<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>kickstarter marketing Archives - samitpatel</title>
	<atom:link href="https://samitpatel.net/tag/kickstarter-marketing/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link></link>
	<description>Just another WordPress site</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:43:39 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3</generator>

<image>
	<url>https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-cropped-favicon-1-32x32.png</url>
	<title>kickstarter marketing Archives - samitpatel</title>
	<link></link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>The Framework of a Successful Kickstarter Marketing Campaign</title>
		<link>https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-marketing-campaign/</link>
					<comments>https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-marketing-campaign/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samit Patel]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 Oct 2016 14:08:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[kickstarter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing Campaign]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/sumitpatel/?p=15721</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Kickstarter provides a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to have their ideas funded by consumers before they launch. However, most entrepreneurs struggle with Kickstarter marketing. Only 1/3rd of projects launched in Kickstarter reach their funding goal. Out of 323,978 launched projects, less than 20,000 managed to...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-marketing-campaign/">The Framework of a Successful Kickstarter Marketing Campaign</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kickstarter provides a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to have their ideas funded by consumers before they launch. However, most entrepreneurs struggle with Kickstarter marketing. Only</span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://https//www.kickstarter.com/help/stats"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">1/3</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">rd</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of projects launched in Kickstarter reach their funding goal. Out of 323,978 launched projects, less than 20,000 managed to raise $20,000 or more.</span></span></p>
<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-16632 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Kickstarter.png" alt="Kickstarter Campaign" width="336" height="280"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">At first glance, Kickstarter seems simple: just place your idea/product on it and the funding will roll in. The truth behind highly successful campaigns is far from this. Marketing is the blood of any successful Kickstarter marketing campaign. Certain actions need to be executed before and during launch. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Notably, campaigns which exceed their funding goal have a powerful marketing campaign behind them. A successful <a href="https://samitpatel.net/">Kickstarter marketing</a> campaign is something you can build on for your next product launch, and make it an almost certain success (more on that later). </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Taking the above into account, I decided to lay out the framework for a successful Kickstarter marketing campaign in this post. </span></p>
<h2>Pre-launch Kickstarter Marketing</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16647 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Marketing-1024x740.jpg" alt="Marketing tools" width="1024" height="740"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Interestingly, the actions and plans constructed during the pre-launch phase act as the foundation for your entire campaign. Much like you wouldn’t build the foundation of a house using porridge, it is vital that you execute well before launch. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Firstly, you need to ensure that the content assets for your campaign are strong. Below are the assets which need to be in place. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>1) Compelling images and video of your product or service</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;"> It is better if you show it in use rather than on its own. Prospective backers need to be able to imagine themselves using it. If you don’t have a prototype, hire a graphic designer to create mockups for you. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>2) Enticing project description</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Your project description should entice people to back you. The best project descriptions are packed with benefits and show the impact it will have on the lives of consumers and how it is different from anything else out there. People like to back innovative ideas which make them feel as if they are helping to launch something great. If copywriting isn’t your strong point- outsource this. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>3) Strategic partnerships </b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Make a list of organizations, charities, companies, and influencers which align with your project. You will need to take the time and craft a tailored email to each one on your list. Send them another email on launch day. Multiple shares on launch day will provide you with the fuel you need for a successful campaign. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>4) PR campaign </b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Getting the press on your side can make a big difference. Most entrepreneurs only focus on magazines, newspapers and tv stations. However, you can get great results by pitching niche websites which match your project. Some websites aren’t mainstream but have a dedicated fan base. The dedicated fan base of such websites can give you a big push in backers on launch day. This will cause Kickstarter’s algorithm to promote you and also add credibility to your project. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>5) Content marketing </b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">You need to create a range of content for your project and promote them in a strategic manner. For instance, SEO optimized blog posts enable you to get free traffic and direct it towards your Kickstarter project page. Moreover, you could guest blog on sites relevant to your project and link them to your project. This will help to increase the number of backers, and drive hype. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>6) Reverse engineer other projects </b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">It is worth ‘reverse engineering’ successful projects similar to yours in order to strengthen your Kickstarter marketing campaign. It is worth taking a look at the websites and influencers which showed an interest in their project. Check out their social media and make a list of the people who shared their posts and wrote about their project. Ideally, you are trying to break down all their traffic sources and audience. This allows you to build a targeted list of the websites to contact prior and during the campaign. If you time this well and are strategic, you will get a flood of backers during your project. </span></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #000000;">Useful tools: </span></strong></p>
<ul class="list-unstyled list-section">
<li><span style="color: #000000;"><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://buzzsumo.com"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Buzzsumo </span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #000000;"><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://semrush.com"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">SEMrush</span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #000000;"><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://quora.com"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Quora</span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #000000;"><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://adbeat.com"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Adbeat </span></a></span></li>
</ul>
<h2>Launch phase</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16722 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Launch-983x1024.jpg" alt="Launch phase" width="983" height="1024"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">The launch phase is incredibly rewarding because you can see all your hard work on the Kickstarter site, see the backers roll in, and see how the press engages in your campaign. However, there is still work to be done. A Kickstarter marketing campaign is a marathon, and at this stage, you have crossed the halfway point. Here are some actions you should undertake at this stage: </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>1) Use Facebook video ads</b></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook video ads enable you to target the right people and attract them to your campaign. Some of them won’t take any action on your Kickstarter page. It is worth using link tools such as</span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://snip.ly"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Snip.ly</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> so that you can collect data about how long people are spending on the page and carry out a remarketing campaign so that they take action. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">With Facebook marketing for Kickstarter, it all comes down to the targeting and choice of ad image. This can make or break your campaign. Compelling videos get a lot of engagements. This reduces the CPM (cost per thousand impressions) of your Facebook ad, thereby enabling you to reach more people. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>2) Maintain communication</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">After launch, it is vital that you maintain communication/relationships with people you contacted during the pre-launch phase. Some won’t reply to your messages because they want to see evidence of results first. Therefore, as your campaign gains traction, you should keep them updated with how it is going. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><b>3) Leverage backers </b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Encourage backers to share the project with friends and ask you questions. You can use the questions to improve your project description and outreach. Chances are others have exactly the same questions. A good project description leaves no stones unturned and breaks down any doubts.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><em>You May Also Like to Read:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/make-6-figure-kickstarter-video/"><em>How to Make 6 Figure Kickstarter Video</em></a><br><a href="_wp_link_placeholder" data-wplink-edit="true"><em>Kickstarter Fees and Additional Costs You Need to Know When Launching a Crowdfunding Campaign</em></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="color: #000000;">As you can see, launching a successful Kickstarter marketing campaign can be stressful, time-consuming and complex. Leverage my time and experience in order to launch successful Kickstarter marketing campaigns. Feel free to get in touch.</span> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/contact/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16004 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lets-talk-new.png" alt="lets talk new" width="1032" height="217"></a></p>


<p></p>
<p><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fkickstarter-marketing-campaign%2F&amp;linkname=The%20Framework%20of%20a%20Successful%20Kickstarter%20Marketing%20Campaign" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fkickstarter-marketing-campaign%2F&amp;linkname=The%20Framework%20of%20a%20Successful%20Kickstarter%20Marketing%20Campaign" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fkickstarter-marketing-campaign%2F&#038;title=The%20Framework%20of%20a%20Successful%20Kickstarter%20Marketing%20Campaign" data-a2a-url="https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-marketing-campaign/" data-a2a-title="The Framework of a Successful Kickstarter Marketing Campaign"></a></p><p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-marketing-campaign/">The Framework of a Successful Kickstarter Marketing Campaign</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-marketing-campaign/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kickstarter vs Indiegogo: The Best Crowdfunding Platform in 2020</title>
		<link>https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-vs-indiegogo/</link>
					<comments>https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-vs-indiegogo/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samit Patel]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 2016 11:08:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[kickstarter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing Campaign]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/sumitpatel/?p=15685</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Over 450 crowdfunding platforms now exist. But only two of them are household names. Kickstarter vs Indiegogo is usually the comparison creators make when deciding where to launch their product. &#160;They garner millions of visits each month, and hundreds of thousands of projects have been...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-vs-indiegogo/">Kickstarter vs Indiegogo: The Best Crowdfunding Platform in 2020</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Over 450 crowdfunding platforms now exist. But only two of them are household names. <strong>Kickstarter vs Indiegogo</strong> is usually the comparison creators make when deciding where to launch their product. &nbsp;They garner millions of visits each month, and hundreds of thousands of projects have been funded through them.</span></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16650 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Kickstarter-vs-Indiegogo-1024x724.png" alt="Kickstarter vs Indiegogo" width="1024" height="724"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Unless you have requirements that only niche platforms provide, you&#8217;re going to use one of these two. So does it matter which one you choose? Either way, you&#8217;ll get a world-renowned platform with proven success, but their difference can have major implications for your company.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">What follows is the ultimate showdown of giants Kickstarter vs Indiegogo who will win? You&#8217;ll find out at the end obviously.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2><span style="color: #000000;">The brand</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">When it comes to branding, Kickstarter is miles ahead of Indiegogo. Kickstarter is basically the Hoover of the crowdfunding world. The name Kickstarter is often used as a synonym for crowdfunding, with many people unaware that it refers to one specific platform.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">So it serves as no surprise that Kickstarter is the best platform when it comes to traffic. In 2016, Kickstarter has garnered over </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://kickstarter.com.hypestat.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 million unique visitors a day</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or 30 million a month. Indiegogo, in comparison, gets around 9 million every month (and are much more secretive about it).</span></span></p>
<ul class="list-unstyled list-section">
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">The Kickstarter brand is also loved by the media. Because of strict quality control (see project flexibility below), reporters know they are less likely to end up sifting through heaps of garbage.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">You may be tempted to stop reading here. After all, when it comes to raising funds, more visitors mean more pledges.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">But Kickstarter has other benefits you&#8217;ll want to know about, while Indiegogo has a higher amount of flexibility that you might have to take advantage of like a tech startup.</span></p>
<h2>Success</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Another statistic that will probably have you running to Kickstarter is their success rate. Kickstarter boasts a success rate of 36%. That might sound low, but it’s by far the highest of any of the crowdfunding platforms.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Take into account that this percentage accounts for around 100 000 successful crowdfunding campaigns, and you begin to see the bigger picture. Regardless of the type of funding, many startups fail. When you take into account how easy it is to sign up for a crowdfunding campaign, it makes sense that there’s an awful lot of dross (even with quality controls). If you have a good product and know what you&#8217;re doing, you are set up for success.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Indiegogo, on the other hand, has around a 9% success rate. Are you running yet? Take a moment to breathe, Indiegogo does have perks that will put that 9% in context.</span></p>
<h2>All or nothing vs. flexible</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">One of the major reasons people choose Indiegogo over Kickstarter is their flexible policy towards “failed” campaigns. Kickstarter has only one option. You receive funding once the target has been met. If you fail to reach it, you get nothing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">While Indiegogo does provide the all or nothing option, you can also choose to receive the funding as it comes in. There is a risk inherent to this &#8211; that you&#8217;ll end up spending other people’s money on a project that never materialises &#8211; but it provides a major perk. If you don’t hit the target, it does not mean your campaign is dead. You can keep the funding, and raise the rest of it from somewhere else. Also, you may need that money to build your working prototype.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Keeping this in mind, Indiegogo’s 9% success rate sounds a lot better. That 9% includes only those that reached their full goal. Many other campaigners fell short but made their projects happen anyway.</span></p>
<h2>Global eligibility</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Another reason to choose Indiegogo as your crowdfunding platform would be your country&#8217;s eligibility. Kickstarter allows campaigns from 18 different countries, compared to Indiegogo, which hosts campaigns from around the world (224 countries).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">If you live in the US, UK, Australia, and much of Europe, this won’t affect you. But if you live in Africa, South and Central America, or Asia, Kickstarter is not an option.</span></p>
<h2>Project flexibility</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kickstarter has </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="https://www.kickstarter.com/rules"><span style="font-weight: 400;">stricter requirements</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for registration. Their 3 major rules are:</span></span></p>
<ul class="list-unstyled list-section">
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">No personal projects</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">No charity</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">A working prototype</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">As a tech startup, the first two won’t present any problems. However, if you don’t yet have a working prototype, you&#8217;ll have to hold off on your Kickstarter project. Indiegogo is far less strict.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kickstarter enforced this rule by banning a massive project. The Skarp Laser Razor had been backed to the tune of $4 million on Kickstarter, before being kicked off due to skepticism over their ability to deliver. </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/10/13/9518163/laser-razor-kickstarter-banned-indiegogo"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indiegogo took them on</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and they managed to raise $450 thousand. This was seen by some as a win for Indiegogo and their flexible policies.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Skarp’s target date of March 2016 came and went with no product or even any updates. Comments from backers asking for answers were deleted. Eventually, Skarp did offer some news, but despite a giddy optimism from the founders, it does </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/skarp-laser-razor-what-happened/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">not sound very promising</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">So, Indiegogo wins as the best crowdfunding platform when it comes to flexibility. But that’s not necessarily a positive.</span></p>
<h2>Kickstarter vs Indiegogo: Who won?</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16607 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Reward-1024x762.jpg" alt="Reward" width="1024" height="762"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">So who won the ultimate crowdfunding platform showdown Kickstarter vs Indiegogo&#8230;. &nbsp;You&#8217;re more likely to see success with Kickstarter, due to its huge amount of traffic. And the branding will give your startup a boost in the eyes of the media.</span></p>
<p><strong><em>You May Also Like to Read:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/indiegogo-vs-kickstarter-2019-deeper-perspective/"><em>Indiegogo vs Kickstarter 2019/2020 – A Deeper Perspective (UPDATED)</em></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">However, Kickstarter is not an option for everyone. If you&#8217;re not in an eligible country, Indiegogo is the next best thing. Or, if you&#8217;re not willing to take the “all or nothing” approach, Indiegogo offers an alternative. Furthermore, if you&#8217;re waiting on funding for a working prototype, Kickstarter won’t take you on.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Kickstarter wins it for me, but Indiegogo is not at a bad alternative at all.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Other Resources</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZISWxmoU4w">Youtube Video&nbsp;</a></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/contact/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16004 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lets-talk-new.png" alt="lets talk new" width="1032" height="217"></a></p>
<p><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fkickstarter-vs-indiegogo%2F&amp;linkname=Kickstarter%20vs%20Indiegogo%3A%20The%20Best%20Crowdfunding%20Platform%20in%202020" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fkickstarter-vs-indiegogo%2F&amp;linkname=Kickstarter%20vs%20Indiegogo%3A%20The%20Best%20Crowdfunding%20Platform%20in%202020" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fkickstarter-vs-indiegogo%2F&#038;title=Kickstarter%20vs%20Indiegogo%3A%20The%20Best%20Crowdfunding%20Platform%20in%202020" data-a2a-url="https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-vs-indiegogo/" data-a2a-title="Kickstarter vs Indiegogo: The Best Crowdfunding Platform in 2020"></a></p><p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-vs-indiegogo/">Kickstarter vs Indiegogo: The Best Crowdfunding Platform in 2020</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://samitpatel.net/kickstarter-vs-indiegogo/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>How To Pitch press release For Kickstarter Without Being Ignored</title>
		<link>https://samitpatel.net/press-release-for-kickstarter/</link>
					<comments>https://samitpatel.net/press-release-for-kickstarter/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samit Patel]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Sep 2016 14:29:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[kickstarter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing Campaign]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kickstarter press release]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/sumitpatel/?p=15659</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>According to content analysis experts BuzzSumo, reporters receive, on average, between 25 to 100 press release for Kickstarter pitches every day. That’s via email alone. Nearly all of them get deleted, unopened. If you&#8217;re about to click send on hundreds of emails to members of...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/press-release-for-kickstarter/">How To Pitch press release For Kickstarter Without Being Ignored</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to content analysis experts <a style="color: #000000;" href="http://buzzsumo.com/blog/pitch-journalist-tips-techcrunch-ny-times/">BuzzSumo,</a> reporters receive, on average, between </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">25 to 100 press release for Kickstarter pitches</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> every day. That’s via email alone. Nearly all of them get deleted, unopened.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">If you&#8217;re about to click send on hundreds of emails to members of the press, this news is probably disheartening. It seems that even if you do it right, your Kickstarter press release pitch might get lost among the dross.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">But don’t lose hope! While developing a series of <a href="https://samitpatel.net/2016/07/12/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/">successful Kickstarter campaigns</a>, I&#8217;ve learned some valuable lessons on how to get the press to take notice of your Kickstarter press release and <a href="https://samitpatel.net/2016/09/12/product-launch-strategies-ace-just-like-apple/">product launch</a>. By following some basic rules, you can ensure your crowdfunded campaign stands out from the masses.</span></p>
<h2>1. Personalize your Kickstarter press release pitch</h2>
<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-16632 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Kickstarter.png" alt="Kickstarter Campaign" width="336" height="280"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Emails which are totally not relevant to you are annoying, to say the least. When reporters receive pitches that have nothing to do with their field, they see it either as spam or desperation. Both are bad for your reputation, as they will inevitably delete future pitches from you, even if they&#8217;re now relevant.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Most publications have hundreds of journalist working for them. It is therefore really important to pitch to the right person. DO NOT email everyone working at the publication. It will be a waste of your time and theirs, and you&#8217;ll definitely annoy potential allies.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">To zero in on the right journalists, make a list on Excel. Make a tab for journalists who have written about crowdfunding projects, and one for those who have written about projects in the same field as yours. If you&#8217;re pitching a smartwatch, for example, choose those who have written about wearable technology in the past.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m9yiXXSYnaTFg9rBagwcT54pCY79RRXmSnmgQpgAomE/edit?usp=sharing">See an example here: Please request access if you’d like the Excel template for pitching to the press CLICK HERE</a>.</span></p>
<h2>2. Use smart tools</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16725 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Smart-tools-1024x981.jpg" alt="Smart tools " width="1024" height="981"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the most frustrating stages of emailing pitches is not knowing whether the recipient has opened the email. Thanks to programs like </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.yesware.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yesware</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, you can now know the exact moment when a journalist opens your email and how many times they do it. This is invaluable information. If a journalist opens your email, then you know it has reached the right person and that your subject line did what it was supposed to and got them interested.</span></span></p>
<h2>3. Subject and headline</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16726 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Email-headlines-1024x683.jpg" alt="Email headlines" width="1024" height="683"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">It’s the subject of your email and its headline that will convince the recipient to open your pitch and actually read it. Make your subject-specific and interesting enough to make the journalist want to see what’s inside. Your heading should immediately engage them, as they only have time to scan most of the emails they open.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Similarly, keep your pitch concise. You&#8217;ll have information you feel compelled to share which technically might be necessary to really get your product. But unless it’s absolutely crucial, leave it out, or you&#8217;ll end up with an essay.</span></p>
<h2>4. Forget buzzwords</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-16727 size-full alignleft" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Forget-buzzwords.png" alt="Forget buzzwords" width="336" height="280"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Synergy. Thinking outside the box. Paradigm shift. Low hanging fruit.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">All of these are terms that no longer mean much, and cause many to </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://meetingboy.com/post/5017367342/the-most-hated-buzzword"><span style="font-weight: 400;">turn away in disgust</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Yes, they once meant something. But now they serve as signs you have nothing new to say.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Look, everyone thinks outside the box and every startup wants to shift paradigms. Applying these terms to your idea creates white noise that obscures what you really have to offer.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">If you think there’s no better way of expressing your point, think again. Even if it’s the most accurate term, a buzzword will do much more damage than good.</span></p>
<h2></h2>
<h2>5. Build relationships with journalists</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16728 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/journalists-1024x682.jpg" alt="journalists" width="1024" height="682"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Even if you’ve followed every tactic in the book, there’s no guarantee your pitch will be opened. Many journalists are just too busy even to open only the interesting emails. Which is why there’s nothing more valuable than personal connections. You can build relationships at conventions and events, or keep in touch with those who’ve responded to you in the past.</span></p>
<h2>6. Pitch at the right time</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16612 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Equity-based-model-1024x629.jpg" alt="pitch" width="1024" height="629"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Sometimes, getting the results you want is as simple as timing it to perfection. There are loads of statistics showing the best time to send an email. You probably know from your own experience how many emails flood your inbox every day. Those that come through during your lunch break get pushed to the bottom of the pile and, unless they&#8217;re from someone you know, will get ignored.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Timing is essential in pitching to the press, and there’s science to back it up. </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.advisoryhq.com/articles/best-time-to-send-pitch-emails/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research done by AdvisoryHQ</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> found that pitching between 8 am to 11 am on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is most likely to get you results. This is when reporters are most likely to be at their desks, while not yet overwhelmed by the workload.</span></span></p>
<p><strong><em>You May Also Like to Read:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/promote-kickstarter-campaign/"><em>Detailed Tips to Promote Your Kickstarter Campaign (in 2019)</em></a><br />
<a href="https://samitpatel.net/how-to-promote-kickstarter-campaign-a-quick-promotion-guide/"><em>How to Promote Kickstarter Campaign? A Quick Promotion Guide.</em></a><br />
<a href="https://samitpatel.net/get-engagement-kickstarter-campaign/"><em>How to Get Engagement for Your Kickstarter Campaign &#8211; Samit Patel</em></a></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Pitching to the press is a losing battle if you don’t know what you&#8217;re doing. In an ideal world, a great product would speak for itself. But this is a world in which everyone has access to the press, no matter how bad their idea may be.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Getting your campaign to stand out requires strategy and connections. Don&#8217;t take shortcuts, or you&#8217;ll be stunned by the deafening silence. Need help? Contact our&nbsp;<a href="https://samitpatel.net/">Kickstarter marketing agency</a> today</span></p>
<h2>Other Resources</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwyewfdWmTE&amp;t=12s">Youtube Video</a></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/contact/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16004 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lets-talk-new.png" alt="lets talk new" width="1032" height="217"></a></p>
<p><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fpress-release-for-kickstarter%2F&amp;linkname=How%20To%20Pitch%20press%20release%20For%20Kickstarter%20Without%20Being%20Ignored" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fpress-release-for-kickstarter%2F&amp;linkname=How%20To%20Pitch%20press%20release%20For%20Kickstarter%20Without%20Being%20Ignored" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fpress-release-for-kickstarter%2F&#038;title=How%20To%20Pitch%20press%20release%20For%20Kickstarter%20Without%20Being%20Ignored" data-a2a-url="https://samitpatel.net/press-release-for-kickstarter/" data-a2a-title="How To Pitch press release For Kickstarter Without Being Ignored"></a></p><p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/press-release-for-kickstarter/">How To Pitch press release For Kickstarter Without Being Ignored</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://samitpatel.net/press-release-for-kickstarter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Product Launch Strategies &#038; How To Do Them Like Apple</title>
		<link>https://samitpatel.net/product-launch-strategies/</link>
					<comments>https://samitpatel.net/product-launch-strategies/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samit Patel]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Sep 2016 13:18:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter consultant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Product launch strategies]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/sumitpatel/?p=15644</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We will be looking at how Apple uses product launch strategies and how you could do the same. Apple has just hit us with the launch of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and the internet is buzzing. In the months leading up to the...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/product-launch-strategies/">Product Launch Strategies &#038; How To Do Them Like Apple</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">We will be looking at how Apple uses product launch strategies and how you could do the same.</span></p>
<p><iframe title="Product Launch Strategy &amp; How To Do Them Just Like Apple" width="1060" height="596" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y01Se81DGiA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Apple has just hit us with the launch of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus and the internet is buzzing. In the months leading up to the launch, speculation was rife. Would they finally remove the headphone jack? How can we cope without it? What other exciting features will be revealed? We will be looking at how Apple uses product launch strategies and how you could do the same.</span></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16730 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Apple-1024x766.jpg" alt="Apple" width="1024" height="766"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">The iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods themselves will be spoken about for just as long. Reviews and debates will go on and on. All of this despite the fact that to most consumers the iPhone 7 looks and feels pretty similar to the iPhone 6S.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">There’s no reason for the launch to have been such a big deal. Tech sites have already discussed the upcoming features to death and there were few surprises.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;"><a href="https://www.apple.com/">Apple</a> has clearly perfected the product launch, generating a massive buzz even when they&#8217;re launching something less than revolutionary. While Apple has a reputation that you can only dream of &#8211; which is obviously a major factor &#8211; most of the marketing techniques they use for their launches will almost definitely work for your product too.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Let’s look at what Apple gets right, and how you can follow their lead.</span></p>
<h2>1. Focus on the audience, not the product</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16659 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/audience-1024x682.jpg" alt="audience" width="1024" height="682"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">What Apple does particularly well is focused on how the product will benefit the users, not on how great its features are. Most customers don&#8217;t care about the exact speed of the processor. They don’t know the difference between 10 and 12 megapixels. What matters is that the selfie camera will take high-quality photos and that the rear camera can separate the foreground from the background. product launch strategy</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Yes, Apple’s technical specs are what’s most impressive about their new products. But it doesn&#8217;t matter to the average person. You need to speak the language of your target market, not the language of your developers.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">When you’re getting ready for launch, don’t worry about describing every last detail of the product, no matter how impressive. Instead, care about how people will react to it, and how you can convert those reactions into buy in.</span></p>
<h2>2. Build a community</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16625 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/backers-1024x698.jpg" alt="Build a community " width="1024" height="698"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">No matter what product launch strategy Apple uses there will be a horde of people lining up to get it first. They have a huge fan base made up of loyal users, who hang on every word of every press release.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">They haven&#8217;t built that fan base simply by having an amazing product. After all, Samsung products do nearly all the same things. It takes more than that to build a community.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">When I worked on the Blocks modular smartwatch launch, I spent months getting people hyped. We built a community of nearly a hundred thousand loyal customers &#8211; and the product will only be available this December! You can find out more about that </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="https://samitpatel.net/2016/07/12/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">By using my three-stage strategy of </span><b>Imagine, Excite, Get Backing</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">, we let our fan base do half the work for us. Sometimes we hosted discussions on our social media pages, but often they came about organically. Once you have a dedicated community, your launch is guaranteed to generate hype.</span></span></p>
<h2>3. Keep&nbsp;Product Launch Strategies Simple</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16722 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Launch-983x1024.jpg" alt="Launch phase" width="983" height="1024"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Don’t spend hours on a complex marketing campaign that will take as many hours to decipher. Stick to simple problem/solution marketing for the masses, and leave the intricacies for those who have some level of expertise.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apple does this incredibly well. They recognize the power in a simple image of an iPhone. If you head to </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.apple.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the Apple website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> now, you&#8217;ll see an image of the new iPhone with the words, “This is 7”. It’s not even a great font. But they know that does not matter. And for those who are interested, the finer details are just a few clicks away.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">While images of your product will not evoke the same thoughts and feelings that an iPhone 7 does, you can learn a lot about keeping your own marketing simple. If your product looks really cool, don’t overload the page with text. If not, find a way of expressing the most attractive features without over-explaining.</span></p>
<h2>4. Play to emotions</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16731 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/emotions-1024x595.jpg" alt="emotions" width="1024" height="595"></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a </span><a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-secret-to-online-success-what-makes-content-go-viral/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2015 study</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, researchers found that content that evokes a high level of positive emotional arousal is most likely to go viral. In particular, the most effective product launch strategies evoke laughter or awe. Or both.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Apple has always used awe as a way to get people hyped. They&#8217;ve been so reliable at wowing us for so long, that we expect our minds to be blown at every launch. Tim Cook is perhaps not as good at it as Steve Jobs was, and it’s been a while since Apple turned the world upside down. Nevertheless, we want to be awed and wait in anticipation every September.</span></p>
<h2>5. Make nice with the press</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-16732 size-full alignleft" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/make-nice-with-press.png" alt="Make nice with press" width="336" height="280"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Long before and after the launch of any Apple product, you&#8217;ll find journalists, bloggers, and reviewers discussing all the best and worst features. And while they don’t always shy away from criticisms, they&#8217;re generally more focused on talking about the exciting new innovations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Apple has an incredible reach, and getting access to the good press is not hard for them. Furthermore, they can afford to distribute samples of their products in exchange for reviews.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">But if you manage to get at least some of the press talking about your product, your launch will create a buzz. By press, I’m not just talking about the BBC or CNN. Features on any authority websites, such as Mashable or TechCrunch, give your brand a huge boost.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">And don’t discount internet personalities, either. Bloggers and YouTubers have hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers. If they review your product, there will inevitably be a large sector of their followers who are interested.</span></p>
<h2>6. Make your launch an event</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16704 size-large" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Event-1024x682.jpg" alt="Event" width="1024" height="682"></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">One of the things that Apple have truly perfected is the art of a launch event. They don’t have a shoddy slideshow with a marketing executive trying to talk up their products.</span></p>
<p><strong><em>You May Also Like to Read:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/so-should-you-launch-on-kickstarter-or-indiegogo/"><em>So Should You Launch on Kickstarter or Indiegogo?</em></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;">Rather, they have CEO Tim Cook on stage, broadcast via streaming around the world. Some people are content for just a summary of the main points. But many others want to be part of the event. They want to find out about the new iPhone at the same time as everyone else, with all the pomp and ceremony.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400; color: #000000;"> Make your launch into an event, and you&#8217;re guaranteed to build excitement. You&#8217;re showing that your product is glamorous. That it’s press worthy. And that it’s well worth the wait. Want expert help? <a href="https://samitpatel.net/contact/">Get in touch</a> with us to see how we can help you launch your Product on Kickstarter &amp; Indiegogo!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><a style="color: #000000;" href="https://samitpatel.net/contact/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16004 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lets-talk-new.png" alt="lets talk new" width="1032" height="217"></a></span></p>
<p><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fproduct-launch-strategies%2F&amp;linkname=Product%20Launch%20Strategies%20%26%20How%20To%20Do%20Them%20Like%20Apple" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fproduct-launch-strategies%2F&amp;linkname=Product%20Launch%20Strategies%20%26%20How%20To%20Do%20Them%20Like%20Apple" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fproduct-launch-strategies%2F&#038;title=Product%20Launch%20Strategies%20%26%20How%20To%20Do%20Them%20Like%20Apple" data-a2a-url="https://samitpatel.net/product-launch-strategies/" data-a2a-title="Product Launch Strategies &amp; How To Do Them Like Apple"></a></p><p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/product-launch-strategies/">Product Launch Strategies &#038; How To Do Them Like Apple</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://samitpatel.net/product-launch-strategies/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>How your startup can make $250k in just 56 minutes. Learn how…</title>
		<link>https://samitpatel.net/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/</link>
					<comments>https://samitpatel.net/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Samit Patel]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jul 2016 21:09:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crowdfunding experts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter consultant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kickstarter marketing]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost/sumitpatel/?p=15581</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Let me quickly introduce myself. I’m Samit, and I am a Kickstarter consultant and crowdfunding expert. My first project I got involved in was a smartwatch called&#160;BLOCKS, the world’s first modular smartwatch. Blocks was a smartwatch you could put together like Lego. Each module of...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/">How your startup can make $250k in just 56 minutes. Learn how…</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #000000;">Let me quickly introduce myself. I’m Samit, and I am a <a href="https://samitpatel.net/">Kickstarter consultant </a>and crowdfunding expert.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">My first project I got involved in was a smartwatch called&nbsp;<a style="color: #000000;" href="http://www.chooseblocks.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">BLOCKS</a>, the world’s first modular smartwatch. Blocks was a smartwatch you could put together like Lego. Each module of the BLOCKS watch has a specific function &#8211; a heart rate monitor, contactless payment card, GPS, and more. You choose which functions you need, and wear what suits you.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We launched our <a style="color: #000000;" href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2106691934/blocks-the-worlds-first-modular-smartwatch" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">BLOCKS Kickstarter</a> campaign on October the 13th, and by the end of the campaign, we raised $1,613,874. We reached our initial goal of $250,000 in just 56 minutes. This is how.</span></p>
<h2>We have a kick@$$ product</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">You don’t have to have the perfect product to succeed, but it <em>must </em>be exciting. What would you feel if you heard about this product? Does it make you salivate? There are 7 billion people on this planet. If it excites you, it will excite others, no matter how niche it is.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">BLOCKS has an incredible product that is challenging the likes of Apple and Samsung, so it’s no surprise it got tech fans excited.</span></p>
<h2>Get started</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">BLOCKS has been in development for the last two years. Most of that time, we’ve been perfecting the technology. It was vital that we had something to show for our work so that we could get it out into the world. With nothing more than an idea, it’s almost impossible to promote your brand.</span></p>
<h2>Enter contests</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We entered a number of competitions, not only to win some very attractive prizes but also to find influential people to help make our project viable. We made our mark in the Intel “Make It Wearable” competition, and we won $50,000 in the People’s Choice award category. The Intel competition opened many doors for us. It helped us connect with key journalists, investors, and other tech companies that would later help make BLOCKS what it is today. We also received press that helped build up awareness and lay the foundation for our incredible fan base.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Contests can be the perfect platform to get your idea out into the world. If your product is attractive enough, you&#8217;re guaranteed to find backers whether or not you win.</span></p>
<h2>Early testing and buy-in</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We tested our product concept after we’d proved it could work and offered an exclusive membership for just $50. This allowed a few people to get exclusive information as well as early bird discounts.&nbsp; They’ll get special privileges when we launch as well as behind the scenes insights. We landed up with 1,000 early members, which validated that people wanted our product, as well as providing some capital and motivation.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">If you have what you think is a great idea, try and validate it as soon as possible. You need to know that the work you&#8217;re doing won’t be wasted.</span></p>
<h2>Fanbase</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">In building up that 1,000-strong fan-base, we had located the people who would play a key part in shaping our product. We worked together towards a product that our typical user would enjoy. We listened closely to their feedback at every stage and even organised weekly Google hangouts with the founders.</span></p>
<h2>Content marketing</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We created a list of content that our fans and potential customers would be interested in and curated a long list of content. We had some fun articles that we published to websites like Buzzfeed, Tumblr, Reddit and to our blog, with titles like “50 Craziest Inventions You Won’t Believe Exist.” We also had serious articles around recycling and other important social topics. We used these articles early on to build up traffic and awareness of our product by targeting various niches with content.</span></p>
<h2>Social Media</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We started building our social media presence from day one. Early followers will more than likely be your first customers if you readily engage with them. This is how we got access to our future fan base. We built up to around 80,000 Facebook fans using a combination of paid ads and competitions, as well as engaging content, as mentioned above. Our social media strategy can be broken down into 3 stages: Imagine, Excite, and Get Backing.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Imagine</strong> simply meant getting people’s imaginations working as to what they could do with this smartwatch. This lets them really visualise and get hooked on the idea of BLOCKS. For example what if you could use the watch as a controller to fly your drone or as a monitor to check your blood sugar levels.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">The second stage was to <strong>Excite</strong>. Once we got their imaginations into overdrive, everyone wanted to know details. Would BLOCKS exceed their expectations? We carefully showed various product shots and released details of the product. Specs are very important on a techy project, especially one that is as revolutionary as BLOCKS. There were lots of sceptics. There always are &#8211; those are the people who ensure you think of everything. By having to carefully explain the product in the simplest terms, we identified the potential problems, as well as what the product was still missing.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">The third and final stage was to <strong>Get Backing</strong>. This simply meant ensuring that the fan base is ready to buy, a week before we launched.&nbsp; We built up anticipation. We planned every element of our launch, including details of rewards, plans on what it would take to reach our goals, and every last thing that would entail.</span></p>
<h2>Email Marketing</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Another key element was building up our mailing list. We included various CTAs (calls to action) on our website that encouraged people to sign up. For example, we gave fans the chance to win our product, as well as the opportunity to get early bird discounts. We built up our mailing list to over 25,000+ addresses. We regularly engaged those on our list with content about the product and interesting developments. We showcased what was going on behind the scenes.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We also created a drip campaign &#8211; any new user that signed up to our mailing list would get three emails. The first was a simple welcome from the founders, a very personal message thanking them for joining the community. The second was product-oriented and presented more details about the product’s possibilities &#8211; feeding into our theme of&nbsp;<strong>Imagine</strong>. The third revealed exclusive images of the products and specs. This drip campaign lasted two weeks, after which the recipient would be added to the normal mailing list.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Having a mailing list of over 25,000 also brings up its own unique problems. Not everyone responds to the same subject lines or content. The timing of the emails is also important, but we had people in many different time zones. We, therefore, re-split the emails with different subject lines and at a different time to make sure as many people as possible opened at least some of them.</span></p>
<h2>Press</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We’d been building up connections with various members of the press for the last few years. You can see the guide on how to contact the <a style="color: #000000;" href="https://samitpatel.net/2016/09/26/pitch-kickstarter-press-release-without-ignored/">press here</a>. Some of them we knew very well, as we had connected at the various competitions. We had been privileged with having a few articles around our project since we started, which helped build up excitement early on. We created a list of press and journalists that would be interested in BLOCKS, we went through niches as well as mainstream media. We contacted them one by one, a month in advance, connecting with them and telling them about the details of the launch of the project. We requested non-disclosure until the day of our Kickstarter launch so that at the time of launch we would get a massive influx of traffic. We also had a few pre-announcements shortly before we went live, like the new promo video and announcements of which crowdfunding platform we’d be using. We ended up getting featured by BBC, Mashable, TechCrunch, Core77,Product Hunt,FT and another 200+ throughout our campaign.</span></p>
<h2>Ambassadors</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">A few weeks before launch we again utilised our fans and asked them whether they wanted to join our ambassador program. We made it clear from day 1 that this was not about getting anything free. Rather, it was about playing a part in revolutionising the industry. We had over 1,000 applicants, which we shortlisted to 300. We asked people three main questions: where they were from, whether they were active in any tech-based forums, and whether they knew any press/journalists. This group of ambassadors helped us gain important access to press members we had not yet connected with. They also helped create a real excitement around the launch.</span></p>
<h2>Facebook Event &amp; Thunderclap</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">To make sure everyone saved the date for our launch and purchased on the first day, we created a Facebook event. The whole team invited all their connections, and we also got our fans/ambassadors involved in inviting their own friends and families. We ended up inviting over 30,000 people to the event. The Facebook event was set up so anyone who hadn’t followed our project was still easily able to understand what the project was about.</span></p>
<p><strong><em>You May Also Like to Read:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://samitpatel.net/indiegogo-top-successful-projects-2019-1million-funding/"><em>Indiegogo Top Successful Projects 2019 with Over $1Million Funding</em></a></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">We also set up Thunderclap, which sends out a message on social networks all in one go. This acts as another reminder and helps raise awareness. We again invited friends, family, fans, and ambassadors to join up. we managed to get a social reach of over 1,800,000.</span></p>
<h2>Making the money</h2>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">It was a combination of these principles and tactics that got us to $250,000.00 in 56 minutes. These were the main methods that we used to help create excitement and get everyone buying immediately. With all this preparation, all we had to do on launch day was sit back and watch the funding pour in.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">If you have an amazing product, you need to make sure you get the reach you deserve. We managed by using the above tactics. You can too.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Here&#8217;s a <a style="color: #000000;" href="https://samitpatel.net/promote-kickstarter-campaign/">guide on how to promote a Kickstarter campaign and raise money</a></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><a style="color: #000000;" href="https://samitpatel.net/contact/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-16004 size-full" src="https://samitpatel.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lets-talk-new.png" alt="lets talk new" width="1032" height="217"></a></span></p>
<p><a class="a2a_button_facebook" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fhow-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how%2F&amp;linkname=How%20your%20startup%20can%20make%20%24250k%20in%20just%2056%20minutes.%20Learn%20how%E2%80%A6" title="Facebook" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/twitter?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fhow-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how%2F&amp;linkname=How%20your%20startup%20can%20make%20%24250k%20in%20just%2056%20minutes.%20Learn%20how%E2%80%A6" title="Twitter" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fsamitpatel.net%2Fhow-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how%2F&#038;title=How%20your%20startup%20can%20make%20%24250k%20in%20just%2056%20minutes.%20Learn%20how%E2%80%A6" data-a2a-url="https://samitpatel.net/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/" data-a2a-title="How your startup can make $250k in just 56 minutes. Learn how…"></a></p><p>The post <a href="https://samitpatel.net/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/">How your startup can make $250k in just 56 minutes. Learn how…</a> appeared first on <a href="https://samitpatel.net">samitpatel</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://samitpatel.net/how-your-startup-can-make-250k-in-just-56-minutes-learn-how/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
