Kickstarter Primer

Table of Contents

Kickstarter Primer

Everything on Kickstarter must be a project with a clear goal. A project will eventually be completed, and something will be produced by it.

Starting a Kickstarter project involves several steps. Here is a general outline of the process:

1. Come up with an idea: First, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to create or achieve with your Kickstarter campaign.
2. Research: Do some research on Kickstarter and look at similar projects to see what worked for them and what didn’t.
3. Set your goals: Decide on your funding goal and set a deadline for your campaign.
4. Create your campaign: This involves writing a compelling project description, creating a video, and choosing rewards for backers.
5. Submit your project for review: Once you have created your campaign, you will need to submit it for review by Kickstarter’s team to ensure it meets their guidelines.
6. Launch your campaign: Once your campaign is approved, you can launch it and start promoting it to your network and potential backers.
7. Monitor and adjust: During your campaign, it is important to monitor your progress and adjust your strategy as needed to ensure you reach your funding goal.
8. Fulfill rewards: Once your campaign is successfully funded, you will need to fulfill the rewards promised to your backers.

Keep in mind that launching a successful Kickstarter campaign takes a lot of work and preparation. Make sure you have a solid plan in place and are prepared to put in the time and effort needed to make your campaign a success.

Getting Paid From Kickstarter

If you have launched a successful Kickstarter campaign and have received funding from backers, you will need to follow a few steps to get paid:

1. Set up your payment account: To receive payments from Kickstarter, you will need to set up a payment account with a third-party payment processor such as Stripe or PayPal. You will need to provide your banking information or PayPal email address.
2. Receive your funds: Once your campaign is successfully funded, Kickstarter will collect the funds from the backers’ payment methods and transfer the money to your payment account. This process can take up to two weeks after the campaign ends.
3. Fulfill your rewards: Before you can withdraw the funds, you will need to fulfill any rewards promised to your backers. This may include creating and shipping physical products, providing digital downloads or services, or offering experiences.
4. Withdraw your funds: After you have fulfilled your rewards, you can withdraw the funds from your payment account to your bank account or PayPal account. Depending on the payment processor you have chosen, there may be additional fees associated with this process.

It’s important to note that Kickstarter charges a 5% fee on the total amount of funds raised, and payment processing fees are typically around 3-5% of the transaction amount, so be sure to factor these fees into your budget when planning your campaign.

Pledges and Pre-Orders

Customers can make pledges or pre-orders for products on Kickstarter by following these steps:

1. Find the project: Customers can search for projects on the Kickstarter website or app to find projects that they are interested in supporting.
2. Choose a reward: Once the customer has found a project they want to support, they can choose a reward level. Each project typically offers several reward levels, each with different benefits, such as receiving the product at a discount, receiving exclusive updates, or receiving a limited edition version of the product.
3. Make a pledge: To make a pledge, the customer will need to enter their payment information and confirm their pledge amount. Kickstarter will only charge the customer’s credit card or PayPal account if the project meets its funding goal.
4. Wait for the project to be funded: If the project is successfully funded, the creator will receive the funds and begin working on the project. The customer will receive updates on the project’s progress and the estimated delivery date for their reward.
5. Receive the reward: Once the project is complete and the reward is ready, the creator will ship the reward to the customer. The customer can track the status of their reward on the Kickstarter website or app.

It’s important to note that Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform, and there is no guarantee that a project will be successfully funded or that the creator will be able to deliver on their promises. Customers should carefully review the project description and creator information before making a pledge to ensure that they are comfortable supporting the project.

Here are some common terms you may encounter on Kickstarter:

1. Project: A project is an idea or creative work that is seeking funding on Kickstarter.
2. Creator: The person or team behind a Kickstarter project.
3. Backer: A person who supports a Kickstarter project by making a pledge.
4. Pledge: A commitment to support a Kickstarter project with a specific amount of money in exchange for a reward.
5. Reward: An item, service, or experience offered by a creator to backers who make a pledge.
6. Stretch Goal: A funding goal beyond the initial target, often with additional rewards or features unlocked for backers if reached.
7. Funding Goal: The target amount of money a creator sets for their project to be successfully funded.
8. All-or-Nothing: A funding model in which a project must reach its funding goal in order to receive any funds at all from backers.
9. Early Bird: A reward level offered to the first backers of a project at a discounted price.
10. Campaign: The period of time during which a Kickstarter project is accepting pledges.
11. Shipping: The cost associated with delivering rewards to backers.
12. Estimated Delivery: The date by which a creator anticipates delivering rewards to backers.
13. Risks and Challenges: A section of the project description in which creators can outline potential obstacles or delays that may arise during the project.

Here are the general steps needed to launch a Kickstarter campaign:

1. Develop your idea: Identify the idea or project that you want to crowdfund on Kickstarter. Conduct research, develop a prototype, and determine the scope and budget of your project.
2. Plan your campaign: Set a funding goal, determine your rewards, and create a timeline for your campaign.
3. Create a Kickstarter account: Sign up for a Kickstarter account if you don’t already have one.
4. Prepare your campaign page: Create a compelling and visually appealing campaign page that outlines your project and its benefits. Include high-quality images and videos.
5. Set your funding goal and reward tiers: Determine the amount of funding you need to make your project a reality, and create different reward tiers for backers who pledge different amounts.
6. Launch your campaign: Once you’ve created your campaign page, you can launch your campaign on Kickstarter. Promote your campaign through social media, email marketing, and other channels to generate interest and support.
7. Engage with your backers: As your campaign progresses, engage with your backers and provide updates on your project’s progress. Respond to comments and questions from backers to build a strong relationship with your audience.
8. Fulfill rewards: Once your campaign has ended and you have received the funds, fulfill your rewards to your backers. This may involve creating and shipping physical products, providing digital downloads or services, or offering experiences.
9. Keep your backers updated: Continue to provide updates on your project’s progress, and keep your backers informed about any delays or obstacles you encounter.

Launching a Kickstarter campaign takes planning, creativity, and hard work, but with the right approach, you can successfully fund your project and bring your ideas to life.

Create a compelling Kickstarter campaign page, here are some important steps you can follow:

1. Tell a compelling story: Begin by telling a compelling story about your project. Explain what inspired you to create it, what problem it solves, and why it’s important. Use clear and concise language, and make sure your message is easy to understand.
2. Use high-quality visuals: Use high-quality visuals, such as photos, videos, and graphics, to showcase your project. Make sure your visuals are eye-catching and help to illustrate your project’s benefits and features.
3. Set a clear funding goal: Set a clear funding goal that reflects the actual cost of your project. Be transparent about how the funds will be used, and include a breakdown of your budget.
4. Create enticing reward tiers: Create reward tiers that offer value to backers at different pledge levels. Offer unique or exclusive rewards that are only available to Kickstarter backers.
5. Offer early bird rewards: Offer early bird rewards to backers who pledge in the first few days of your campaign. This can help create a sense of urgency and encourage backers to pledge early.
6. Include a video: Including a video can help to bring your project to life and showcase its features and benefits. Make sure your video is high-quality, clear, and engaging.
7. Share your personal story: Share your personal story, including any challenges or obstacles you’ve overcome, to help build a connection with potential backers.
8. Provide frequent updates: Provide frequent updates to backers during your campaign. Share progress on your project, respond to comments and questions, and offer exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses of your project.

By following these steps, you can create a compelling Kickstarter campaign page that engages potential backers and encourages them to support your project.

Common Kickstarter Mistakes:

Launching a successful Kickstarter campaign can be challenging, and there are several common mistakes that creators can make. Here are some common Kickstarter mistakes to avoid:

1. Setting an unrealistic funding goal: Setting a funding goal that is too high can make it difficult to achieve success, while setting a goal that is too low can make it difficult to deliver on your promises. Be realistic about your funding needs and budget accordingly.
2. Not promoting your campaign enough: You can’t expect your campaign to succeed if you don’t promote it widely. Use social media, email marketing, and other channels to promote your campaign and generate interest from potential backers.
3. Not providing enough detail: You need to provide enough detail about your project so that potential backers can understand what you’re offering and what they’re pledging for. Include details about the project, your team, the timeline, and any potential risks or challenges.
4. Offering rewards that are too expensive: While it’s important to offer rewards that are attractive to backers, offering rewards that are too expensive can make it difficult to deliver on your promises. Make sure you budget your rewards carefully and price them appropriately.
5. Underestimating shipping costs: Shipping costs can be a significant expense, especially if you’re shipping physical products to backers around the world. Make sure you budget for shipping costs accurately so that you don’t end up losing money on your campaign.
6. Failing to deliver on promises: One of the biggest Kickstarter mistakes is failing to deliver on your promises to backers. Make sure you have a clear plan for fulfilling rewards, and communicate regularly with your backers to keep them informed about the progress of your project.
7. Ignoring feedback and criticism: Be open to feedback and criticism from backers, and use it to improve your project and your campaign. Respond to comments and questions in a timely and respectful manner, and make changes if necessary.

By avoiding these common Kickstarter mistakes, you can increase your chances of success and deliver a great project to your backers.

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