Tuesday, January 8, 2019

How To Kickstart Your Book Now

Image result for money image

Authors need money to make money.  When authors need to pay for editing, cover design, printing, advertising, and public relations they might simply foot the bill, borrow money, get an investor, or petition a credit card.  But they can also do a crowdfunding campaign on a site like Kickstarter.  So how should writers go about launching a Kickstarter campaign?

First, I would suggest you read up about the process.  It can be a great way to get thousands of dollars to help your cause.  These campaigns can be a lot of work – and they aren’t always successful.  But when they work, they can be your savior.

Second, make sure you have a clearly defined project – how much do you need to raise, for what purpose, and in exchange for what rewards?  Set a realistic timeline and then prepare your campaign and submit it to Kickstarter for review and approval.

Third, you’ll need to brand yourself and tell a story as to who you are, what you’re trying to accomplish, and why someone should help you.  It’s a little like presenting before Shark Tank. You have a limited amount of time and  ad space to stake your claim, so think about the look and feel of the campaign you present to others.  

What should you call it?  What image best represents the project?  Do you have a descriptive blurb that best describes your project?  Do you have a short video that really grabs one’s attention?  What do you say in your bio?  Which category will you list under?

Fourth, can you have a strong unique selling proposition that can be verbalized in fewer than 15 seconds?  A sentence?  A word?

Fifth, can you collaborate with a known entity or person, to quickly add trust and legitimacy to your project?  Do you have testimonials to support your work or who you are?  Do you instill confidence that people need to have in you?

You may need some tools to help you.  For instance, to produce a decent video, consider using iMovie or Windows Movie Maker or Animoto.  You Tube Video Editor can help too.

To learn from other Kickstarter campaigns, go onto Kickstarter and observe what people are doing well.  Click through other projects in your industry and see what works for others.

Estimate how many different levels of financial backing you’ll need. For instance, if you seek to raise $6,000, will you rely on 600 people to each give 10 dollars or 1200 to hand over $5 – or will some give a hundred bucks for the right incentive?  What type of rewards might be of interest to your potential backers at each price point?  Will you give a signed copy of your book?  Will you invite high donors to meet you?  Can you give them swag, like a T-shirt, mug, or cap?

You’ll need a compelling call to action – a reason for people to respond to your request for help.  Use social media and email to reach out to those you seek to raise funds from.

One of the best ways to raise money is to ask your donors to reach out to their lists of connections to solicit more donations.  If they believe in your project enough to give you money, I would think they’d be willing to ask others to help support you as well.

You can advertise your Kickstarter campaign on Facebook, Google, or other platforms.  You can also hold an event in person to raise funds for your cause.  But be careful not to spend more than you take in!

Keep providing updates to everyone about your campaign’s progress.  Thank your supporters profusely.

Go local and use sites like Meetup, Patch, or Next Door to recruit local support from neighbors.  If you hold an event, consider listing it on Zvents, Eventbrite, or Evite.

Kickstarter could be your best chance to Kickstart your book in 2019.  Good luck!


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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.

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