It’s no secret that 2020 was one of the craziest years of our lives.
While there are certain things that we’d like to leave behind, the crowdfunding industry still saw a ton of growth and some really successful campaigns.
You might be asking yourself: should I launch a Kickstarter campaign in 2021?
If you have a product idea that you believe in and you’re ready to take action, then the answer is yes!
In this article, I’m going to take you through how to launch a killer campaign in 2021 to bring your dream product into a reality.
Back when I got into the crowdfunding industry in 2012, there wasn’t much information out there as to what made a campaign successful.
Over the years, I’ve decoded the recipe for a successful campaign by interviewing hundreds of successful entrepreneurs on my Podcast and researching for my book, The Kickstarter Launch Formula.
We’re going to talk about some of the new ideas, resources, and best practices to inject into your campaign this year.
Here we go!
You Need a Prototype
A common question I get from my students, readers, and listeners is: Can I do a crowdfunding campaign if I don’t have a prototype?
In 2021, the answer is no.
You need to show people proof. You have to mitigate their fears and worries that what you have to promise them is not real.
You know that you are an honest person and have put a lot of work into your new business idea. But potential backers don’t.
Campaigns nowadays are founded in a workable prototype.
You have to demonstrate the functionality of your product in order to show that what you’re promising is actually a reality.
You can get started on your prototype by:
- Identifying how it will look and feel in your hand
- Showing how the product will be used to solve a problem
- Constructing the optimal size of the product
Take board games, for example. No one wants to invest in a board game concept; anyone could come up with that.
Potential backers want to see people playing the game, and enjoying their experience with that game.
They want to see how the rules work. They want testimonials from people just like them that can attest to how great the game is.
Back in the day, you could raise $50,000 to make potato salad. Unfortunately, in 2021, that’s not gonna fly.
If you already have a prototype, you’re in a really good spot. With a working prototype, you can begin the planning of a crowdfunding campaign and start to understand the process more thoroughly.
Work Backwards From the Customer
All too often, we try to create something new and innovative and then try to fit the idea into something that we can sell to the customer.
Instead, you want to start with the customer. How would your customer use the product? What are they trying to accomplish with your product?
Typically, this can be done through one-one surveys with people that are suffering from the problem that you are trying to solve.
Get down into the nitty-gritty of understanding the customer’s psyche. A great way to do this is through a Facebook Ad Campaign for some qualitative feedback.
Once you have this qualitative data, you can use it to inform the marketing copy for your campaign.
I specialize in this testing/survey phase, so that by the time you launch, you have already mastered the psychology of your potential backers.
If you need help with this, you should feel free to schedule a free coaching call with me!
In 2021, this testing phase will be invaluable. By building an email list and interest leading up to your campaign, you can have a nice initial surge of funding for your initial launch.
What You’ll Need for Your Campaign Page
Once you have created a prototype and gone through the pre-launch phase, you’ll have to actually build out your campaign page.
Some of the things you will need include:
- A killer Kickstarter video
- Compelling rewards
- Copywriting and campaign text
- Lively images and gifs
Your campaign page should evoke excitement from potential backers. You want to pull at their emotional strings to make them more likely to buy.
In 2021, it’s all about building a story. By constructing a compelling narrative, people are more likely to want to be involved in the growth of your product.
The more you can prove that what you are promising is true, the faster a potential backer will be able to make a buying decision.
Think about it: someone who doesn’t know you or trust you is willing to give you money. This is a risky play for potential backers. So build that credibility! Make them feel like they know you and your product; make them believe.
Make Use of Modern Technology
In 2021, we have more technology available than ever before.
Things like Instagram/Facebook live videos, automatic email responder sequences, and post-campaign managers like BackerKit are all revolutionizing the way the crowdfunding game is played.
These are really easy ways to boost the success of your project. These technologies are enabling crowdfunding entrepreneurs to reach audiences more directly and improve marketing.
With such a competitive market in 2021, you don’t want to be left behind.
Utilizing technology is a no-brainer. The campaigns I visit that aren’t using these modern marketing systems are failing.
Assemble a Quality Team
Assembling a team that you trust is going to go a long way in determining the success of your campaign.
In the old days, an individual or creator might be able to take on the entire campaign themselves.
In 2021, this isn’t the case. There are so many moving parts, that you will need to delegate tasks outside of your expertise.
Assert yourself as a leader of the team, and entrust great people to manifest this project into its maximum potential.
Conclusions
2021 can be your year to go forth fearlessly in making your dream project a reality.
It will take hard work and dedication, but with the right mindset, you can be one of the great crowdfunding success stories of 2021.
In order to be that highlighted campaign, you’ll need to:
- Create a functioning prototype that demonstrates value
- Work backwards from the customer by identifying their needs
- Create an outstanding campaign page
- Make use of modern technologies for a competitive advantage
- Assemble an all-star team
Feel like you need some additional help? Book a coaching call with me! I’d love to help you out.
You can also find tons of other great content by subscribing to my Youtube Channel and checking out my books that go way more in-depth about launching a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2021.
I hope this post was helpful for you. Good luck with your campaigns in 2021!
