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| These 5 Startups Ran Wildly Successful Kickstarter Campaigns—Here’s What You Can Learn from Them Posted: 04 Dec 2019 08:28 PM PST By Carmine Mastropierro Crowdfunding with Kickstarter is a quick way to generate capital for a business and make your idea come to life. In fact, Kickstarter campaigns have a 37% success rate for becoming fully funded, and nearly $4.7 billion has been pledged in 2019. However, it's much easier said than done. As nice as it would be to launch a campaign and see the money rolling in, you need to have proper strategies in place if you want to see serious results. Here are five examples of wildly successful Kickstarter campaigns, and takeaways on how you can replicate their success. 1. TGT walletWith an original goal of $20,000 and a final amount of $317,424, the TGT wallet Kickstarter campaign reached over 15 times its goal. The wallet itself is made out of high-quality elastic and Italian leather. However, what makes it different is the fact it easily fits in your pocket, can quickly be found in a bag, and doesn't get in the way like traditional bulky wallets. What made the campaign such a raging success? First, the crowdfunding campaign had a minimum donation amount of $16. This isn't a huge amount to dedicate towards getting a great quality product, encouraging more people to fund the campaign versus a higher amount. However, it did offer continually increasing rewards for those that donated more. These rewards included an extra wallet, full product collections, gold membership status, and more. Main takeaways:
2. Font Awesome 5Anyone in web design or development has heard of Font Awesome, a vector and graphic framework. The Kickstarter campaign for Font Awesome 5 managed to raise over $1.7 million with 36,550 supporters. The campaign's page is filled with neat infographics that explain Font Awesome 5's features, benefits, and rewards. It also includes a fun video explaining what Font Awesome is through the use of humorous characters and scenes. Pledging gave users access to discounted rates for Font Awesome services, branded t-shirts, mugs, and other goodies. Main takeaways:
3. Vector, the home robotVector is the sci-fi geek's dream come to life. He's a tiny smart robot that roams around by himself, serving you when needed, and similar to Alexa and Sira, will provide answers to your questions. He also has built-in timers and the ability to take photos. Unlike Amazon's Alexa, however, Vector was designed to have a personality and character. Vector’s Kickstarter campaign was able to raise $1.8 million thanks to 8,293 supporters. The campaign's page features no shortage of information about the product, too. It answers every single possible question you could have about the robot including the technology inside of it. Main takeaways:
4. AlpinerX smartwatchThe AlpinerX is a smart watch made by the Alpina brand that has produced Swiss watches since 1883. However, in 2018, the company wanted to do something a little different. Alpina launched a crowdfunding campaign for a smartwatch that has a regular design, giving users all the function and power of high-end tech with an everyday appearance. Better yet, they let supporters design and choose the specs. Alpina took all of the feedback they received from backers and the watch community to influence the look and features of the AlpinerX. They even directly compared the watch to big competitors, showing off unique abilities that weren't available in other models. Main takeaways:
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5. Atom, the world's smallest 4G smartphoneThis smartphone was created with the outdoors in mind, so Unihertz added dustproof, waterproof, and shockproof features. And while the phone might be small, Atom’s Kickstarter campaign was massive, bringing in $1.2 million thanks to 5,310 supporters. One of the factors that contributed to Atom’s success was a listing of media outlets where the product had been featured. This acted as social proof, increasing trust among users and making them more likely to contribute. The Kickstarter campaign also included a loyalty program, which gave supporters an extra free product for backing the campaign. Main takeaways:
Other tips for Kickstarter successSure, users will find your campaign via the Kickstarter campaign naturally and especially if it goes viral. However, promoting it will ensure it gets seen by a maximum number of people, which means a higher potential of backers.
After the campaignYou've raised all of the money for your idea and more. Now what? Don't be one of the entrepreneurs who has a raging success at crowdfunding and then lets it slip through their fingers due to lack of planning. In fact, 63.5% of all Kickstarter campaigns aren't successful. You need a detailed plan of action for exactly what you are going to do once your crowdfunding goals are reached. It should include ideas for marketing, advertising, creating new products, and how you will retain the customer relationships you've developed thus far. Perhaps the next step is launching your own website, creating an email list of subscribers, and holding your first live event. Continually planning ahead like this will ensure the success of your new business idea. There's no such thing as an overnight successAs nice as it would be to launch a campaign and see it flooded with instant supporters, it just isn’t going to happen—and that's okay. You need to be patient with your Kickstarter because it will take time to generate donations and a buzz around your idea. Seeing as Kickstarters can last anywhere from one to 60 days, you have plenty of time to start promoting and getting the word out there, too. Take the time every day to promote the campaign via social media, email, outreach, and other strategies. This will create a compound effect that will ultimately help you hit your funding goal. RELATED: 10 Lessons for Entrepreneurs I Learned From Being a 'Shark Tank'-Type Judge The post These 5 Startups Ran Wildly Successful Kickstarter Campaigns—Here's What You Can Learn from Them appeared first on AllBusiness.com The post These 5 Startups Ran Wildly Successful Kickstarter Campaigns—Here's What You Can Learn from Them appeared first on AllBusiness.com. Click for more information about Guest Post.  |
| The Secret to Choosing Corporate Gifts Your Customers and Clients Will Cherish Posted: 04 Dec 2019 08:05 PM PST By Hannah Redmond and Ariel Redmond In the course of a lifetime, the average American has nine branded totes tucked somewhere under the kitchen sink, four logo-emblazoned mugs or thermoses in the back of their cabinets, two hideous coasters plastered with logos lost under their couch, and has thrown away approximately six key chains that they received, but never asked for (or wanted). Okay, we totally made this up. But can you relate? And if you don't believe us, the data speaks for itself. According to the Alyce Corporate Gifting Survey, satisfaction with corporate gifts is quite low. In fact, 88% of people surveyed said they would exchange a corporate gift for something more suited to their interests. While that may come at no surprise, 90.5% of people don't want to receive typical swag as a gift, and 24% of people who receive branded swag toss it right in the garbage, too. But corporate gifts DO in fact matter. And when it comes to corporate gifts for clients or customers, 70% of respondents said that uniquely picked gifts would encourage them to continue to do business. So, it's important to do it, and do it right. Don't worry, we're here to help you. Instead of wasting your company's money by handing out another mass-produced, “logo-ed” up piece of plastic, here are some ways to nail your corporate gifts this season. Everyone loves a good themeUniquely themed gifts are coherent and seem extra thoughtful. They're sure to strike a chord with the recipient—just make sure the theme is relevant to or showcases your business or company. If your company or brand naturally lends itself to a theme then go with it! Don't reinvent the wheel. But if you can't think of a good theme, one that is very popular and works regardless of the business or season, is relaxation or a"rest and recharge" focus, because who wouldn't want some relaxing treats and items that promote self-care? (After all, a well-cared-for employee or customer is a happy one!) A "cheers" theme is great for a celebratory occasion, perhaps those employees who have met their sales goals or are celebrating a big milestone. Celebrate with unique items like confetti poppers and champagne-flavored candy rather than a standard (and cheap) bottle of bubbly. Eco-friendly is also major trend right now—what better way to show your company is conscious of the environment by gifting reusable straws or drink tumblers in eco-friendly packaging? And, everyone loves local items. A "shop local" theme shows you're supporting local businesses or artists in your community and is a great way to support smaller entrepreneurs while finding unique items that have meaning at the same time. Mind your budgetIt's easy to blow your budget, and it's also easy to be a little too "cheap." It's important to consult an expert (or your accountant) on what your target budget should be, and then stay within it! Don't skimp, but don't splurge. Sometimes even just one beautiful gift item with a thoughtful note and branded packaging looks chicer than an entire gift basket. Think Goldilocks! Add the element of surpriseShipping gifts right to the recipient's office or home makes your gift even more of a pleasant and unexpected surprise that can brighten up their day. In a day and age where we've become accustomed to instant gratification, surprises are hard to come by. Plus, everyone loves receiving snail mail and packages, especially when they're full of great, quality gifts! People love personalizationIf you have an opportunity to personalize the gift—perhaps with a monogram, custom printed tags, or a thoughtful handwritten note—DO IT! It's these types of actions that impress and stand out in the recipient's mind long after the gift is given, and are a nod to your valued, personal relationships. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com:
What's on the outside mattersThis isn't a person we're talking about here—it's a gift. So yes, the packaging is almost as important as the gift itself. People DO, in fact, judge gifts by their covers. So ensure it arrives in a pretty package, wrapped and packed with care. Chic, beautiful packaging goes a long way and helps push the recipient to share their gift on social media as well. Be practicalPractical gifts are often the most appreciated so when selecting your item(s) be sure to think of how often the average person might use it. Candles, quality self-care items like lotions or skincare, and sweet treats are things nearly everyone can, and will enjoy using. Just steer clear from slapping your logo all over it. It not only cheapens the notion but also makes it less likely to actually be used. Think outside of the box as there are other ways to work your branding like by including custom cards or with chic mail packaging, The bottom lineWhile the corporate gift process can sometimes seem like a chore during an already hectic time of year, try to embrace the true intentions behind gifting—showing appreciation, cultivating, and fostering relationships and improving your overall business. Of course corporate gifting is an expense, but if you think of it as an investment in your business’s future, it can be quite exciting. Be sure to properly plan ahead. Then, seize the opportunity, do it the right way with the right intentions, and you'll naturally obtain the results that you're hoping for. RELATED: Is Your Swag a Drag? 5 Tips to Make Your Promotional Giveaways Brag-Worthy The post The Secret to Choosing Corporate Gifts Your Customers and Clients Will Cherish appeared first on AllBusiness.com The post The Secret to Choosing Corporate Gifts Your Customers and Clients Will Cherish appeared first on AllBusiness.com. Click for more information about Guest Post.  |
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