Do you want to get funding for your next book?
How about for a new series of novels?
Kickstarter is the PERFECT place to not only get funding, but also gather a crowd of raving fans that will eagerly await your next novel.
That might seem like a bold claim, but hear me out. I’ve interviewed many successful authors who have used crowdfunding to explode onto the scene. They’ve bypassed the traditional gatekeepers and went directly to their audience.
While this new opportunity exists, you also have to know what you’re doing. You can’t be just think that because you throw up a campaign that you’re gonna rake in the cash.
I’ve put together a video for you which shares the tips and tricks that I consistently share with authors like you that want to get funding. You can watch it below.
Did you know that the publishing category on Kickstarter has raised more than $135 million dollars! No joke!
At first, many of my author friends thought that crowdfunding was just going to be some new fad that would quickly disappear. As they began to saw more and more projects getting funding over the years, I’ve received a ton of questions about how this whole crowdfunding thing works.
The video above went through some of the tips and tricks that I always share with authors that are new to Kickstarter. It’s a must-watch if you haven’t checked it out already.
Along with this video, I also have a helpful guide on Amazon called the Kickstarter Launch Formula which gives you the exact strategy thousands of campaigns have used to get funding.
You’ll thank me later ;).
Before you go check out some of the other videos I have out there, I want to share with you some more advice that I have for getting started.
The Key to an Effective Launch
A lot of authors jumped for joy when new ways came out to get their work published. Finally, they could bypass a traditional publisher and take their work directly to readers.
Self-publishing has become an entire revolution, leading to ebooks, paperbacks, audio books, and more. As an author, you can actually make a living from your writing.
Now, you can even get funding for a book project from your fans. It’s pretty wild!
It’s true that we’ve removed the gatekeepers that used to stand in between you and your readers. However, you also gotta recognize that these gatekeepers did serve a purpose.
If you don’t have a publishing company that’s invested in your book launch, then you need to do it yourself. Typically, the publisher would put money into your book marketing. Now, you have to take on that risk.
(Side note: most publishers don’t even help that much with the book marketing, but that’s besides the point)
The key to an effective launch is to plan out a complete marketing strategy to spread the word. This includes things like building an email list, growing your social following, reaching out to journalists, and creating marketing assets.
Why Publishing Projects are Different…
Did you know that publishing projects are different from every other category on Kickstarter?
Yep! It’s true!
The marketing behind a publishing project is going to be different than the preparation that goes into the launch of a campaign for a tech gadget, board game, or design product.
This secret trips up a lot of authors because they try techniques that work for some categories, but that aren’t the best fit for THEIR campaign category.
I talk way more about this in the video I released today. In simple terms, a “reader” is different from an “early-adopter” who’s looking to grab a copy of the next cool board game or tech gadget. Their mindset, expectations, and even personality are different.
When hearing advice about crowdfunding, you have to filter it and only apply that which is going to work for your particular publishing project. Otherwise, you risk doing a bunch of stuff that’s not gonna work.
You’ll waste time, money, and get really, really frustrated or disheartened with your Kickstarter flops. No one wants that kind of public failure, am I right? Invest some time in learning how to market your particular project.
The Only Way to Guarantee Success
I am no longer speaking to you as an author. Instead, I’m talking to you as a business owner.
Let me ask you a question… would you ever pay someone $2,000? How about $5,000? How about $10,000?
Of course not! That’s a lot of money! Right?
The problem that many newbies have when it comes to a product launch is evaluating costs from a consumer mindset, rather than as a business owner.
So, let me rephrase my question… would you ever pay someone $2,000 if you knew it would make you $20,000?
Well… yeah… that’s obvious. Who wouldn’t?
There are only two ways to get an outcome in life. You can either attempt to produce the outcome yourself or you can pay someone cold hard cash to create that outcome for you. If it’s a valuable result, then it will probably be expensive.
I share this message with you because there is really only one way to almost guarantee success. You gotta surround yourself with the right people who know what they’re doing.
You’re already among the minority of authors. You’re taking the time to learn about marketing by reading my blog and watching my videos.
If you commit yourself to mastering this crowdfunding thing, then you’re going to stand a good chance of success. If you bring on mentors or people who can help you, you also improve your chances of success.
I want to leave you with one message… before you get started, create a budget!
I don’t care if that budget is $100, $500, or $5,000. That money should ONLY be used to improve the results of your crowdfunding campaign.
This is a surefire way to set yourself success and make sure that you don’t launch a half-baked project. Hope this video helps!
