WEBSITE & MORE
WEBSITE
1 ) Create a featured banner with an image, graphic, and a short amount of text with the name of the campaign and the call to action. It should be above the fold and if you have a rotator/slider, make it the first one.
2 ) Make sure to feature the links to any campaign pages or relevant blog posts right in the main page.
2 ) Create a new navigation or menu item for the campaign – it could be, for example, a “Get Involved” section.
LANDING PAGES
Consider creating one or several landing pages that you can use to capture and convert the traffic coming from some particular sources (e.g. certain blog posts, partners’ sites etc.) or paid traffic. Customized landing pages could help you significantly increase the conversions.
USING PERSONAL NETWORK
CONNECTIONS & SUBSCRIBERS
Using your existing contacts and subscribers could really help to boost the campaign. Look through all of your connections and create special lists for people who could help you promote the campaign.
20/80 RULE
Look through your contacts to find 5-10 key influential connections who have a large subscribers base. These contacts usually require closer management, fitted messaging and longer explanations, but the result they produce promoting your campaign pays off all the efforts.
USING BLOGGERS & INFLUENCERS
INFLUENCERS – STAKEHOLDERS
The best influencers to get in touch with are those who relate to your project. Why? Their audience is likely to be more relevant as well. How? Identify the key influencers using content research tools and reach out to each of them using a well-customized message.
BLOGGERS
Many bloggers love when you send them great content, ideas or campaigns, but they love it if it is a) relevant and b) customized to what they write about. Approach each of them individually and you’ll be surprised how much it can help you drive results. Here is a good piece about the blogs that can help you promote your kickstarter campaign.
USE EMAIL
COLLECT EMAILS
Use your website and social media accounts to capture emails of those interested in what you are planning to launch. Consider creating several marketing collaterals to better convert visitors into “leads” and make sure you capture their email.
EMAIL CAMPAIGN
Set up an email campaign using services like Mailchimp to reach out to your audience. Depending on your “persona” and product specifics, you might need one or several email blasts. The main thing is to get and keep people excited – then they will come and help your campaign rock. Have you ever seen the line to the Apple Store on the first day of a new iPhone sales? That’s your goal, so keep it in mind and make it happen.
Consider researching the best times to send emails to your audience – generally the best open rates are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10.30am or 1.30pm, but these times could differ for your target audience. Keep emails short and be concrete about what value you’ll bring to your customers.
USE SPECIALIZED SERVICES
BACKERCAMP
Backercamp partners with Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns to provide them with a wide range of crowdfunding services – including social media promotion, press release distribution, extensive media outreach, online marketing, backer communications, expert feedback and advice, and more.
BOOST SMM WITH BUFFER
Buffer offers a brilliant, free-of-charge solution for handling social media publishing. Basically, you just need to sign in and schedule the content you want to post and Buffer automatically publishes your updates through the day, allowing you to keep a consistent social presence to ensure you stay top-of-mind. Another good idea for SMM is to create a tagline and/or hashtag for consistent use across several platforms.
DO PR
CATCH THE WAVE
Sometimes you get lucky and some great influencers come to discover your campaign, share it with the public and even start the discussion. The funniest thing is – you might not be aware of it until it’s too late to catch the wave. Use tools like Mention to receive alerts every time your name, brand or competitors are mentioned on the web. Catch the wave!
REACH OUT TO JOURNALISTS
Just like bloggers, journalists love high quality relevant information coming their way. Make sure to do your due diligence on whom to email, know what they write about and link your messaging to their agenda. So, be relevant, write in short and concise manner, stress that this is a next big thing and briefly mention affiliation or partnership with influential investors or companies.
GET JOURNALISTS REACH OUT TO YOU
You’re right – many of the journalists you email might not reply. There is a way around – research them a little more using Twitter or other social media and form a list of bloggers they read. Push your pitch to those bloggers and you get your second chance.
SOME MORE
Instagram is still a very efficient marketing channel and it works for almost everything. There is a simple strategy to use if you don’t have too much time for it:
1 ) Start early – 6-9 months before the campaign launch is ideal
2 ) Post 9 first pictures adding 5-10 relevant hashtags (one picture a day)
3)After you you have 9 pictures, research hashtags and topics, like and subscribe to the accounts that would most probably follow you back. Do this with 30-40 accounts a day and you will soon see how you subscribers base grows rapidly.
4 ) Keep the pictures high quality and make sure they are exciting (sometimes it is fine if they are not relevant). Feel free to share your startup’s everyday life events, but make it fun. Also don’t post too many pictures a day – allow each to collect a good amount of likes.
