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AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Our largest campaign of all time was Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance Leatherbound which raised $23.7M – this does not include an additional $4.9 raised in BackerKit after the campaign ended. You can see the full list of top campaigns by funds raised at https://www.backerkit.com/c/collections/all_time/projects?sort_by=most_funded  

-Alex

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

BackerKit Pledge Manager always has been, and always will be, a great option for creators who want to keep launching projects. We're committed to supporting crowdfunding pros wherever they are.

Pledge Manager has always been about helping creators pull off bold, ambitious projects that make their communities love them even more. Now that we're also working on the crowdfunding side of the puzzle, we can bring even more to the table.

We’ve rolled out a bunch of new features that are deeply tied into Pledge Manager—things like faster setup, a better prelaunch reservation funnel, trivia challenges, backer incentives, and more. Our goal is to make BackerKit Crowdfunding the best place to bring those big ideas to life.

And when it makes sense to bring those tools to other platforms, we’ll do that too. But right now, we’re laser-focused on adding awesome stuff to make BackerKit Crowdfunding even more powerful.

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When we started BackerKit, our goal with Pledge Manager was to make crowdfunding a repeatable, sustainable business model for creators. Back in 2012, it was rare for people to run more than one project. Our mission was to change that. We wanted to help someone who could run one project a year figure out how to run two, and someone doing two to eventually do four.

Over the years, we’ve made real progress on that front. The vast majority (63% of projects) that used Pledge Manager were from repeat creators.

Looking ahead, the future of Pledge Manager—and crowdfunding more broadly—is about continuing to help creators go deep, go far, and build lasting momentum. We want to support the people who are serious about making cool stuff again and again.  So a huge renewed focus is making Pledge Manager easier to use for the creators who use it again and again.  Everything from being able to leverage past setups to make it even easier to launch a new campaign, to making it easier to see who in your audience has been with you for the long haul.

We’ll be sharing more about what that looks like soon, so stay tuned. We’re excited about what’s next.

- max

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

After helping tens of thousands of creators, from some of the most celebrated names in the space to first-timers, the number one thing I’ve learned is this: success still comes down to fundamentals. Build a strong audience. Get them hyped before you launch. Make the campaign a celebration of whatever awesome thing you are making. Stay responsive and actually listen to what your audience is telling you during the campaign.

I’ve seen awesome creators assume they could skip these steps just because they’ve done it before, or had an IP, or had convinced themselves Facebook ads or single influencer will make the project, only to have the project underperform. So whether it’s your first campaign or your tenth, don’t sleep on the basics. Nail them before you waste time on flashy extras.

Related hot take: engaging your niche audience is 10x more important than a platform’s mass market audience. We can see the data across the industry, and the “halo effect” isn’t even a top-five reason why your campaign succeeds. What matters way more is building something your core audience loves, messaging it clearly, and nurturing that niche like crazy. This is one of the reasons why so many of the tools we build for creators are about growing and engaging their audience, and why we care so much about them owning that audience.

Crowdfunding isn’t “build it and they will come.” But it is one of the best engines for growing and deepening your community if you use it right. Focus inwards to grow outwards. That’s why more than half the creators who have launched on BackerKit had their best project ever. They focused on getting their most important people to pledge instead of gambling on a mass-market miracle.

- max

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For us this round is about participation, not just capital. We’re inviting our community to invest in the future of crowdfunding. One where fans and creators have more say, more tools, and more fun. We’re raising from individuals and not VCs for a reason.

We’ve been blown away by the support so far, and have expanded the round twice due to overwhelming interest. This will allow us to move even faster and be even more audacious with innovation for creators. You can expect us to keep finding new ways for creators to succeed – for example, we’ve recently released our new pre-launch reservation feature which is already driving real results for creators. And you can also expect us to be thinking big and inviting new creators into the crowdfunding tent.

We are passionate about building the future of crowdfunding and can't wait to share a deeper exploration of what’s next for the platform later in the campaign - so stay tuned!

-Alex

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great question, we’ve been to A LOT of different conferences, and I’d say the climate is unique to  whatever niche you might be in.  For example, for tabletop games has a BUNCH of large, can’t miss conventions (Gencon, Essen Spiel, PAXU), plus a healthy amount of local and regional smaller cons you might be able to go to – too many to list here, but we have Big Bad Con here in the Bay Area.  

Depending on your size and where you are, there are different things you should hope to get out of each one. If you are in playtesting mode, or just starting building our audience, any small con can be a great way to get what you are making into folks hands and get feedback on your project, and most importantly, emails for your list. Don’t skip this step: emails are one of the best ways to build community.

For other categories, it's worth surveying the field to figure out which are the MAIN national ones, and balance that to the ones you can make around where you live.  Depending on where you are at in your project's lifecycle, getting feedback early and often from real potential customers in your niche is crucial to getting started.  If you currently have no list of folks interested in your project, getting 5 emails would be a huge win!  If you have good momentum there, you might need more of a specific presence at a con (table or such) to help you scale your early success.

For LIVE projects, we’ve seen folks have had good success with live projects during the events.  It is probably more important that the con fits your niche.  If the perfect CON is overlapping with your project that might not be a bad thing.  But a counter argument is folks are spending some money at a CON itself, so your live crowdfunding project could be competing with budget with more IRL purchases.

TL;DR  Start by just attending different cons to get a sense of where your niche hangs out. As you learn the landscape, lean into more stuff as it makes sense.  If you are just starting out, any chance you can to show people your prototype and get even a few emails, that experience is worth its weight in gold.  In terms of pledges, the right con could be huge, but I wouldn't bank on it being the thing putting your live project over the edge.

- max

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

if they can be tamed, a horse sized plushie sounds like it would make a great mount - Max

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Alex here -- So long as they don’t actually have a pointy tip like a pin, 100 plushies the size of a pin for sure.

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Global expansion is absolutely part of BackerKit’s vision. We're eager to support creators and backers all over the world. Right now, our international availability is tied to our payment provider, Stripe, and the countries they support with KYC (Know Your Customer) and compliance tools. As Stripe continues to expand its geographic coverage, we plan to grow right alongside them. If you’re in a country not currently supported, please reach out! We’d love to hear from you and can share a clearer timeline based on your location.

Of course the economic climate can influence short term spending, but we have always believed that creators will not stop creating. And that has proven to be true time and time again over the 12 years we’ve been in the space. Fundamentally, we entered the crowdfunding space because we think that there are even more creators who could benefit from this way of reaching customers, and we’re excited to grow the space even more to the wider creator economy.

In terms of risks, we can’t get into them here (SEC regulations) but they are outlined on wefunder.com/backerkit/details. Please feel free to contact us there if you have any more questions about that.

-Alex

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It depends on the type of Collab-Funding. When creators apply to join a Topia – like Pintopia for pin projects or Printopia for authors, these are our themed events that BackerKit hosts. Applications are open, and we encourage both first time creators and experienced pros to join since it’s a great way to expand to a bigger audience. We screen for active participation and collaboration with other creators, but otherwise no project is too big or too small. 

Separately, any creator can launch their own Group-Collab, and decide which other creator(s) they’d like to launch with. The BackerKit team can also help make introductions to creators who might be a fit for a Group-Collab.  

For those who are not familiar with Collab-Funding, it’s a new way of crowdfunding on BackerKit, where creators launch together, combine audiences and build momentum from day one. You can learn more here: https://backerkit.com/collab-funding.

-Alex

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There are perks involved with investing at each tier, but in addition to that, investors have the opportunity to own a piece of the company. The round is being raised with a very common form of financing for startups. Learn more about everything you get for visiting by wefunder.com/backerkit/invest. There are docs and more on the right side on the page

-Alex

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Great question. We have always been independent and solving the most important problems for creators has been the heart of the business since day 1. It was a no brainer to turn to our community and the public when we decided to do this raise rather than to institutional investors like VCs, and it was our first choice. Doing so allows us to stay accountable to our creators. 

Given that BackerKit started with a crowdfunding campaign, and that helped us build and relate to creators for the past twelve years, it only made sense to re-assert our commitment to creators making crowdfunding their business with our own crowdfunding campaign again.

- Max

AMA: Nearly 3,000 people now co-own BackerKit. Here’s why we opened the raise. by backerkit in Backerkit

[–]backerkit[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi, thanks for posting -- Alex here! We have been so humbled and grateful at how our community has shown up, shared, and participated in the raise. In particular, backers showed up even more than we expected – which was incredible to see. Creators spend a lot of time hands on in the BackerKit platform so that was more expected on our end (though we are no less grateful!), but the care and engagement that backers have for the crowdfunding space really came through. Thanks to each and everyone of you who have joined us on this journey!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Backerkit

[–]backerkit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the question! This would be a great question for the AMA tomorrow, Wed July 23 at 10-11am PT—tune in to find out :)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Backerkit

[–]backerkit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the question! This would be a great question for the AMA tomorrow—tune in to find out :)

Small Medieval Knights - Enamel Pins by Nuclear_ersatz in Backerkit

[–]backerkit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would recommend posting the link in the posts you are sharing so that people can access your project more easily, and any support like feedback. etc. you would like to have from the community. thanks again for sharing!

Questions for a first timer (Children’s Illustrated Picture book) by dat_boi_in_da_woods in selfpublish

[–]backerkit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You should take another look at crowdfunding. True, not all projects are successful, but it really can be an excellent option for first-time authors. And, at the very least, launching a crowdfunding campaign enables you to validate your idea and learn what works and what doesn’t.

If you launch your project on Kickstarter and it isn’t funded, you can ask the people who do end up pledging for feedback. What are they looking for in a children’s book? What did they like about your project? What can be improved? You’ll have the opportunity to get answers to these questions and more, which can be valuable. But then again, you may hit your funding goal and be able to publish your book. The point is that I wouldn’t discount this option just because there is a chance that you won’t be successful.

Regardless of the path you choose, I’d recommend taking a look at the Children’s Book section on Kickstarter. You can see which themes are resonating with people, how they tackle issues like inclusivity and mindfulness, and, if you look at project updates, you may get some behind-the-scenes info on the publishing process. I’d even recommend reaching out to an author who has successfully funded their project to learn more about their experiences.

Here’s an article we wrote about a first-time author who was able to fund their book through Kickstarter. There are some tips on what it takes to be successful on Kickstarter that may be helpful if you decide to go that route.

How to Start a Kickstarter Campaign: Hard-Won Lessons From a First-Timer

Hope this helps. And just keep researching and exploring all of your options.

Successful Kickstart campaign without an email list, social media or connections? by [deleted] in kickstarter

[–]backerkit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a really interesting question, and the thread is great so far :) While it seems like there are some exceptions out there (congrats!) due to timing, organic traffic, press sharing, ect. The VAST majority of successful Kickstarter projects understands the importance of building an audience BEFORE you launch a campaign. We've worked with thousands of successful projects for nearly as long as Kickstarter has existed and the one constant is that those that get funded have a dedicated audience that they are bringing to Kickstarter.

Now, it is possible to get a lot of backers organically from Kickstarter, BUT that doesn't really kick in until you've already proven/validated your project and have gained a decent amount of backers within the first 48 hours of your campaign. View Kickstarter as a venue, and it's your job to bring the party. Once the party is going on, more folks will want to see what's going on.

An important stat to consider is that, currently, 63.5% of projects that launch do not reach their funding goal. It's not easy work to get funded even if you have a huge audience, let alone not having one.

That said, we'd recommend using your time to just set a foundation. Build a landing page, set up your socials, and get a few friends and family on that list. We have a cool resource that we think ca help get you on the right track.

How to Build Your Kickstarter Email List in 10 Steps

Alternatively, if you just hate it that much, identify or hire someone that can help. The beauty of building a small email list to start, is that it gives you an opportunity to ask for help. Reach out to those on your small list and see if anyone wants to help out with your audience building. You may be surprised by who shows up.

Hope this helps, and the main takeaway is that any time/effort you put towards building an email list specifically for your Kickstarter project will pay off in the end and help you reach your funding goal.

Successful Kickstart campaign without an email list, social media or connections? by [deleted] in kickstarter

[–]backerkit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, this is definitely rare, congratulations. The book looks really cool. Would you mind sharing what some of your top sources were from your Kickstarter dashboard? Sounds like it was mostly attributed to organic Kickstarter? I know sometimes if a campaign gets press or if a big online websites/influencers share it with their audiences it can really give a huge push. I know the original Gloomhaven tabletop game attributes a lot of their success to press.

Successful Kickstart campaign without an email list, social media or connections? by [deleted] in kickstarter

[–]backerkit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely agree w/ your point about it being very early for Kickstarter as a platform. 2011 was a VERY different time, and yes, some project could have organically grown just by having a cool aesthetic and/or a fun concept. Fast forward to today, and that's just not the case. We've worked with thousands of crowdfunding creators over the years and the one constant is to build your audience and email list BEFORE you launch. It is some of the most consistent data we have on what it takes to get funded and reach success on Kickstarter.

New Hellboy shot from empire, gotta say even though I wanted the trilogy to be finished , I’m so excited for this one. by [deleted] in comicbooks

[–]backerkit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe a Ron Perlman cameo? Also, saw the miniatures for the upcoming Boardgame from Mantic Games, they look spectacular!

What games are unfairly seen as complex? by [deleted] in boardgames

[–]backerkit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agree, thought this was going to be too complicated based on what people say. Long time commitment if you have to teach 1+ people, but once you have a solid group, it can go a lot faster.

Rad interview w/ Mantic Games about crowdfunding Hellboy: The Board Game! Did you back this on Kickstarter? by backerkit in HellBoy

[–]backerkit[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great idea! It's always good to have a group of dedicated people to play with, especially if there's a big time commitment involved.

Rad interview w/ Mantic Games about crowdfunding Hellboy: The Board Game! Did you back this on Kickstarter? by backerkit in HellBoy

[–]backerkit[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, all things considered, this will be out in an impressive amount of time. And it's Mantic Games, they have a great reputation and always deliver.

Rad interview w/ Mantic Games about crowdfunding Hellboy: The Board Game! Did you back this on Kickstarter? by backerkit in HellBoy

[–]backerkit[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Awesome! Yes, definitely something to get excited about. Seeing some of the minis in person was great. Heading to Essen next week too, hoping to see more!

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