Hi everyone!
I think I can argue that I am something of an authority on Kickstarter: I have run over 100 funded projects, and a enough that have not made it!
I may not be the biggest earner on the platform, but I know how it works and what usually happens, especially for newer creators.
Today, I want to talk about the “Slack Time”!
This is a period that makes up most of your Kickstarter campaign that most creators do not expect initially. Backers do not really come in and your number does not move very much. It usually happens between the first two or three days and the last forty-eight hours of the campaign.
I would be misrepresenting things if I said that there is no growth in this time – there usually is a slow upward trend. However, the vast majority of people will join you outside of this “Slack Time” period. Admittedly, I have had a few projects that broke this rule, but nothing I have been able to repeat reliably – if I could, I would be doing it every time!
Don’t give up during Slack Time!
The important takeaway here is that you cannot give up when you see your project grow to three times its funded goal in the first two days. It feels like it could go fifty times higher, but that is not how it works. My general rule of thumb is that your final total will be roughly double what you have after forty-eight hours.
So when things go quiet, do not cancel your project or think you are doing something wrong. This is normal for almost every Kickstarter. Keep going. Do more interviews. Reach out to more people. Keep posting and talking about your project. It is an uphill struggle, but everyone experiences it.
Right now, I have two projects in this stage: Pulse of the City (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/erascapes/pulse-of-the-city/) and Era: Crueltide (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shadesofvengeance/era-crueltide?ref=42narb). I am doing exactly what I am telling you to do. Keep pushing, keep sharing, and keep asking your backers to help spread the word.
How can you improve it?
One thing that I like to do during this time is create small stretch goals for both backer numbers and monetary values. It gives people achievable targets and a reason to share. If you are £500 away and ten people pledge £1 each, you still hit your backer goal. It keeps the campaign moving and gives your community something to celebrate.
If you are running a Kickstarter or thinking about starting one, remember that this pattern is normal. Expect a strong start, a quiet middle, and another burst at the end that may not be as big as the first one.
Good luck with your projects, and I hope they all find success. If you would like to see an example of this in action, take a look at Era: Crueltide (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shadesofvengeance/era-crueltide?ref=42narb), our latest tabletop RPG, or visit our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/SoV) for monthly roleplaying game releases.
– Ed
