We conclude part 3 of the series talking about internet marketing and promotion from a series of questions that Rie Sheridan Rose wrote me. This episode is all about my Best Kickstarter tips and reward levels, plus how to create a marketing plan.
Rie Sheridan Rose wrote: “I am doing a platform building challenge, and today's task is to interview an expert. You are the best marketing guy I know. Would you be willing to do an email interview–like ten questions–about marketing and Kickstarter in particular, because I may need to do some projects soon, and you always do so well. :)”
Here are Rie's Final Questions:
8) I’d like to focus on Kickstarter a bit. This is sort of overwhelming to me. How do you go about creating a successful campaign?
The interested part of this site is that it's an all-or-nothing proposition. I feel that this approach validates your project – if you set a high enough goal, you can find out if people are interested enough just in the title to really fuel a successful project.
The key, once again, to using Kickstarter successfully is knowing your target audience. The CDs that I've been able to fund through Kickstarter had titles that would really attract fans, new and old. Know your niche – know who you're aiming for! The tighter you can make it the better – for example, if you're making a book specifically for D&D lovers of bards, you may not have a big audience, but you'll find the people passionate enough to fund your project. Use great titles – the best titles are the ones that attract people. Make it compelling and attention-grabbing!
9) I’ve seen great variety in tier rewards—yours included. Is it better to tie directly to the product you are creating, or to make the rewards peripherally based? For example, on the Pirates vs. Dragons CD, you had dragon eggs as a reward. Another Kickstarter I know is offering stories in the world as a reward. Do you think one is better than the other?
I don't think that one is really better than the other. The toughest challenge with Kickstart is that there are so many possibilities! It's tough to narrow in your target – you have to fulfill your rewards, but it can get overwhelming if you don't keep this in check. Remember, if you're sending physical items as rewards, that costs money! Make sure that you're able to afford the mailing rates!
Now, I want more people to hear what I do, so I generally offer a digital option for the lower-level funders to get them involved. And having different ranges, for instance around $25, $50, $75, $100 will give you options for doing a variety of rewards. Doing too many small levels is difficult, and giving people choices for the levels will just increase your workload a ton, so make your rewards as specific as possible!
I like the idea of inserting people or names into stories, especially for authors. Creating swag that's related to the project is also really fun, if you want to vary your reward options. I hesitate when it comes to Tshirts or other promotional material, just because that can get costly, and offers less create range, in my opinion.
I'd love to hear from my GunnRunners what their favourite rewards have been over the years!
10) What one piece of advice would you give someone trying to build their first marketing plan?
Keep it simple! Don't try to do everything, and don't go overboard. Test things out, test out levels, and get feedback as best as you can!
And honestly, if you're new at this, be prepared for possible failure. It takes practice and hard work, but the more you work at it, the better you become!
Find out more about Rie Sheridan Rose at http://riewriter.com/
Find the first 5 questions answered in last show at https://marcgunn.com//celtfather057
Find questions 6 & 7 here: https://marcgunn.com//celtfather058
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To subscribe, go to iTunes, or go to Celtfather.com where you can also join my mailing list to download a free album. This show is sponsored by my Patrons of the Arts. You can support my music, podcasts, and creative endeavors for as little as $1 per month. Go to marcgunn.com/patron and get bonus content. Post feedback in the shownotes, use the hashtag #celtfather on social media, or email me marc@marcgunn.com
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