The Kickstarter Handbook

by Steinberg, Don

• ISBN13: 9781594746086
• ISBN10: 1594746087
• Edition: Original
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-09-18
• Publisher: Quirk Books

Summary

So you want to produce a short film. Or design a new line of jewelry. Or manufacture a revolutionary solar-powered garden sprinkler. There's just one catch: You need $100,000 to finance your dreams, and your checking account has barely enough to cover next month's rent. Enter Kickstarter - a phenomenal "crowdfunding" website launched in 2009 that brings venture capital to the masses. On Kickstarter, it's not uncommon for folks to raise $50,000, $100,000, $250,000, or even (the all-time record to date) $942,578! Want a piece of the action? In How to Raise $100,000 on Kickstarter, business writer Don Steinberg interviews dozens of people who have -- no kidding -- raised at least $100,000 on Kickstarter. You'll learn all the strategies of an effective Kickstarter campaign. You'll learn the perils and pitfalls that have dashed many a dream. And you'll learn what to do in the event of a best-case scenario - when your product goes viral and suddenly the cash starts flowing in. On Kickstarter, it happens to a few lucky visionaries every week. Here's how to be one of them.

Author Biography

Don Steinberg has written for the New Yorker, GQ, Harper's, the Wall Street Journal, and a host of national publications. He has also worked as a senior editor for Inc. magazine and a staff writer for the business section of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He lives in the Philadelphia area.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What Is Kickstarter	p. 7
…and do people really give you money?
Are You Ready for This?	p. 19
What you must know before you start to Kickstart
Choosing Your Magic Number	p. 31
How to pick the right financial target for your Kickstarter campaign
Pledges and Rewards	p. 51
The calculated art of choosing rewards for your backers
Who Gives?	p. 71
The backstory on backers
How Long Will This Be Going On?	p. 85
A brief chapter on duration
Lights, Camera, Action	p. 91
Making the all-important Kickstarter video
The Kickoff!	p. 105
Build your project and launch it
Build the Buzz	p. 119
How to get attention via mass media and social networks
The Finishing Kick	p. 147
It's time to cross the goal line, plus four frantic finishes
After the Loving: Tales of Fulfillment	p. 161
Delivering the goods to your generous backers
Learning from Failure	p. 179
Kickstarter misfires, redemptions, and second acts
Resources and Kickstarter Alternatives	p. 193
More ways to get it started
Appendix	p. 207
Your Kickstarter Campaign Prelaunch Worksheet
Index	p. 219
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