Top 5 Tips to Make Your Kickstarter Campaign a Success

Starting in June, we ran a 40 day Kickstarter campaign in order to raise $15,000 and were so fortunate to have surpassed our goal by the end of the campaign. From our campaign experience, we learned so much that we would like to pass that knowledge forward. Running a Kickstarter campaign can be stressful and exciting all at the same time. Plus, each campaign is different. However, there are 5 things we at Slick Chicks believe will help you regardless of what business or campaign you run. So here they are: our top 5 tips on how to make your Kickstarter a success!

1. PERSONAL Outreach is KEY. 

Personal outreach made a HUGE impact on our campaign. A large majority of your best backers will be from your personal circle -- so take advantage of that! Yes, mass email newsletters are good; however, they do not beat the effectiveness of a personal email, text, or Facebook message. So step up and put yourself out there. Message that friend you haven't talked to in 5 years. You might be pleasantly surprised who will be really supportive! Plus, in the hustle and bustle of start-up life, this gives you a chance to have a nice chat with someone you might not have had a chance to reach out to otherwise!

 2. EXPECT Ups and Downs. 

Understand from the get-go that it is NORMAL for your Kickstarter campaign to follow a trend. The first few days will have a large growth in support because you're just getting started, and there is a lot of excitement and momentum. However, you will eventually reach a time in the middle of your campaign where backer growth is very slow. DO NOT let this discourage you! You are not failing or doing anything wrong. Make sure to keep up your enthusiasm and keep pushing forward. There is usually a build up of momentum towards the end of the campaign, so as long as you keep up the good work, you can look forward to that!

3. Be Organized BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the Campaign.

We're being very honest with you -- running and promoting a Kickstarter campaign is a lot of work. BEFORE you launch, make sure to have an organized plan of what your reward tiers are, what content you are going to post, and what your outreach goals are. For the times DURING your campaign, make sure you keep track of contacts and on-going conversations. Be ready to be organized on many platforms including calendars, emails, messages, etc. For AFTER the campaign, make sure you have a plan ready for surveys to be sent out and reward fulfillment and distribution. Keeping organized and focused during your campaign will make your life so much easier and less stressful. 

 4. Maintain QUALITY.

Never underestimate the importance of quality work. Your campaign content will be the first impression people will have of your company and product -- so make sure it counts! Double check all grammar and spelling in your writing. Make sure all pictures are properly formatted and have high resolution. Always have a second or even third set of eyes look over the content before going live. You want people to support your business, so make sure when they see your content, they are impressed and confident that your business is amazing and professional. 

 5. Don't Be Afraid of CHANGE.

Not only be open to change, but also don't be afraid of it! While running your campaign, be receptive to feedback and new ideas. It's good to stick with your core ideas, but if you think there's something you could add to your campaign to improve it, whether that be more content or a slight pivot in market, GO FOR IT! Don't think of them as changes -- think of them as improvements! You'd be surprised how a few small improvements can make a huge, positive impact!

And there you have it! Those are our top 5 tips. Let us know what you think. We wish you the best of luck in your future campaigns!

Stay Empowered. 

Much Love, 

Helya & the Slick Chicks Team xoxo