group members to get those not so active members to begin participating. It’s a sneaky way to use the concept of social proof, which is a powerful marketing concept.
5. Emojis
Do you want an easy way to make an emotional impact with your backers?
Use emojis!
Your goal, as a marketer, is to seem like you’re not a marketer. Why would you speak in stilted formal business language? It only makes you seem like some kind of weird corporation.
If you want to get the attention of the people, you gotta use the language of the people. Instead of sounding like a pro, you can incorporate slang, fun wording, and of course, emojis into your emails or campaign pitch so that backers smile when they read it.
Introduce a little personality, and it will go a long way. 😉
One example of this on Kickstarter is the Gamedec – Isometric, cyberpunk RPG set in XXII century. This project used emojis in their reward tiers.
When you use emojis, especially in places like your reward tiers, it’s basically eye candy. It will naturally draw someone’s attention to that section, in the same way that images do.
You shouldn’t overuse this concept, but having a few will have the same effect as if you were to bold, italicize, or underline text. The difference in the lettering draws attention.
More and more backers are also looking at their Facebook messages, emails, and other communications using their mobile phone. We’re already naturally used to reading text messages, so why not use the language of a text message?
For example, I’ll sometimes use emojis in the subject lines of my emails, like my weekly crowdfunding success tips newsletter. The reason why I do this is to give you a snapshot of what I’m going to be sharing on that email. I see higher open rates when doing this.
There are many great resources for emojis. To get started, you could look into:
Ascii symbols are another great emoji alternative. I included one in that short list. These are known as “emoticons.” ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°) ✌
6. Collect Qualitative Feedback
Surveys are all the rage right now. Popular books like the Lean Startup Methodology have made surveys into an incredible tool that you can use to learn more about your customers.
Now, you can get crystal clear on things like:
- Why someone backed your project
- What someone likes (or doesn’t) about your project
- The pain points a customer experiences, and solutions they’ve tried before.
Of course, you could ask your potential backers these kinda of questions informally through the use of a messenger bot, getting them to respond to comments, or by inviting email replies. However, a more systematic approach is to use a survey tool.
There are a few survey tools out there like:
Honestly? Type form is the best looking, but it can take a little time to learn the tool. You can create conditional logic based on the replies that you get from potential backers.
If you’re willing to put some time into designing your own survey, and you want it to look beautiful, intuitive, and sexy, then go with Typeform. You can also make a video ask to get direct feedback from your potential backers.
If you want something quick and dirty, then use Google forms or survey monkey. I like using Google forms for a lot of simple surveys. These Google forms are free, and come with a lot of good functionality like:
- Ability to gather emails
- Link up with a google spreadsheet
- Give you notifications as you get new replies.
- Send users to a destine on completion
How would you use this information?
Well, first of all, you can get really great qualitative feedback on your product. You can get into the heads of your customers. You can also create excel charts based on the data that you receive. This is real-world data. Nothing theoretical.
Second of all, you can use the actual verbiage that you receive to inform your copywriting for the campaign page. It’s incredible inspiration for coming up with things like bullet points for features, benefits, and the overall promise that you’re making with your product.
Rather than having to try to imagine how your customers might describe their problem, you can draw right from the responses to put together your offer. How easy is that!?
7. Press Kit
If you’re not making use of a press kit button, then you’re missing out on the opportunity to sell your project to the media.
Tons of new kickstarter campaigns feature this button. It makes it super easy to grab things like high resolution images or video clips so that reporters don’t need to hunt around.
You want to make things as easy as possible for a reporter to do a story on your project. Don’t make them search around to try to figure out how to contact you, the creator. Make it simple!
An easy Kickstarter trick is just to include an image of a button within the text of your page and link that to a DropBox folder, or another place where they get everything they need to do a story.
Effectively, this is giving them the ability to download your press kit. They don’t have to email you to get all this information from you personally. It’s all available for them to grab if they need it.
For example, take the LUMI: Intuitive Selfie Grip With Auto Face Tracking.
This project gives journalists an easy way to download the press kit. All they have to do is click that little button to be taken to the destination.
When you click the button, you’ll be taken to a google dive folder with all the images, video, and gifs that you might need to write a compelling story.
There’s that saying that many entrepreneurs leap off a cliff and try to assemble a plane on the way down. I completely support this strategy. I am also a ready, fire, aim kinda guy.
That being said, spending 2 hours on making a press kit is a very worthwhile investment. It means that you don’t have to hunt through your emails or your computer to come up with high resolution images when a journalists ask for them.
It also takes a bit of the burden off of you in terms of fielding emails and drafting replies. You can include your your press kit on the actual page, along with your contact information. That way, anyone who’s actually serious about doing a story will have an easy way to contact you.
No more back and forth emails. They’ll have everything they need to get writing!
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, Kickstarter does not have very much built in functionality when it comes to the things that I discussed in this list. You gotta build it into your own page. I hope that some of these Kickstarter tricks will help you be more successful.
If you need any help, don’t hesitate to schedule a coaching call with me. I can help you get this all together, or coach you along the way to make sure that you don’t run into any major pitfalls. I’d also recommend signing up for my newsletter below so that you don’t miss out out any more tricks.
Thanks for reading, and happy crowdfunding!
