Ultimately, the winner goes to… LOVE! ❤️
Today I’m happy to say that Story No. 9 hit our target of 51,457 DKK, running our first love campaign on Kickstarter. Most of our backers are family, friends, colleagues, local communities, and networks. Running a Kickstarter is an opportunity to get insights into your relationships that you might not have gotten anywhere else.
The level of support should be determined by your commitment and time spent on the project. It all comes down to… Did you do your best with the resources you have? Did you put so much passion into your project, that makes friends and family look bad if they don’t pledge? If you started a new project without telling anyone beforehand (and skipping the pre-launching stage), chances are they won’t help you. Don’t avoid the marketing approaches, by just assuming that friends and family are obligated to help (because they’re not). Look at them as good practice. If you fail to convince them, you probably have a harder time convincing strangers and the Kickstarter community.
With that being said, let’s assume you are 100% committed to your project. Your friends and family know that your project is a solid reflection of your identity. Now the time has come! Months of sweat and tears into your project and the result is NOTHING… No pledges. Well, not completely nothing (that’s a bit extreme). Like in my case, you probably have a loving partner, siblings, parents, or some close friends that supported.
But how is that possible? You had many friends, family members, and acquaintances who shared and liked your posts on social media and offered words of comfort. But when it comes time to ask them to bust out their wallet, they go quiet, ignore you, or pledge below the bear minimum. Not to sound rude, but I can’t even buy a Starbucks coffee with the bear minimum. For good relationships, it is fair to expect a little more. At the end of the day, you won’t get away with never treating a friend who keeps treating you, right? They will notice. People are aware of who is caring for them. There comes a time, and let me say this again, where everyone has to bust out the wallet and invest in others. Whether it’s a gift, treat, or pledge. I’m sure that many of your relationships will change after the Kickstarter campaign. That’s great! It might feel harsh in the beginning, but you will get over it. For long-term greatness, you rather strive for quality rather than quantity. Looking back you will be grateful to know where people stand in your life.
For Kickstarter projects, you are starting from the bottom, putting your pride aside, and doing what it takes to get to the top. It takes courage to accept failures if you don’t reach your goal. And the truth is, you always remember who was there during the hard times. You remember exactly how much they helped you. That’s why running crowdfunding campaigns as a solo entrepreneur, gives a clear insight into who your true friends are. With a bit of luck, you might get some unexpected support and surprises along the way. They help you to reconfirm that your project matters by providing valuable feedback. Don’t get me wrong, I do understand that some friends don’t have money, and they are not exactly good with their words. You still appreciate likes, shares, and offering an ear to listen (it’s free)! But there are friends who claim not to have money but they sure have enough money to dine out and share it on social media. It’s easy to put two and two together. Don’t feel discarded by the lack of support. Embrace the people who are supportive, and have a little fun too. Running a Kickstarter, or any crowdfunding campaign… is HARD WORK. But if it was easy, everyone would do it. So give yourself a big clap for trying your best and bringing awareness to your project!
Because of our Kickstarter campaign, we got more mentions in the local newspapers, TV, and radio. No matter the outcome, we would have found a way to continue our love mission and celebrate the little things!
This might be the end of Kickstarter but it’s a new beginning for Story No. 9 💛 💚 💙 💜
