We're going to be at Concoction Cleveland for Protospiel this weekend but I definitely wanted to share a small portion of what we've researched for this.
So, how does Kickstarting a tabletop game work? Well, to be honest it's a pretty complicated thing but I figured I'd give you some really surprising things about the process that helped us along the way. It's also interesting to know the process because it's interesting to see how this stuff works. This won't include the details of manufacturing because we'll cover that later in a separate blog post but let's talk about what needs to happen before you actually launch Kickstarter. Also, be sure to remember that this is just what we've had to consider so your experience may be very different. This is purely just what we've had to deal with.
1. It's obvious but you need to create and playtest your game over and over until you have something that you know front and back. This may not seem that important but the reality is that in order for you to be successful, it's important to have backers set up on day one to back your game. So you playtest the game and make sure it's wonderful. Then you make sure you get as many people to play it as possible in order to ensure that it's what they want and it's not sloppy. Do this enough and you will be able to work out all the kinks before launching on Kickstarter.
2. While you're playtesting, you also need to set up a decent amount of artwork to be completed months before you launch. You need to have a product that looks good because a huge portion of what people are going to be attracted to is the art. The big reason why is you need to have people do Kickstarter Previews prior. For instance, prior to us going to Kickstarter, we will have about 50% of the art made so people can get hyped about our project. When we send out our games for Previews, having that much art will really make it so they have something to show in their videos.
One other helpful thing we learned regarding design to include on pieces that are not completed is, "FPO" which is an industry standard that means, "For Placement Only." All reviewers need to have is enough art to show off in their videos so including "FPO" on cards that don't have the art will make it so you have a professional product to show off.
3. Kickstarter Previews/Reviews are videos done by people who's whole goal with what they do is to share games with the masses. Games from large companies, small companies, and even individual designers/publishers. Some of these people have a few hundred views on each video while others have thousands. There are some who only do it for the projects they like while others charge for each video. There's also a great group where industry people can find reviewers called the Board Game Reviewers and Media group on Facebook.
4. You need to work out the cost of your product before you launch your Kickstarter but what's most important is to figure out accurate shipping prices. The first part to consider is that 10% of your incoming funds are going to go to Kickstarter and Stripe (the credit card processor for Kickstarter). Whether you include the cost of shipping in pledge amount or if you add it afterwards, it needs to be accurate. This is where the majority of cost issues come into play. Definitely remember to account for the cost of the boxes too. Not a big deal but if your game requires a $2.00 box to ship and you only charge for the actual shipping cost, then that's money out of your pocket.
5. Plan out the cost of your stretch goals. This is another place where you can lose money fast. Always make sure what you're promising is reasonable. For instance the CMON extras that came with last year's Rising Sun Kickstarter each had separate costs that, because they're a larger company, they were able to deal with. For instance, each plastic miniature has a separate mold needed for them, which some companies can charge around $2,000 for them. If they wouldn't have planned for this individual figure in their estimates, they could be out quite a bit of money. Mind you this $510,000 goal shows they planned for this. But mess this up a few times with multiple stretch goals and your successful Kickstarter could be the catalyst for potential bankruptcy. So if you want to have awesome extras like this, make sure you it's in your financial planning.
6. Promote your project. Start a Facebook, a Twitter, a Google Plus page, or heck, even a blog. *cough, cough* What people might not think of however is to get email sign ups! This is far more key than you may think they are. Every time someone signs up for your mailing list, they are making a small commitment to you. They are expressing their interest in your product and showing that they believe in what you're doing to some degree. The more people you get to sign up, the better it's going to be for you. Just start it and don't be afraid to ask your friends for their emails.
Create your audience and enable you to keep in touch with them. After all, you're not just Kickstarting a single game, you're Kickstarting your company. If you already have a successful company or have already Kickstarted successful campaigns, you probably already know these steps but this is definitely something you could share with someone who doesn't this already.
These aren't the only things you need to do but these are a few of the things that really are helping focus our efforts. Hope they help you too! As always, more to come but enjoy!
