Jumpstart Your Kickstarter Nonprofit Campaign
Ever had a moment when you to launch a Kickstarter nonprofit campaign ( or other online fundraising platform)?
Some folks in the nonprofit and advocacy space have been hugely successful with Kickstarter, but it takes a combination of work, timing, and luck.
In our ongoing quest to give starter information to all things advocacy and campaigns, here is a short primer on Kickstarter nonprofit campaigns.
Understand that there is no guarantee for Kickstarter success, but there are steps that can make you more likely to be successful than others.
Start with a defined goal:
Research similar campaigns or launches on Kickstarter to determine a price. What you give and what folks get is both a science and an art. Looking at what worked for others is always helpful. Marketing on kick starter for a non-profit is very similar to a for-profit kickstarter campaign ( check out our work for Lucnskins here) but the goal is key.
Ask for specific amount:
Don't be vague and request a specific amount. If you don't ask for a specific amount, folks won't give. Make sure the amount is realistic it is better to ask for less and overshoot your goal then ask for too much and not achieve it.
Define your audience:
Create segmented lists to drive to your nonprofit Kickstarter campaign. Think segments that drive different messages: gender-based lists, issue lists with a location, professional lists, bloggers, core customers. Whatever segments you think will work, try and test. Create a calendar to plan out your emails as well as your channel strategy.
Create an engagement plan:
Define how often they receive email/post/outreach.
Have a strong channel strategy / define how many posts on:
- Linked In (#/when)
- Facebook (#/when)
- Instagram (#/when)
- Twitter (#/when)
- Blog Posts
Define the offer:
All donors should get product plus different things for different tiers. Tiers are a great way of capturing folks imagination and testing engagement. Look at past campaigns to see what has worked.
Seed it with investors:
Build a list of supporters who will cover 20% of goal immediately when the kick starter goes live to build momentum. Have others investors waiting to fill in once you achieve an initial goal.
Create a great video:
A kickass video is a key to Kickstarter. It does not have to be expensive but is does have to have a compelling story and message. Usually, these videos are long around three minutes, but the key is to front load content. Make sure you have a compelling first 15 seconds that holds on and does not let go to prospects. We have seen videos produced for $2,500 or less. Bottom line the content matters more than production.
Implement well:
There are lots of things to do to build a good Kickstarter campaign. But quality is more important than quantity when it comes to Kickstarter.
We hope this helps! Send us your Kickstarter for nonprofit questions here: