Kickstarter Fulfillment Tips and Common Mistakes

After completing ICD’s Year 2 Kickstarter and beginning to dig into fulfillment, I understand why it can be so overwhelming for creators! Luckily, I had some great advice beforehand, so I went into our Kickstarter with my eyes wide open! 

Far too often, creators jump into a campaign with a focus on their goal only, and fulfillment is the last thing on their minds. Case in point, I’ve been waiting on the fulfillment of a campaign that ended on October 1st, and it was for a book that was already completed! The last update from the creator came in October! Another campaign I backed that’s been over a year since the campaign ended, the creator does send an occasional update telling us how we, the backers, don’t understand fulfillment and how hard it is. Neither of these fulfillment and communication tactics is good. 

I asked three creators with great reputations within the indie comic community to give some advice to new creators about running their first crowdfunding campaign. Below you’ll see 2 tips on fulfillment and 2 mistakes that they see too often or have done themselves!

Below you’ll find words of wisdom from:

Two Tips:

Tony Kittrell:

1. One of my biggest mistakes is not enough communication with the backers.  Sometimes you may feel like you do not have anything pertinent to tell them but that is not the case. Keep them informed about everything!  
2. Secondly, always try to offer the backers what they want.

Travis Gibb:

1. don’t go live until you have a decent amount of the project done. My goal is always to finish the book at the end of the campaign 
2. order things from sticker mule when you see deals this will give you stretch goal rewards at a discounted rate and you won’t have to order them after the fact

Lonzo Starr:

1. Take your time, be patient and be thorough.
2. Be honest with your supporters. Communicate and Update often. If you have delays, don’t be afraid to share that with your audience.

Two Mistakes:

Tony Kittrell:

Two mistakes that I have recently made are 

1. Lack of communication with backers
2. Not having the book finished before the start of the campaign.

Travis Gibb:

1. Adding pages to the book as stretch goals means more development and it’s the best idea if not planned 
2. Know how long it takes to get your stuff. If printing takes 3 weeks then factor that in too your delivery date

Lonzo Starr:

1. Understand your shipping cost. Don’t charge too high and don’t charge too little. Know your product. 
2. Don’t forget to UPDATE your supporters. Communicate, Communicate, COMMUNICATE.

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