Top 10 Latest Kickstarter Success – What Made Them Stand Out?
Being a professional product hunter for more than two years now gives me the opportunity to come across exciting innovations every day. Kickstarter has been one of those platforms I have been glued to since I don’t know when. With 102, 134 successful projects (according to recent statistics) raising thousands of dollars every day, I don’t think I need to explain what makes this platform special. Creativity speaks a lot and if you have a keen interest in new products and innovations, you’re going to understand the value of crowdfunding faster. I’ve had friends and acquaintances raise capital for their projects from this platform and I must say that it’s really crucial to have such platforms for fundraising in today’s time.
[tweet_box] To make your #crowdfundingcampaign stand out, you need to present it well! [/tweet_box]
But is it sufficient to just rely on this platform for crowdfunding success? Don’t you need that extra edge to stand out from the crowd? Yes you do. And that’s exactly why not all projects are successful and not all projects get funded even before their end day is reached. It was just yesterday when I was going through some of the recent projects on Kickstarter and to my surprise, I came across many who had already crossed their goals with nearly a month left in fundraising!
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They must be doing something RIGHT and when I dug in, I could see a lot of difference in the way these projects were presented and marketed across the web. Let’s have a look at 10 such recent campaigns on Kickstarter and what makes them successful before time.
“A reinvented spanner with easy-cycling and interchangeable wrenches. Whenever you need, WRENCHit!”
One look at the entire project presentation and you’re going to go WOW. Because starting from the video to their project timeline, everything is well presented here. But one thing that really makes me like this project a lot is the way they begun their story – Crisp enough to draw your attention.
Bottomline: Be crisp in your introduction. Not too exaggerating. Not too short!
“Bike bells generally look and sound a bit ugly. But why? What if they looked sexy and sounded like an angel playing a glockenspiel?”
I think I don’t need to explain what made me look through the entire project here. Those two lines above were enough.
Bottomline: Make the two-liner description catchy and use a question if possible.
“Lighter, Smoother Cast Iron—an American classic meticulously redesigned with a modern twist: The Field Skillet”
You know, I am not much of a cast iron user but this project made me think of switching to one. Not just because of the skillet and its properties but because of the fact that they also highlighted why I should use cast iron.
Bottomline: Don’t just sell your product. Let people know why they should buy yours.
“A winter coat with built-in gloves, scarf, length extension, hat pouch and tech pockets. Built for two different temperature ranges.”
Most Kickstarter projects price their products at a lower rate during the campaign as compared to the retail price. But I don’t see that well highlighted under the rewards chart that often! Smart Parka won the game in that sector by highlighting their retail Vs. Kickstarter margin in a clear cut graphical representation. Bravo!
Bottomline: Let the world know that your product is available at a much lesser price during the campaign.
“A playful programming language you can touch. Montessori approved, and LOGO Turtle inspired. Learn programming away from the screen.”
When I buy a product, I obviously look for testimonials. I want to know the feedbacks of others and when I don’t get one, it often leads to a “no-checkout”. Unless it’s some niche product I really want to have my hands on. With Cubetto, things were easy right from the beginning because of the testimonials they provided.
Bottomline: If you’ve got testimonials, show them. Don’t wait for your backers to ask for some!
“Combine the freedom of pen and paper with the utility of the cloud. Microwave. Repeat.”
Whenever I come across a Kickstarter campaign, the first thing I notice is the video. I don’t want to see the next trailer of Game of Thrones out there. I want a clear visual description of the product in a simple way. I think Rocketbook is a clear example of what a proper campaign video should be like.
Bottomline: Be explanatory in your product video. Not over creative!
OSSIC X
“OSSIC X is the world’s first headphone that instantly calibrates to your anatomy for the most accurate and immersive 3D audio.”
When I am putting my money into a product, I need to know every single thing that product can do. Even if it has got to do with “turning into Yoda at night”, I am up for it. And when I stumbled upon Ossic X, I went back with a smile. Because they explained every feature from the scratch and with proper videos and images wherever necessary,
Bottomline: List all your product features in detail. It MATTERS “THE MOST”!
“Stikk is a Unique Re-Usable Double Sided Gel Pad That Will Stick Anything to Everything!”
There a tons of projects on Kickstarter which comes with multiple uses. But how do you know of them if you’re not shown properly. Stikk is a Gel Pad you can use anywhere and the makers did show where you can use with clear cut imagery. Well done!
Bottomline: Use proper images to highlight the usability of your product.
“The Sleep Shepherd Blue uses brainwave sensors and binaural beats in a biofeedback loop to improve sleep quality and tracking accuracy.”
Crowdfunding often comes up with products that are similar to others. It’s how you present them that makes a difference. Like for Sleep Shepherd Blue, they did a separate chart on what features makes them different and obviously better than their competitors.
Bottomline: If you have competition, make sure to do a comparison.
“Smarter lights, powered by the light of day.”
Finally, I have to give kudos to Ellum. Not only is their product a beauty but I love the fact that they stuck to a couple of GIFs only for their project. I hate my internet connection and the fact that the page keeps loading for projects with tons of GIFs.
Bottomline: Work on the image sizing of your project and use optimum sizing accordingly!
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That was my experience with the latest projects on Kickstarter. What about yours? Do you have more to add to the list too?
