20 Aug How to Have a Successful Kickstarter Campaign?

Having produced several successful Kickstarter campaigns, and by successful I mean Kickstarters that reached their funding goals, many people have asked me what it takes to have a good Kickstarter video. Here are my thoughts.

Making a good kickstarter video and campaign requires more than just a good camera. It takes a lot of planning, structuring, and good business sense. In my opinion, having no video is better than having a video if a company is unwilling or unable to spend the investment on quality. Why?

Often times, a Kickstarter video is a company’s first impression to the outside world. Though I hate the line “perception is reality,” we cannot escape the fact that people do form judgments on what they see. A bad, low quality video unfortunately screams unprofessional. A poorly structured video will not connect with an audience and pull on the heartstrings of potential investors. Why waste time on something that is half-assed?

So what makes for a good Kickstarter video?

Storyline

The first element I look for is the storyline. People invest if they believe in a person/company’s vision. I like to hear about how an idea came into fruition and the steps the person/company has taken to make the vision a reality. Even if the product is not yet tangible, showing the audience that you know exactly what steps you will take to achieve your goal is crucial. The audience wants to know that you are serious about your project, why you are serious, and that their money is in good hands.

Structure

Good structure is also very important in a video. Somehow, a kickstarter must address the following: problem, solution, what steps have been or will be taken to accomplish the solution, how the audience can help, and how the audience will benefit from helping. Without all of these elements, I find it hard for investors to want to open up their purse strings. Though the order of these elements is debatable, in my experience, having the problem and solution addressed as soon as possible is the most effective.

Face Time

There is also something special about seeing the face(s) of the company. People connect with people. Seeing the passion and being able to relate or connect to that passion is more power to a Kickstarter. I encourage company founders to speak in front of the camera and to rehearse several times before attempting to film — the more natural and conversational, the more engaging. If you happen to not be good in front of the camera, don’t worry… consider using more voice over, with occasional glimpses of you.

Rewards & Incentives

Thinking through the levels of rewards and incentives helps to solidify the final campaign. Hopefully, people invest because they like the product you are offering, so incentives to be the first to have this product is a powerful way of getting people to invest. Besides the product, think outside of the box in terms of what people may find valuable. For example, spending time with the founder or printing the investor’s name on the product, are all high value incentives that do not cost anything or cost very little to you.

Promotion & Publicity

Finally, good publicity will push everything over the edge. Moth to Flame takes a unique approach to Kickstarter videos because we understand that as a new company, you often just simply do not have the economic means to invest in a video. Luckily, our company loves to do our own “investments” in companies that we believe in. Contact us if you want to find out how we can help you get your idea funded and on its way to reality.