The biggest challenge there is today for a Kickstarter campaign is to get support for it. The target consumers you want to back your project have to find out about it in order to support it. That’s why using your industry’s primary conventions throughout the year could be the key to your success. You’ve got groups of excited people, all prepared to learn more about your chosen field and looking for innovation.
That’s exactly what a Kickstarter campaign is designed to provide. Here’s how you can make a convention work for your next crowdfunding efforts.
1. Find the target audience that will be most attracted to your idea.
You need to be able to define what your product can do to solve problems for your target audience. It’s essentially a mission statement that you’re developing so that you can effectively market your idea to the targeted audience. It provides a sense of perceived value to those who hear the statement and allows them to feel like you can provide a high level of actual value in return for their investment.
2. Choose the right convention to target.
There are basically two different types of target demographics that you’ve got with the right convention: those who will become your brand ambassadors by supporting your campaign right away and those who will support your campaign if you can prove your concept. There are a number of conventions per year in your industry, so finding the one with the greatest combination of both audiences is the best way to go.
3. You must not assume that you have instant credibility.
Your brand awareness is not your credibility. People can know about you and not want to invest in what you have. Your credibility is what will set you apart. By building up your reputation and not just your brand, you’ll be able to have higher levels of consumer confidence and that will result in backers who are willing to contribute a little extra.
4. Get into a booth right away.
Getting into a convention isn’t always easy. You’ve got to get a booth, which means you’ve got lots of paperwork that will need to get filled out. There is often a specific set of criteria that must be fulfilled as well and you might even need to pitch your concept to the event’s organizers in order to get your spot.
5. Be smart about your swag.
Everybody is going to have key chains, stickers, business cards, and pens at their booth for people to take away. This kind of swag can work, but it’s tired, old, and doesn’t really stand out. When was the last time someone gave away an iPhone case that had branding on it? Swag makes sense when it is something the people can actually use. It must have real value for it to stand out.
6. Be entertaining.
Above all else, you must be entertaining. People don’t like speeches. They come to conventions to have fun. If you can create that kind of excitement, then you’ll get people equally excited for your Kickstarter campaign.
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