Kickstarter Guides

Kickstarter has emerged as a powerhouse for creators, enabling them to fund and bring unique projects to life. In the realm of card games, the platform has supported countless creators, turning their dreams into tangible, beautifully designed decks.

Among these success stories, WJPC—a renowned custom card manufacturer—has played a role in elevating campaigns with their high-quality production and comprehensive support. This article examines why Kickstarter card game projects succeed, how WJPC’s specialized offerings amplify their appeal, and how their services ensure seamless project execution.

How WJPC Helps Kickstarter Card Games Shine?

The Formula for Kickstarter Success

Success on Kickstarter doesn’t come by chance. For card game creators, several factors contribute to their triumph:

1. Intriguing Design and Theme

Backers are drawn to card games that tell a story or feature captivating artwork. A unique and memorable theme helps campaigns stand out in a crowded marketplace. Projects like “The Unicorn’s Journey Tarot” and “Odd Fellows ‘The Dude’ Playing Cards” combine imaginative designs with storytelling elements to capture attention and spark interest. Such creativity fosters an emotional connection, turning casual visitors into enthusiastic backers.

2. Unwavering Quality

Quality matters when it comes to physical products like cards. Backers want assurance that the final product will meet their expectations. Collaborating with an experienced manufacturer like WJPC is a game-changer for creators. Our reputation for precision, premium materials, and advanced printing techniques reassures backers that our investment will yield a high-quality product.

3. Engaging Community Outreach

Successful campaigns build and nurture a sense of community. Whether through updates, live Q&A sessions, or social media, creators who interact with backers foster loyalty and excitement. This engagement not only boosts initial funding but also paves the way for future projects.

4. Realistic Goals and Transparent Plans

Setting attainable funding targets and offering clear production and delivery timelines can make or break a campaign. Transparency inspires trust, while achievable goals ensure creators can deliver without overpromising.

WJPC’s Role in Elevating Campaigns

WJPC’s cutting-edge printing technology and robust accessory offerings have a transformative impact on Kickstarter projects. Our expertise ensures that every creator’s vision is brought to life with stunning clarity and precision.

1. State-of-the-Art Printing Techniques

WJPC employs advanced printing methods such as foil stamping, UV coating, embossing, and holographic effects. These processes add a luxurious feel to cards, making them more attractive to collectors and casual players alike. For example, a campaign utilizing foil accents or a spot-UV finish can instantly elevate the perceived value of the deck, enticing backers.

2. Comprehensive Card Accessories

A complete product offering goes beyond the deck itself. WJPC provides custom-designed tuck boxes, inserts, booklets, and even promotional items like coin tokens or playmats. These additions turn a simple card deck into a premium, all-encompassing package. Creators can design exclusive reward tiers that include these accessories, encouraging higher pledges and enhancing backer satisfaction.

3. Customization for Uniqueness

Creators often have specific visions that demand intricate designs or unique cardstock materials. WJPC’s ability to accommodate such requests ensures that projects are one-of-a-kind. Whether it’s crafting limited-edition runs with specialized finishes or producing prototypes for promotional campaigns, WJPC empowers creators to make their products truly distinct.

WJPC’s End-to-End Support Services

Beyond manufacturing, WJPC provides critical services that streamline the Kickstarter journey, helping creators navigate each stage of their campaign with confidence.

1. Transparent Quotation Services

Budgeting is one of the most challenging aspects for creators launching a campaign. WJPC offers detailed and transparent quotes, breaking down costs for design, production, and accessories. This clarity enables creators to set realistic funding goals while avoiding unexpected expenses.

2. Proofing for Perfection

Mistakes in card design or layout can derail a project. WJPC’s proofing service ensures that all issues are identified and resolved before production begins. By providing high-resolution digital proofs or physical samples, WJPC helps creators visualize the final product, eliminating surprises and guaranteeing quality.

3. Promotion and Exposure

While WJPC does not handle direct marketing, we offer indirect promotional support. We can offer you 3% off the total price of your EXW order (only factory price) if you can set up your KS page as follows. Also, your project will be promoted and marketed on our official website, etc.

The Broader Impact of WJPC’s Collaboration

WJPC’s contributions extend beyond individual campaigns. By empowering creators with our expertise, we contribute to the growth of the custom card game industry on Kickstarter. Our involvement ensures that more creators can achieve our visions, delivering products that meet backer expectations and foster trust in crowdfunding platforms.

Kickstarter Card Games Conclusion

Kickstarter campaigns for card games are as much about storytelling and creativity as they are about execution. Success depends on a delicate balance of engaging designs, robust community interaction, and high-quality production. WJPC plays an essential role in this equation, offering creators the tools and services they need to deliver exceptional results.

From intricate printing processes and comprehensive accessory options to reliable logistics and insightful promotion guides, WJPC enables creators to bring their ideas to life with confidence. Projects like “Odd Fellows ‘The Dude’ Playing Cards” highlight the transformative impact of this collaboration, setting a benchmark for quality and professionalism in the industry.

For creators seeking to make their mark on Kickstarter, partnering with WJPC is more than a manufacturing choice—it’s a step toward turning dreams into reality. Chat with us!

Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have revolutionized the way creators bring their projects to life, but with increasing competition, standing out requires innovative strategies. A strong pre-launch campaign can significantly improve conversion rates and set the stage for a successful funding campaign.

As an experienced Kickstarter cooperative printer, we’ll explore practical tips to boost conversions during your Kickstarter pre-launch, drawing from tested techniques and expert insights.

8 Kickstarter Pre-Launch Tips

1. Utilize Pre-Launch Offers to Build Engagement

Offering pre-launch promotions, such as discounted expansions, accessories, or unique promos, can be a game-changer. The concept is simple: provide potential backers with an incentive to invest a small amount before the campaign launches. For example, offering a mini-expansion for $1 (valued higher during the campaign) builds early momentum while creating a sense of financial commitment among supporters.

This strategy leverages the principle of financial investment. When backers spend even a small amount, they feel more inclined to follow through with a full pledge during the campaign.

Key Benefits:

– Increased Conversion Rates: LaunchBoom’s data suggests that pre-launch buyers convert at rates of 35-45%, compared to just 5-10% for newsletter subscribers.

– Market Readiness Feedback: A strong pre-sale can indicate whether your audience is sufficiently engaged or if you need further refinements before launching.

– Enhanced Early Momentum: Early adopters who participate in pre-sales often help drive the initial funding surge, creating a positive perception of the campaign.

2. Be Transparent About the Product

Transparency is critical to building trust with your audience. Use your preview page or website to share detailed information about the project’s content, pricing, and campaign goals. According to industry experts, campaigns with transparent pre-launch pages tend to achieve higher conversion rates because potential backers can make informed decisions.

Tips for Transparency:

– Provide clear descriptions and visuals of pre-launch offers.

– Explain the value of the offer in the context of the full campaign.

– Highlight any exclusive benefits or pricing advantages for early supporters.

3. Address Potential Risks and Challenges

While pre-launch strategies are highly effective, they’re not without potential pitfalls. Here are common challenges and suggested solutions:

– Psychological Manipulation: Some creators worry that pre-sales might feel like trickery, as backers may feel obligated to pledge fully after a small investment. To mitigate this, ensure your campaign provides ample information and communicates that the decision to pledge is entirely optional.

– Duplicate Purchases: Pre-sale buyers might accidentally purchase the same content during the campaign. Prevent this by:

  – Sending personalized reminders and updates to pre-sale customers.

  – Positioning pre-sale content as add-ons rather than core campaign items.

– Contingency for Unsuccessful Campaigns: Pre-sale customers could end up with items they can’t use if the main campaign doesn’t fund. Consider offering standalone items, like universal gaming accessories, that retain value independently. Alternatively, prepare a refund policy.

– Data Management: Coordinating pre-sale and campaign backer data can be logistically challenging. Use integrated systems or dedicated tools to streamline this process and reduce manual errors.

4. Incorporate Pre-Launch Gifts for Added Value

Pre-launch gifts, such as free promos for those who sign up for notifications and back the campaign, can be an effective alternative to pre-sales. These gifts encourage early engagement and help build a dedicated audience.

Statistics to Consider:

– Campaigns with pre-launch gifts report a 24% conversion rate.

– Interestingly, campaigns without gifts tend to have a higher conversion rate (32%) but fewer pre-launch followers. This trade-off highlights the importance of aligning your strategy with your campaign goals.

5. Showcase Your Product at Events and Conventions

If feasible, display prototypes or samples at conventions and events before the campaign launches. This not only helps spread awareness but also provides an opportunity to directly engage with your target audience. A physical presence can make the $1 pre-sale strategy more effective by offering potential backers a tangible connection to the project.

6. Align Exclusive Content with Your Philosophy

Deciding whether to make pre-launch offers exclusive requires careful consideration. While exclusivity can drive urgency and appeal, it might alienate potential backers who join later. Balancing inclusivity with exclusivity depends on your brand philosophy and long-term goals.

Options to Consider:

– Offer exclusive content during pre-launch but make it available at a higher price during the campaign.

– Alternatively, provide exclusive early access rather than exclusive items.

7. Create a Data-Driven Launch Strategy

Using pre-launch metrics to inform your campaign decisions is an invaluable strategy. For instance:

– A high number of pre-sales can indicate readiness to launch and provide confidence in your audience’s interest.

– Conversely, low pre-sale numbers might suggest the need for additional marketing, audience-building, or product adjustments before launching.

8. Invest in Pre-Launch Advertising

Targeted advertising during the pre-launch phase can expand your reach and increase conversions. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to engage with specific demographics likely to support your campaign. Focus on:

– Highlighting the benefits of early participation.

– Driving traffic to your pre-launch page.

– Retargeting ads for users who expressed initial interest.

Kickstarter Pre-Launch Conclusion

A successful Kickstarter campaign begins long before launch day. By implementing innovative pre-launch strategies, such as offering promotions or pre-sale content, maintaining transparency, addressing potential challenges, and leveraging data-driven insights, creators can significantly improve conversion rates. These techniques not only help build early momentum but also foster trust and engagement with potential backers—setting the stage for a campaign that exceeds expectations.

The primary objective of a pre-launch page, often referred to as a landing page, is to capture individuals’ email addresses.

Consider it in this manner: in the past, salespeople used to visit homes and knock on doors to sell their products. In the contemporary era, email has become your new virtual address, and your inbox serves as the modern equivalent of a knock on the door.

Landing pages play a pivotal role in the process of acquiring email addresses. This is where you construct a clear, well-designed landing page design that offers people the opportunity to voluntarily subscribe.

Obtaining individuals’ email addresses is not a simple task, which is why when someone registers on your landing page, there is a higher likelihood that they will be inclined to support your campaign.

What Is A Landing Page?

A landing page is a specialized type of website designed with the deliberate intention of converting site visitors into potential leads. Its primary function is to capture email addresses.

In the realm of crowdfunding, landing pages play a crucial role in the meticulous preparation required for a successful First Day launch of Kickstarter.

As you may already be aware, achieving Day One success is paramount in the crowdfunding world, as it sets the tone and momentum for the entire campaign.

The landing page acts as the bridge between the initial advertising efforts that pique people’s interest and the subsequent email marketing initiatives that cultivate the audience in preparation for our pre-order phase.

The Process To Build Landing Page

Creating an exceptional landing page involves a specific step-by-step process:

• Planning: Initiate the process well in advance, preferably months before the launch date. Conduct thorough research and establish the product’s positioning.
• Construction: Develop a compelling landing page that effectively communicates the product’s details and enables the collection of email addresses from interested individuals.
• Launch: Introduce the landing page to the global audience.
• Promotion: Drive traffic to the landing page through diverse promotional methods across various channels. Continuously test and evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies, repeating what yields positive results.

How To Create A Landing Page?

1. Perform Landing Page Marketing Research

Through diligent research, you’ll uncover valuable insights about your competitors and the current market landscape for your product. This research will provide you with essential information, including common imagery associated with products in your category.

For instance, if every competitor in the magic products’ industry prominently features magic hats in their product images, it would be wise to include them in your product offerings.

By studying various websites and examples, you’ll gain insights that can guide your decisions regarding color schemes and web page aesthetics—a critical aspect of your strategy.

For example, in the tarot industry, you’ll observe that many tarot websites use colors like purple blue and black, which often symbolize magic and astrology. Colors like red, which may evoke associations with blood and disaster, are rarely used in web or logo design within this field.

When conducting market research, it’s important to consider the conventions and essential elements specific to your product category.

2. Comprehend Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is undeniably one of the critical prerequisites on this checklist before hastily creating a landing page.

The insights gleaned from your diligent market research should have already furnished you with a preliminary understanding of the type of individuals who might be inclined toward your product.

However, it’s imperative to delve deeper into this understanding, extracting details regarding their likes, dislikes, preferences, and even their tone and voice. The ultimate goal is to uncover the very essence of their identity and fashion a detailed persona.

This meticulously crafted persona serves as the linchpin for your web-related decisions. Armed with this profound insight, you can make pivotal choices that resonate with and engage your target audience effectively, ensuring the success of your landing page and overall marketing strategy.

3. Position Your Product

Product positioning determines the perception the world will have of your product. Varying approaches to product positioning can imprint different images of the product in consumers’ minds, making it memorable in unique ways.

However, it’s worth noting that on Kickstarter, there is a scarcity of categories that precisely match card projects.

Consequently, many experienced creators often categorize their projects under broader labels like “Playing Cards” or “Tabletop Games” when seeking classification.

4. Capture Images And Record Videos Of The Product

Pictures and videos play a crucial role in showcasing the product effectively. While using low-quality images taken with your iPhone is an option, it doesn’t truly represent the product’s full potential.

Consider making an investment in professional studio photography and videography to present the product in its finest form. Lifestyle shots that demonstrate its practicality and versatility should also be included.

This approach allows potential customers to visualize how they can incorporate the product into their daily lives and fully understand its utility.

5. Establish The Hero Section

As the first thing people see when they visit your website, the hero section is the area that appears immediately on the screen below your logo and menu.

Research shows that 80% of visitors to a landing page never scroll beyond the hero section. This underscores the importance of placing the most crucial information in the hero section of your landing page.

The hero section should be straightforward and attention-grabbing, conveying precisely what visitors can expect. You have approximately 3 seconds, or perhaps even less, to captivate their interest, making clarity essential.

This section should incorporate a clear product image, the brand name, product name, positioning statement, an email capture segment, a concise reason for visitors to share their email, and a compelling call-to-action.

Typically, marketers utilize special discount offers as an incentive for users to provide their email addresses, such as “sign up now for a chance to receive a discount when we launch.”

This approach benefits both the campaigner, who gains more early pre-orders, and the backers, who receive an exclusive product offer.

By crafting an effective hero section, you’ve already achieved half of your goal. Below is an excellent example of a hero section that is clear and includes all the necessary components, without unnecessary embellishments.

6. Highlight The Features And Benefits

Another crucial aspect of a landing page entails highlighting the actual features and core benefits of your product. Through ongoing conversations during the product development phase, you should ideally have insights into which features matter most to your target audience.

For instance, if you’re promoting a trading card game, consider questions like:

What is the game’s theme? What innovative elements does it introduce? What materials are used for the cards? Are they waterproof? Are there any unique collectible cards? Is the product environmentally sustainable?

Ensure that these key features are prominently presented on your landing page, providing a concise snapshot for visitors to quickly grasp.

7. Key Website Metrics to Prioritize

Like any other endeavor, measuring metrics is crucial for assessing the performance of a landing page. Various metrics to consider include:

• Engagement: Bounce Rate and Duration
• Audience: Demographics, Interests, and Device Usage
• Content: Most Visited Pages, Landing/Exit Pages, and specific sections within a page
• Traffic Source: Organic and Paid Traffic
• Conversion: E-commerce Conversion Rate, Order Value, Attribution, Funnel Progression

There are many more metrics to explore, but the primary focus for most landing pages is the conversion rate. This metric indicates how many visitors to the landing page actually submit their email addresses.

Conversion Rate (CR%) = Number of Email Submissions / Total Number of Landing Page Visitors

In general, the higher the conversion rate, the better. For a crowdfunding campaign targeting a very specific audience, aiming for a 30% conversion rate is a reasonable goal.

If your conversion rate falls below this benchmark, consider further optimization through A/B testing various elements on your landing page to enhance its effectiveness.

If you find yourself with surplus funds, it’s worth contemplating the high-budget approach that many campaigns employ to initiate audience development. Paid advertising stands as an effective method to generate enthusiastic leads for your endeavor, particularly if you lack an existing follower base.

Among the platforms available, Facebook, Instagram, and Google reign supreme when it comes to assisting entrepreneurs in cultivating email leads and constructing remarketing lists.

Here, we’ll outline four frequently employed high-budget strategies for Kickstarter promotion.

Budget Your Ad Spend

Before you officially kick off your campaign, it’s strongly advised to meticulously plan your advertising budget.

Setting your objective at reaching “100% of the total amount” is not necessary; all you need to target is achieving 30% of your total funding goal on the campaign’s first day. This recommendation draws from Kickstarter’s extensive experience with numerous successful projects.

Moreover, hitting the 30% mark on day one comes with several advantages:

Attaining 30% on the initial day serves as a signal to the crowdfunding platform team that your campaign deserves their attention. This could potentially lead to additional promotional support from the platform, such as being featured in newsletters or earning coveted Project We Love badges.

Campaigns that secure 30% funding immediately are more likely to entice new backers. This phenomenon taps into the collective psychology, as individuals are inclined to be part of something fresh and promising that seems destined for success. They want to be among the first to support it.

Meeting this goal can also help alleviate reporters’ reservations about covering your campaign. Every time a journalist publishes an article, their reputation is at stake.

Having immediate access to at least 30% of your funding target and a substantial supporter base instills confidence in reporters, making them more likely to cover your campaign without doubts about its ability to reach its funding goal. This, in turn, simplifies your personal PR efforts significantly.

After establishing your advertising objectives, you can employ the following formula to determine the number of leads your ads should generate on the first day of your campaign launch:

Number of leads needed at launch = (30% of your total funding goal) / Price point of the primary bonus tier * Email list conversion rate (which may vary from 0.05% to 5%, depending on your email list quality).

Subsequently, you can begin budgeting for the necessary advertising expenditure to attain these leads. Initially, aim for an average CPL (cost per lead) of around $2 for your advertisements. Going below this figure might lead you into unproductive territory with non-converting email lists, while exceeding this cost indicates that your audience targeting might not be precise enough and may not justify the expense of expanding your audience further.

Hence, the budget required to acquire sufficient leads through advertising can be calculated as follows:

Budget to generate leads through advertising = Number of leads required at launch (calculated above) * $2

4 High-Budget Kickstarter Promotion

1. Create Your Audience On Facebook

For novice entrepreneurs, Facebook and Instagram should be your top choices, boasting cost-effective options, intricate targeting capabilities, and an extensive outreach potential.

To create an ad on Facebook, begin by visiting the Ads Manager. However, before crafting your ads, it’s crucial to ensure you have a relevant audience to target. The key to effective lead generation here lies in addressing customer psychographics rather than demographics.

As you construct your audience within the platform, focus on factors such as interests, occupations, favorite TV shows, popular music bands, and shopping behavior, rather than solely relying on age or gender. Facebook provides a wealth of options for targeting—virtually anything that users can “like” or become “fans” of on the platform is fair game.

When honing in on your Facebook audience, aim for an ideal audience size of approximately 2 million people. A larger audience might generate more clicks but could yield fewer conversions, while a smaller one may lead to higher per-click expenses.

Furthermore, you can tailor your audience to specific regions, countries, or even international locations. If you’re planning a global product launch, consider including the top five countries with a strong interest in crowdfunding, which, as of 2022, are the USA, U.K., Canada, Australia, and Germany. And the five countries most interested in buying cards are (as of 2022): USA, U.K., Canada, Australia, and Singapore.

Ultimately, the most effective audience will resemble those who have already opted into your email list. Facebook’s algorithms can identify characteristics shared by past interested individuals and predict future prospects. Once you’ve amassed at least 100 email addresses, start creating “lookalike audiences.” Upload your email list to the Facebook platform, and their algorithms will take care of the rest, helping you reach a highly targeted audience.

2. Place Ads On Forums And Related Websites

If you still have some budget allocated for promotion, consider experimenting with advertising on card forums or other websites dedicated to card enthusiasts. You can often find opportunities for business collaboration by visiting the contact pages of these forums.

Visitors to these platforms are already pre-qualified as passionate card players. They engage in discussions about cards and seek recommendations for new ones. By enhancing your presence in these spaces, you may discover individuals who are inclined to support your project.

If you intend to pursue this strategy, here’s a valuable tip: commence your advertising efforts once your campaign has achieved full funding. This timing enhances the impact of your ad campaigns as it enables you to boast about your campaign’s achievements, such as “100% funded on Kickstarter” or “funded on Kickstarter in just 10 minutes.”

Furthermore, when people click through to your project and see that it’s already fully funded, they are more likely to have confidence in the project and its ability to deliver the cards they’re interested in.

3. Rewards And Giveaways

Running a viral giveaway presents an excellent opportunity to rapidly expand your contact list. The key to a successful Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign lies in offering rewards that genuinely resonate with your target audience.

In the realm of cards, consider enticing incentives such as unique packaging, exclusive collection cards, game-themed stickers, eye-catching posters, badges, and related accessories.

These offerings not only attract potential backers but also serve as tangible expressions of appreciation for their support. Crafting rewards that align with your audience’s desires can significantly boost engagement and bolster the success of your crowdfunding endeavor.

4. Establish A Recommendation System

Referral programs stand out as one of the most potent marketing strategies, with data indicating their peak effectiveness when implemented either one month into the campaign or when 60% of the total funding goal is attained.

Crafting recommended campaigns allows for ample customization, and the more inventive your approach, the greater the impact on your audience.

Your referral structure can be as simple as a single level or include multiple tiers based on the number of referrals your backers secure. For instance, consider tiered rewards like offering a unique add-on product or service for 2 successful referrals, free regular shipping for 4 referrals, or fast shipping for 8 referrals, and so forth.

Before diving in, it’s crucial to meticulously review the specific rules of the crowdfunding platform you’re using, as these regulations are subject to change. A well-thought-out referral program is essential to prevent any campaign disruptions or potential bans due to non-compliance with platform guidelines.

In conclusion, regardless of the size of your Kickstarter budget, it’s advisable to blend both low-budget and high-budget strategies when promoting your project and nurturing a grassroots community from the ground up.

The initial misconception surrounding crowdfunding is the belief that upon launching a crowdfunding campaign, a flood of participants will immediately flock to your cause, resulting in hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars pouring in. However, this notion is purely a fallacy.

In reality, crowdfunding platforms serve as amplifiers; they thrive on the foundation you lay and the community you cultivate. It’s unreasonable to anticipate that a crowdfunding platform will deliver an instant audience. Instead, it’s imperative to lay the groundwork for your crowdfunding initiative independently.

This might necessitate a substantial budget. Nonetheless, we recognize that not everyone possesses substantial initial funds. That’s precisely why we’re presenting five cost-effective strategies for your Kickstarter promotion. We’ll guide you on leveraging your time and effort to maximize free publicity.

Before starting, we strongly advise the creation of a dedicated landing page for your project, a topic elaborated on in the “Landing Pages” section. Once your landing page is established, you can formally transition to the promotional phase, where you’ll undertake two critical tasks:

Assemble a committed crowd list of individuals prepared to support your project upon launch.

Filter your information, keep what is useful, and delete what is useless.

5 Low-Budget Kickstarter Promotion

1. People Around You

Creating a comprehensive list of individuals you’ve encountered or have some connection to is an excellent initial step in this process. It will enable you to establish an audience for effective communication. These contacts can be categorized into three layers:

Level 1: These are people you have a strong familiarity with and have engaged with in the past two years. When you reach out to them, they will readily recognize you.

Level 2: This layer comprises acquaintances, individuals you’ve met at some point in your life but do not maintain regular contact with. This category may include business colleagues, individuals you know through mutual friends, or those you’ve encountered only occasionally.

Level 3: These are individuals you have not met in person yet but have connected with through networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, etc.

The reason for segmenting your contacts into these categories is that your communication approach will vary depending on your relationship with them.

Once you have compiled all your contacts and their information into a comprehensive list, you can begin the process of eliminating those you do not wish to involve in your project. The remaining contacts can then be manually organized into the various layers, allowing you to tailor your communication approach accordingly for your project outreach.

2. On Ground Marketing

Broaden your outreach by dedicating time to grassroots engagement. This may involve distributing flyers to pedestrians, engaging in face-to-face discussions while seeking advice from residents, organizing gatherings at potential customers’ residences, participating in industry-specific events and competitions, and more. Invest the effort to seek out, converse with, and cultivate relationships with individuals. This approach is essential for showcasing your ideas, projects, and brand.

Interacting with these individuals is most effectively achieved through one-on-one channels such as phone calls, direct emails, in-person discussions, or even Facebook Messenger chats.

This method holds immense value as it enables you to gather customer feedback and insights even before launching your crowdfunding campaign. It empowers you to address any uncertainties and even discover answers to questions you hadn’t previously considered.

3. Other Similar Projects

Kickstarter boasts a plethora of card projects. When you delve into the top 15 most generously funded Kickstarter projects (judged by both dollars raised and the number of backers), you’ll notice a common thread: most of these card creators actively support fellow projects.

In the grand scheme of things, lending your support to other creators’ endeavors grants you direct access to their Kickstarter inboxes. It opens the door to forging direct relationships with these creators, affording you the opportunity to seek guidance on card-related matters and offer your insights if they seek them.

Above all, this approach increases the likelihood of establishing a connection when you launch your own card deck, potentially leading to greater exposure for your project. If you’ve engaged with them and your online presence indicates an impending card launch, they may start following your journey and ultimately contribute to the success of your campaign.

4. Communities and Forums

1) Forum

If you’re familiar with poker, you’ve likely come across platforms like Playing Card Forum and United Cardists. If you’re into Tarot, Tarot Forum, Tarot, Tea, & Me Forum, and Cult of Tarot Forum may ring a bell. And for card game enthusiasts, the likes of Board Game Geek and others are well-known destinations.

Card players and collectors frequently turn to these forums to seek information about new card releases, read card reviews, gather strategic insights, brainstorm design concepts, and delve into accessory creation, among other discussions. Consider the potential benefits of gaining visibility within these communities.

Moreover, securing (positive) reviews for your cards on these forums serves as a means to establish credibility. You can encourage your friends, family, colleagues, gaming comrades, influencers, or anyone else to contribute their thoughts and comments. These reviews can be prominently displayed on your Kickstarter page, complete with forum badges, ratings, and select reviews quoted as citations.

2) Reddit

Reddit presents a valuable avenue to explore. Consider the potential audience reach on this platform alone: the /r/poker/ subreddit boasts over 250,000 members, the /r/tarot/ subreddit has a community of 320,000+, and the /r/boardgame subreddit reaches a staggering 4 million+ members!

Ponder the attention your project could attract in these spaces, and remember that these are just a handful of the numerous card-related subreddits available for engagement.

While Reddit’s user base is extensive, advertising is a challenging endeavor. The platform generally disapproves of overt advertising, and blatant self-promotion risks being swiftly removed, downvoted, or even leading to an outright ban.

To harness Reddit’s potential, your first step should be to accumulate “Karma” points by actively participating and contributing to the platform. By sharing relevant and engaging content, you can earn these “Karma” points.

This approach allows you to seamlessly introduce campaign-related information when the time comes, integrating it into the ongoing conversation rather than being perceived as someone solely interested in self-promotion.

5. Medias & Tests

1) Influencer

Numerous professional video channels on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok provide valuable insights into card usage and qualities. These channels boast substantial followings, with devoted viewers eagerly seeking recommendations from these influencers when it comes to new cards.

Similarly, these influencers consistently seek top-notch content to produce their videos, so most are happy to accept project pitches. You can explore options like reaching out to them, providing complimentary samples and project introductions, or even offering a promotional fee or commission to collaborate with them.

Should you manage to enlist influencers to test your cards and create review videos, remember to extract compelling quotes from these videos to feature on your crowdfunding page. Incorporate the videos into your updates and distribute them widely to enhance your project’s exposure!

2) Bloggers, Editors, & Reporters

Bloggers and journalists are inundated with promotional emails daily, but the majority of these emails end up in the trash folder. To increase your chances of getting featured, it’s crucial to provide them with all the necessary information upfront in a concise and engaging format, eliminating the need for back-and-forth communication that can create friction.

In essence, the less effort the blogger has to put into researching your project, the better. By offering well-prepared publicity materials and organized information, you make it more convenient for them to decide to cover your project. Keep your outreach concise, appealing, and personalized. Instead of sending generic emails, take the time to craft each message specifically for the person or blog you intend to contact.

Your email should encompass the following elements:

Links to folders containing professional assets (such as images, text, videos, etc.).

Project name and launch date, along with a link to the preview page or landing page.

The aforementioned methods represent five recommended cost-effective promotional strategies for Kickstarter. Nonetheless, if your project is substantial, and you have a sufficient budget, you may want to explore “High Budget Strategies for KS Promotion” for more efficient and robust promotional tactics.

Any card creator or designer with an innovative idea can create a Kickstarter tarot, Kickstarter card games, or Kickstarter playing cards campaign, to articulate their idea and project and encourage potential backers to pledge funds.

Once your project is approved by Kickstarter, you are on the threshold of success. However, that’s just the beginning. 

After launching your Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, you need to do a lot of work to stay in communication with your backers and reach out to new ones, only then you can raise more amount.

These tasks take a considerable amount of time and effort. But with the right tips and operational ideas, it won’t be so difficult. 

The next part of this article will tell you 10 tips to help you reach a successful Kickstarter project and raise more money. Let’s take Kickstarter tarot as an example.

Tip 1 Know if your project complies with the rules

Kickstarter only allows certain types of campaigns. So the first thing you need to do is make sure your tarot project is within the scope of Kickstarter’s support. 

For example, you are not able to run a charity or general business campaign on the platform. Kickstarter only allows your project to have measurable goals, clear start and end dates.

Then, another thing you need to know is how long or complex your project is. If it is very long and complex, consider dividing it into phases and funding each of these phases separately.

Each phase should have its own funding goals and delivery targets. If you set specific and measurable project goals, Kickstarter will likely approve your project.

Also, your potential backers will have the confidence and motivation to support your campaign because they can easily understand what they are funding. 

These are Kickstarter prohibited items and should definitely be circumvented below:

Tip 2 Set the timeline of your project

Establishing a timeline for your project is a must, as this will determine several things:

• How long your campaign should run;
• How long it will take to deliver the finished product;
• The delivery date for backer rewards.

Projects like Kickstarter tarot, kickstarter card games, kickstarter oracle decks, etc. tend to get better growth at the beginning and end, but lag in the middle. 

So if you run a long-term series of ads, this is the only way to keep a steady slow growth in the medium term.

While you can run your ads for anywhere from one to any day, the most successful projects on Kickstarter last 30 days or less. 

Thus you need to strike a balance between the duration of your ad series and the attention span of your backers.

After the event, make sure you give yourself enough time to complete your project, so you don’t disappoint your backers by rushing or being late with their rewards. 

The following is a timeline reference:

For the timeline of project preparation before going live, please refer to: A Check List To Ensure You Go Live Without Fail

Tip 3 Define your Kickstarter tarot project goals

Kickstarter uses an “all-or-nothing” funding model. This means that you will only receive the money if the project meets its financial goal within a specified period; otherwise, you will not receive any money.

Therefore, you should avoid setting funding targets too high. Set the goal to the minimum amount needed to be able to produce the product. This will help you attract more backers and achieve your goals faster.

When setting capital goals, be sure to consider production and manufacturing costs, employee wages, company overheads (such as rent), and packaging and shipping costs. 

WJPC can provide you with an accurate manufacturing cost quote, please contact us.

You can use tools like Kicktraq to see other successful Kickstarter tops with products similar to yours and see the number of backers they have received and the total amount raised. 

Also, analogy to your peers can help you better go about determining your goals and setting your amounts.

Tip 4 “Speak clearly” about your product!

The way you line up content on your Kickstarter story page is critical – it’s your one chance!

Show your backers coming in to your program to convince them to place a support order. If you don’t get their attention at this time, you’ll lose mostly.

Your page needs to provide a clear project name and description of your Kickstarter tarot cards, so that any potential backers who visit the page can understand it at a glance.

Then, let your backers know your idea for the product, how and why your product will benefit them, and how you intend to use the money they pledge to print your tarot cards a reality.

Tell the story behind what you are doing and create a sense of urgency by telling your backers why they need to support your project now. For example:

1. Avoid using too much technical jargon in the description;
2. Use clearand concise language that appeals to everyone;
3. Use headings and bullets to break down complex paragraphs into easily digestible chunks, directing the visitor’s eye to the most critical points;
4. Don’t forget to use a variety of media such as photos, videos, design drawings and infographics to convey your unusual or complex ideas.

Here are two of the most successful card projects with WJPC, they both exceeded their target amount, even several times more. 

You can click on the images to jump to the corresponding KS pages and carefully refer to their page layouts and presentation tips below.

Tip 5 Create a super cool project video

It takes time and money to create a good project video, but it is essential to include one on the campaign page. A Kickstarter project with a video is 50% more likely to succeed, while a project without a video has only a 30% success rate.

Besides, the video thumbnail is the first thing visitors see when they visit your page. Therefore, make sure it is sufficiently attractive and stimulates the their curiosity.

In your video, be sure to introduce yourself, tell the story behind the project, and then stand up and ask people to support you. It needs to talk about how great your product is and explain why it’s important to you to meet your project goals.

Tip 6 Make good use of your rewards

Rewards are incentives designed to encourage backers to support your project. Your rewards should be relevant to your project, vary depending on the amount offered by backers, and with more exclusive bonuses.

What’s more, make sure the reward is not unavailable to your backers. $25 is the most popular reward, while the average reward is about $70.

Tip 7 Get ready to preheat

Before your project goes live, you should do a warm-up. Call on your friends, family and even some of your previous customers to be your first backers. This will ensure that your project gets off to a successful start.

You can also use Facebook or Instagram ads to collect customers interested in your Kickstarter tarot deck, so they can track your project in advance and support your project at the first moment it goes live!

Tip 8 Make good use of social media

Social media is a great way to promote your Kickstarter tarot project and ensure its success. Your Facebook fans, email subscribers, etc. are your potential and powerful supporters.

Create a dedicated social media page where you can share updates on your progress and keep the project visible. 

Don’t forget to contact your previous backers and ask them to help spread the word about the project by sharing it in their networks.

Tip 9 Keep your project up to date

Continue to share updates on your Kickstarter page and on the web as soon as you reach a major milestone. 

Also, updates such as 25% funding, 50% funding or 75% funding will give potential backers the confidence to be part of the success.

If you reach a significant fundraising dollar goal, it’s a good idea to update with videos, progress photos and necessary team activities, and to express your appreciation to your backers. 

This will keep them enthusiastic about the project and feel the same sense of accomplishment.

Tip 10 Don’t stop updates even after reaching the goal

If your Kickstarter tarot program reaches its funding goal before the end, don’t sit back and relax. Now is a good time to keep promoting and growing your dollar amount so you can exceed your goal!

Thus, even after the campaign is over, keep your backers informed about the progress and the possible dates you can start shipping any outstanding rewards.

Do not leave your backers in the dark if there are any changes to the program or any potential delays in production. 

If you remain transparent and share these updates with them, they will appreciate it and will most likely continue to support your future projects.

These are the 10 effective Kickstarter success tips. For more operational knowledge and tips on KS, please stay tuned to WJPC Kickstarter Courses!

Welcome to WJPC‘s Kickstarter courses, and here is the first lesson. As you know, it takes thorough preparation to launch a successful Kickstarter playing cards and another project. Inadequate preparation may lead to slow progress or even failure in fundraising for a project. 

In order to be able to complete the project and raise more money, you need to stay informed about the progress of your project and also what needs to be done at each stage.

To help better control the progress of your project, a Kickstarter checklist has been prepared here for you.

Timeline of Kickstarter Checklist

√ Six Weeks Before Project Launch

6 weeks before your Kickstarter project launches, you need to set up all your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. You can try to place ads on these platforms and make an ad budget sheet to plan out how much you need to spend per day for marketing.

Also, You can plan some free sweepstakes, such as giving away gifts to a few users who retweet and comment, to increase the conversion rate and retweet rate of customers on your ads.

Some popular communities and forums are also very popular with promotion like kickstarter oracle decks or kickstarter card game. You can search for “keyword” + forum to find discussion platforms with active users.

At the same time, you should start to organize and collect the materials you need for the launch of the project, such as pictures, videos, design manuscripts, etc. of the cards.

√ Five Weeks Before Project Initiation

1) Google tracking

Google is currently the world’s largest search engine, so it is vital to do a good job of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for Google. Among them, we recommend you to use Google Analytics, which is a free web analytics service from Google that provides rich and detailed graphical reports, to better track traffic for your website. 

Here are the simple steps for its operation:

• Register Google Analytics with your Gmail account.
• Click “Add Website Profile”, add your website information in it.
• Click “Add ANew Domain”, fill in the URL box with your website address, and select the time zone according to your website language.
• Confirm the website information again and copy the tracking code. Besides, select the new tracking code if you have a new website.
• Copy the code to all the pages that need to use Google Analytics, and it must be placed before the tag,and generally be installed in the website’s header template. Then wait for the verification to pass, Google Analytics will work properly.

2) Shoot the project

At this point you should start shooting pictures and videos of your project. During the filming, please take care to shoot all components such as cards, boxes, brochures, etc. in HD and focus on your design highlights.

Some relevant elements can be placed in the background of the shoot, for example, kickstarter playing cards can be surrounded by dice, chips and other small accessories, while candles, crystals, etc. can be placed around the kickstarter tarot cards (be careful not to overwhelm).

3) Design thelanding page

A good landing page design is as important as the design of your project. Take time to make relevant graphic design for your social media and personal blog and website. Typically, good-looking landing pages use the following three main design ideas:

• Diagonal layout

The diagonal layout is significantly more visually appealing than the left-right layout or the top-down layout.

• Wavy layout

The use of wavy lines can often enliven the picture. You can use wavy lines in large area to make your landing page dynamic and convey the visual sense for your kickstarter card game and so on.

• Less block-separation layout

This method is the most commonly used in web design! Simply put, landing pages often have a lot of content, so the viewer has to flip through several screens to finish reading. 

If you can design the landing page as a whole block, without the feeling of partitioning, the experience will be very comfortable and great!

√ Four Weeks Before Project Start

With a month to go until your KS project is released, you should have your various accounts and website content set up by this point. Then, prepare the text, images and videos for the KS launch posts and start doing some daily content sharing and posting on social media. 

If you plan to do advertising and marketing, you can start pitching ads at this point as well.

√ Three Weeks Before Project Creation

Start thinking with and determine the ladder and price of Rewards in your Kickstarter. To enhance the appeal of Rewards, you should make them exclusive versions, which means backers won’t find it anywhere else but on Kickstarter. 

Then, in the project description page, put your rewards list as well, and accompany each item with a vivid picture.

Next, you can collect some lists of media and netizens and start sending emails to reach out, seeing if they would like to promote your project together.

√ Two Weeks Before Project Set-up

At this point you are running out of time, and can start editing the page of your KS project. For a better viewing experience, it is recommended that you “visualize” as much of the “Story” section as possible. 

For example, bold the key text, make the list or table into an image, insert a GIF, etc. Also, don’t forget to keep updating your social media and contacting netizens.

√ One Weeks Before Project Activation

Your project launch is imminent! After a month of promotion, you should have received a few emails from potential backers. Edit a moving and call-to-action email, send it to them, and make the previously promised raffle happen.

Then, take the project you’ve already written and submit it to Kickstarter for review. Next, follow up with all the media and online celebrities you have previously contacted again.

√ Day Of Kickstarter Playing Cards Launch

Finally, the day has come! At this point, your project has been vetted and is live, and you can send emails to potential backers and tell them that the project is live. Link from your social media accounts directly to your Kickstarter project.

Then, continue to drive traffic through Facebook/Instagram and other ads to help your project raise more money; keep the pace of updates so that your backers are always aware of the project’s progress.

When the project reaches 50%, you can launch a Referral program to help bring in traffic and increase the amount of funding. At the end of the day, send thank you notes to all your backers and relevant media.

If you want more tips on how to operate KS, please stay tuned to our Kickstarter Courses series of articles. Let’s make playing cards for Kickstarter with WJPC!

Ongoing Kickstarter Playing Cards with WJPC

A new deck of custom playing cards inspired by meowing friends, from Maneo Playing Cards in France. 

July 26th cut-off!

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