Many campaigns use Thunderclap for last days of campaign to do a big social media shout out. I've found a number of people leary of using due to the amount of permission it requires (access to your data).
Recently I came across what seems to be a less invasive social media shout out. This could be set up to go out 1st day of campaign as well as the last 48 hours. https://headtalker.com
Advice for creators
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TashaTurner
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Last edited by TashaTurner on Thu Apr 09, 2015 3:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-Tasha http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/479254504
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Tasha, THANK YOU for this post and all the information it contains!
I am currently in the early "musings" stages of a campaign.
A friend bought me a copy of the out of print 5th Dimension playing cards. It has 5 suits and 80 cards totaly. Add to that my knowledge that the origin of the "standard" deck of playing cards lays in Tarot, and that many (most?) New Age religions (whether they trace their roots to ancient Druids or not) tend to emphasize the 5 Elements.
And I end up with a 5 suit (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit) deck, with the original 14 cards per suit (Princess, Prince, Queen and King) and I'm at 70 cards, plus the probability of a few "Jokers" (originally The Fool from tarot) or other Major Arcana derived or simply various Archtetypes and I end up with a very unique deck that can still be used for poker, canasta, etc.
I will definitely heed your claxon call to update early and often! There are a few projects that I have backed that, once funded, seemed to disappear entirely.
You include many other good suggestions in this thread so far.
I do wonder, though, if you have any more specific advice as to how to get pre-launch buzz going, finding non-friends to check out the preview, how to estimate a delivery timeline, etc. This will be my first project and since I'm on a limited income, an unexpected expense, regardless of amount, would like mean the project gets canceled and what's left gets refunded to backers.
Thanks! And here's hoping today is behaving itself for you.
I am currently in the early "musings" stages of a campaign.
A friend bought me a copy of the out of print 5th Dimension playing cards. It has 5 suits and 80 cards totaly. Add to that my knowledge that the origin of the "standard" deck of playing cards lays in Tarot, and that many (most?) New Age religions (whether they trace their roots to ancient Druids or not) tend to emphasize the 5 Elements.
And I end up with a 5 suit (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit) deck, with the original 14 cards per suit (Princess, Prince, Queen and King) and I'm at 70 cards, plus the probability of a few "Jokers" (originally The Fool from tarot) or other Major Arcana derived or simply various Archtetypes and I end up with a very unique deck that can still be used for poker, canasta, etc.
I will definitely heed your claxon call to update early and often! There are a few projects that I have backed that, once funded, seemed to disappear entirely.
You include many other good suggestions in this thread so far.I do wonder, though, if you have any more specific advice as to how to get pre-launch buzz going, finding non-friends to check out the preview, how to estimate a delivery timeline, etc. This will be my first project and since I'm on a limited income, an unexpected expense, regardless of amount, would like mean the project gets canceled and what's left gets refunded to backers.
Thanks! And here's hoping today is behaving itself for you.
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TashaTurner
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:29 am
- Location: NJ
- Contact:
Lobster has an entire thread where he keeps posting an updated PDF which might help (working on a new 200+ page Kickstarter guide) - based around games. He knows way more than I do as he runs campaigns. Here is the thread to get the latest version of his PDF http://backerclub.co/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82
Most of my social media advice is geared towards writers, artists, creatives who have time to build a network platform before they get to this stage. Or well I'm all about building relationships and that takes time so if your a month or so pre-launch my methods probably won't work. I have a blog. Haven't posted in ages but the social media/build a platform/target market research stuff is relevant. You could give it a try http://tasha-turner.com
If you do have a social media platform start talking about your idea and asking for feedback. Share your concept as you go along but don't make it all about you. Promote others who are doing similar things. Know what your hook is. What makes your thing special/different? Know the answer and be able to write it in under 116 characters but also be able to expand on it to a full paragraph. Write up your story and have people who know nothing about it tell you what they think your hook is, what the specific details are, what your rewards are - you'd be surprised how many times people get those things wrong & everyone misses stuff because they know what they are supposed to be.
Reach out to people who have run successful Kickstarters similar to yours for advice but do basic research 1st - know their campaign well & others which are similar so they don't have to tell you stuff you could have found out from reading & you just need the behind the scene stuff (so go check their blogs from the 2-3 months before campaign also). Me I'd probably try to go through their FB and other social media also but that keeps getting harder and harder to do. Reach out to the media and other groups who would be interested in your product using your hook - think outside the box.
Buy and read The Kickstarter Companion. It's available on Amazon (was under $5 when I bought it March 8, 2014)
Here is the Kickstarter link to learn more about it https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/he ... anion-book
Whatever you do make sure you are far enough along in your process before you run your Kickstarter.
Most of my social media advice is geared towards writers, artists, creatives who have time to build a network platform before they get to this stage. Or well I'm all about building relationships and that takes time so if your a month or so pre-launch my methods probably won't work. I have a blog. Haven't posted in ages but the social media/build a platform/target market research stuff is relevant. You could give it a try http://tasha-turner.com
If you do have a social media platform start talking about your idea and asking for feedback. Share your concept as you go along but don't make it all about you. Promote others who are doing similar things. Know what your hook is. What makes your thing special/different? Know the answer and be able to write it in under 116 characters but also be able to expand on it to a full paragraph. Write up your story and have people who know nothing about it tell you what they think your hook is, what the specific details are, what your rewards are - you'd be surprised how many times people get those things wrong & everyone misses stuff because they know what they are supposed to be.
Reach out to people who have run successful Kickstarters similar to yours for advice but do basic research 1st - know their campaign well & others which are similar so they don't have to tell you stuff you could have found out from reading & you just need the behind the scene stuff (so go check their blogs from the 2-3 months before campaign also). Me I'd probably try to go through their FB and other social media also but that keeps getting harder and harder to do. Reach out to the media and other groups who would be interested in your product using your hook - think outside the box.
Buy and read The Kickstarter Companion. It's available on Amazon (was under $5 when I bought it March 8, 2014)
Here is the Kickstarter link to learn more about it https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/he ... anion-book
Whatever you do make sure you are far enough along in your process before you run your Kickstarter.
Last edited by TashaTurner on Thu Apr 09, 2015 3:18 pm, edited 3 times in total.
-Tasha http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/479254504
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
If anyone is looking for an example on good communications with your backers:
Rockwell Razors - Shaving, Reinvented
Issues with original product, analysis and correction, issues with the correction, and the latest update on what appears to be the ultimate resolution.
Throughout it all, these guys have been helpful and transparent, and fostering a community among the backers. It's really helping most backers stay with them through the process.
--- Tom
Rockwell Razors - Shaving, Reinvented
Issues with original product, analysis and correction, issues with the correction, and the latest update on what appears to be the ultimate resolution.
Throughout it all, these guys have been helpful and transparent, and fostering a community among the backers. It's really helping most backers stay with them through the process.
--- Tom
--- Tom
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TashaTurner
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:29 am
- Location: NJ
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Thanks Tom great advice.
I'd add make sure you read in its entirety the FAQ for Creators on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/help/faq/cr ... v#GettStar
Back a few projects similar to yours, if possible, to become familiar with Kickstarter. If your on this group you probably have. LOL
I'd add make sure you read in its entirety the FAQ for Creators on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/help/faq/cr ... v#GettStar
Back a few projects similar to yours, if possible, to become familiar with Kickstarter. If your on this group you probably have. LOL
-Tasha http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/479254504
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Oh, have no fear! While I have a lot of ideas born of various tidbits of knowledge, I am nowhere near putting together a project to the point I can start researching pricing and such to derive Tiers from, calculate an initial goal, start penciling together stretch goals, etc.
BTW, I am APPALLED at how much it costs to get a UPC so that I can support a retail quantity tier or even list leftovers from the print run on Amazon! Kickstarter is $149 minimum for a first project. BackClub wants $149 if they accept my project. How do people manage to actually produce products with all the non-manufacturing expenses?
Along the way, I'll need to do a bit of investing out of my own (tiny) pocket for some initial artwork, at least one run of Play Test cards, some of the above fees, etc. That will likely mean my backing goes down for a while as I divert funds to get the preliminaries handled. That may take as much as a year or so, during which time I hope to build interest by sending out the Play Test decks, building connections, and forming that all important network to support the launch.
But for now, I'm still in the (comparatively) cheap "info gathering" phaze so I can get all the puzzle pieces I need to get a picture of where I'm going.
PS: I'm not sure of the rules, how appropriate/inappropriate would it be once things are more in focus to start a thread somewhere on the forums here to solicit ideas, help and feedback from you all? Anybody know?
BTW, I am APPALLED at how much it costs to get a UPC so that I can support a retail quantity tier or even list leftovers from the print run on Amazon! Kickstarter is $149 minimum for a first project. BackClub wants $149 if they accept my project. How do people manage to actually produce products with all the non-manufacturing expenses?
Along the way, I'll need to do a bit of investing out of my own (tiny) pocket for some initial artwork, at least one run of Play Test cards, some of the above fees, etc. That will likely mean my backing goes down for a while as I divert funds to get the preliminaries handled. That may take as much as a year or so, during which time I hope to build interest by sending out the Play Test decks, building connections, and forming that all important network to support the launch.
But for now, I'm still in the (comparatively) cheap "info gathering" phaze so I can get all the puzzle pieces I need to get a picture of where I'm going.
PS: I'm not sure of the rules, how appropriate/inappropriate would it be once things are more in focus to start a thread somewhere on the forums here to solicit ideas, help and feedback from you all? Anybody know?
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TashaTurner
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:29 am
- Location: NJ
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So far as I know nothing wrong with talking about an idea. I'm not sure if it would belong in the proper category or in "off-topic".
Remember you can always go with the "% or nothing if unsuccessful" for BackerClub... Or could as of last week...
Remember you can always go with the "% or nothing if unsuccessful" for BackerClub... Or could as of last week...
-Tasha http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/479254504
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
I think you're the second person to point out the % thing, but when I was filling out a submission just to see what was involved, I didn't see an option for that. Puzzling....
Oh well. There's a WHOLE lot of time between now and launch.
Oh well. There's a WHOLE lot of time between now and launch.
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TashaTurner
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 1:29 am
- Location: NJ
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I know the $$ has changed a few times. Maybe the % option comes & goes?
-Tasha http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/479254504
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
Backed over 3,700 Kickstarters
Social media coach http://tasha-turner.com @turner_tasha
Add signature: Click your name, click send private message, click Profile tab, click Edit signature
First of all, more thanks than I can imagine to Tasha and Lobster for all the information they have so freely provided in this, and other, threads!
Enough gushing, well, NEVER enough, but I should probably get on to something else.
Two external threads that I found INCREDIBLY useful are:
Genius Games -- http://gotgeniusgames.com/why-use-kickstarter/
Stonemaier Games -- http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter/ (A lot more info on this site than just this. Look around!)
Enough gushing, well, NEVER enough, but I should probably get on to something else.
Two external threads that I found INCREDIBLY useful are:
Genius Games -- http://gotgeniusgames.com/why-use-kickstarter/
Stonemaier Games -- http://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter/ (A lot more info on this site than just this. Look around!)