Hey all,
We've just launched a Kickstarter campaign with our client and friend, Anthony Wheeler, a well known illustrator and a celebrated art streamer. The first KS project we've been a part of, we're really pleased to say that it was fully funded in 3 hours and 19 minutes. We've known Anthony for nearly a year now, and already worked with him on the launch and ongoing drive of the Chaotic Draw Along, so it came naturally that he trusted us with helping him design and launch his second Art Book in the Unusual Subject series, for which we are extremely proud and grateful.
The Art Book
The project started with us taking on designing the art book itself. All the core illustrations for the book were created by Anthony; what we did is tie it all together - meaning that we focused on the book arrangement and presentation, cleaned up and digitized his imagery and prepared the book for printing. It's been an extremely interesting project because every page is basically an art piece in itself, with every segment needing to fit into a bigger overarching narrative of the book. Here we asked ourselves: "What are the main topics/subjects/characters/stories for this book?", so then we could start understanding for ourselves what the story being told is. From there, we could begin to break down our arrangements - putting illustrations, patterns and color pallets together, then tagging them properly to help us visualize the flow of the book, the most cohesive arrangements, and most importantly meeting the mind's eye image that Anthony wanted to achieve in the first place.
The Kickstarter Campaign
This was our first Kickstarter campaign so we had to do a lot of research, reading the rules and overall dig down into learning how to create a successful KS campaign. Here’s what we learned:
Research and Planning
Before you dive into creating your campaign, spend time researching successful projects similar to yours. Understand what worked for them and how they engaged their audience. Also, plan every aspect of your campaign: from the funding goal and timeline to the rewards you’ll offer backers.
Clear, Compelling Story
Kickstarter is all about storytelling. Make sure you craft a clear, compelling narrative that explains the "why" behind your project. This includes explaining your inspiration, your goals, and how backers will be a part of bringing your project to life.
High-Quality Visuals
A campaign with high-quality images and an engaging video significantly boosts your chances of success. Showcase your project in a visually appealing way to help potential backers understand what they are supporting. This is your first impression, so make it count.
Engage Your Community Early
Building anticipation is crucial. Engage your existing community well before the campaign launch. Share teasers, updates, and behind-the-scenes content to build excitement. This will create momentum on launch day when early backers can help propel your campaign forward.
Set Realistic Goals and Reward Tiers
Be mindful when setting your funding goals and reward tiers. Make sure they are attainable and that your reward options are both enticing and feasible to fulfil. Offering rewards that genuinely resonate with your audience can help build loyalty and encourage more pledges.
