So let me start by explaining exactly what I am trying to achieve with this post and then I’ll go into why.
I want to get 100 people to commit to giving just $1 on the day we launch our Kickstarter campaign on April 16th, 2014.
This may sound too simple and you may be wondering how just $100 would really make that big of an impact, but the truth is, these early $1 supporters may be even more important to my project’s success than anything else!
And in case you’re wondering, here’s why:
Kickstarter is all about building momentum and showing the Kickstarter community that your project is credible.
Too many projects launch and then receive only a few backers on day 1 and day 2, and almost none on the days that follow. Maybe some of these are great projects but with only a few backers, they won’t appear credible to a pair of fresh eyes.
If I were to land on a Kickstarter project page that only had a few backers after a week, I would ask myself this question – “If this project creator’s mother, siblings and closest friends don’t believe in this project enough to support it, then why in the world should I?”
Here is another very important piece of advice I have been given.
“Focus on the number of backers, not the amount of money raised.”
This may seem counterintuitive since I am trying to raise money, so let me explain this point further.
Let’s say I have raised $1,000 after two days. One of many things could have resulted in this, but here are two to help make my point.
(1) My parents could have donated $1,000 to my campaign
(2) I could have had 50, 100 or 200 people each donate between $5 and $20
My first question is – “Which campaign looks more credible?” I would argue the second.
But here is the more important point
$1,000 does not have a voice, but 50 or 100 or 200 backers do have a voice. And these voices can be leveraged, especially if they are already invested in your project. These backers are capable of talking about the project to others, while money is not.
I would argue that having more backers with small donations is much more valuable than having just a couple backers with large donations for this very reason.
Now you are probably doing some grade school math in your head and thinking, “But John, getting 100 people to support you for $1 does not equal $1,000, it equals $100, so your example above falls apart!”
Here’s why I think it’s still reliable.
Not every person who commits to donating $1 on the day we launch will give $1. A few will donate nothing! Some will see the project page and pledge enough to get the game (somewhere around $12 to $25 – haven’t figured this part out yet), while just a couple may even donate in the $50 to $250 range because they want me to hang pictures of them up in my bedroom. (My wife would kill me if I did though)
So when the dust settles, I think the donations should come out somewhere around $700 to $1200 on the first day if everything goes right. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!
My Call to Action – Will You Help Me Make a Dream Come True?
I currently have 36 people committed to donating $1 on launch day! (Wahoo thanks!) So I am still looking for around 64 others. The process is super simple – I will email you a couple days prior to the campaign with a link; on April 16th you click the link, and the click the “Back This Project” button, select the $1 reward, and then process the payment through Amazon (so you know it’s safe and secure).
