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pkaiken
03-31-2016, 08:03 PM
Hi,

I have a product that I need start up capital and I am new to kickstarter and mass promotion on social media. I have my kickstarter page almost ready to go live in about a week or two but I know I need to promote my product BEFORE launching the kickstarter campaign. I have read that its a waist of time if you don't have followers already WAITING to back the project BEFORE lunching the campaign. Try the new supermarket offers to save with Catalogue AU (https://www.catalogueau.com). So how would I promote my product without SPAMING or just simply copying and pasting to a bunch of Facebook groups and potentially getting banned for posting so much? What does a kickstarter promotion post look like? How would I even present it? Thanks.

Harold Mansfield
04-01-2016, 11:04 AM
Hi,

I have a product that I need start up capital and I am new to kickstarter and mass promotion on social media. I have my kickstarter page almost ready to go live in about a week or two but I know I need to promote my product BEFORE launching the kickstarter campaign. I have read that its a waist of time if you don't have followers already WAITING to back the project BEFORE lunching the campaign. So how would I promote my product without SPAMING or just simply copying and pasting to a bunch of Facebook groups and potentially getting banned for posting so much? What does a kickstarter promotion post look like? How would I even present it? Thanks.

Press releases to the right people, advertising, and doing what you can to get on podcasts, local news or any media you can to promote it.
It's going to be tough. There's a kickstarter launching every 5 seconds. So how do you make yours stand out? First it has to actually be a good product that people care about. A lot of kickstarters go unseen and unfunded, and a lot of kickstarter projects are just people looking for money to start their business, but don't have anything that excites people.

Harold Mansfield
04-01-2016, 01:42 PM
Sorry, got pulled away. Here's what I do. Mind you, there is no sure fire way that works every time for everyone.

1. Create very nice social media profiles using images or concepts of your product. Know which SM site is best to reach your specific target market.
2. Start following influencers. People who write and post about whatever industry or product your thing falls into. You should have already started doing this months ago.
4. Start building an email list of these people. Have a well done website or at least a splash page that collects email addresses for updates/newsletter. (Whether you have 5 or 500 people on your newsletter list, send regular, well done email updates about your kickstarter.)
5. Engage with those people on social media as a person interested in and in the industry, about like things. Retweet their stuff. Comment.
6. Post engaging or interesting things of your own. Maybe some blog posts about the industry, other products, or teasers about your own.
7. Create a press package with a press release, images, video and as much professionally done materials about your kickstarter project as you can produce.

-Once you have your marketing materials ready, send out your press packs to the people you've started engaging with.
-Purchase the mid to high account from PR Web to help distribute your press pack.
-Link to it on your profiles so that people can download it.
-Keep blogging updates about the product.

At some point you're going to need physical promotion. Try to get on podcasts, video casts, local news shows, anything that will have you so that you can talk about your kickstarter...that means you have to prepare a quick media presentation so that you can speak about your thing professionally, and be ready for questions. Kickstarter means you're begging for money. Be humble, but professional.

That should at least get you started.

Youltorbed
04-01-2016, 01:53 PM
I'd suggest hiring a copywriter to write a compelling description for your campaign. I'm no expert but I know this much. I also agree with the advice you have already got.

pkaiken
04-01-2016, 09:45 PM
I'd suggest hiring a copywriter to write a compelling description for your campaign. I'm no expert but I know this much. I also agree with the advice you have already got.

I never thought to do that. That is great advice. Im sure I could write a good description myself but do you think its worth paying someone to make it "perfect"?

pkaiken
04-01-2016, 09:53 PM
1. Create very nice social media profiles using images or concepts of your product. Know which SM site is best to reach your specific target market.
2. Start following influencers. People who write and post about whatever industry or product your thing falls into. You should have already started doing this months ago.
4. Start building an email list of these people. Have a well done website or at least a splash page that collects email addresses for updates/newsletter. (Whether you have 5 or 500 people on your newsletter list, send regular, well done email updates about your kickstarter.)
5. Engage with those people on social media as a person interested in and in the industry, about like things. Retweet their stuff. Comment.
6. Post engaging or interesting things of your own. Maybe some blog posts about the industry, other products, or teasers about your own.
7. Create a press package with a press release, images, video and as much professionally done materials about your kickstarter project as you can produce.


Wow, that sounds like a LOT of stuff to do. I am so late to this however. I plan to launch my kickstarter project in about 3 to 4 weeks. I haven't done any social media promotion yet for my product. The prototype is being made and should get to me in about a week. This will allow me to take photos of the actual product. Right now I have just the 3D rendering of it. I have formed the LLC, have the business plan, trademark, provisional patent, and domain name registered. (I am serious about my product. Im not one of those who just post a sketch of their idea and hope someone gives me money to do all these things I just did).

Im trying to build content to post on Facebook but I feel overwhelmed by what steps you mentioned above. That sounds like I would need to hook up with moguls in my industry and that takes years to do. I agree with most of the steps but I seems like I might as well not even try to start a kickstarter campaign until I advertise my product. It sounds like I need a following of "fans" of me before I can get "fans" of my product. I'm a nobody. It would take me years to build up a fan base like others who have 1000's of likes on their pages. There has to be an easier way.

A question of mine is still not answered. How do I promote a kickstarter campaign without having a live campaign? Do I tell people I am going to put it on kickstarter? Do I just make a really long running campaign and promote my product really hard during that time?

pkaiken
04-01-2016, 10:05 PM
Press releases to the right people, advertising, and doing what you can to get on podcasts, local news or any media you can to promote it.
It's going to be tough. There's a kickstarter launching every 5 seconds. So how do you make yours stand out? First it has to actually be a good product that people care about. A lot of kickstarters go unseen and unfunded, and a lot of kickstarter projects are just people looking for money to start their business, but don't have anything that excites people.

That is so true from what I have researched. Many go unseen and unfunded. I have seen very unprofessional and incomplete ideas on kickstarter and wondered why they even started it using what they have.

I have already formed my LLC, trademarked the logo, registered the domain name, set up an online store (still being finalized), business plan, business email and address (using a post office box as a "suite" address of my business), and the product is finalized and prototype is being sent to me soon. I am at the final stages of my business going live. I just need start up capital (and customers) so I can start selling my product.

I am new to all of what you said (press releases, podcasts, local news, social media, and kickstarter). I think I figured out how to make my kickstarter page very professional looking (I am a graphic designer), but I don't want to waist time if I don't have anyone knowing my campaign is on kickstarter. So my question is: is this how all kickstarter projects that make a lot of money get so many backers? Is it not because of the product alone but both a "prior following" AND a great product?

Harold Mansfield
04-02-2016, 01:17 PM
Wow, that sounds like a LOT of stuff to do. I am so late to this however. I plan to launch my kickstarter project in about 3 to 4 weeks. I haven't done any social media promotion yet for my product. The prototype is being made and should get to me in about a week. This will allow me to take photos of the actual product. Right now I have just the 3D rendering of it. I have formed the LLC, have the business plan, trademark, provisional patent, and domain name registered. (I am serious about my product. Im not one of those who just post a sketch of their idea and hope someone gives me money to do all these things I just did).
So then why do you want to do a kickstarter? The very nature of kickstarter is begging for money to help fund an idea. That's verbatim what it is.


Im trying to build content to post on Facebook but I feel overwhelmed by what steps you mentioned above. That sounds like I would need to hook up with moguls in my industry and that takes years to do. I agree with most of the steps but I seems like I might as well not even try to start a kickstarter campaign until I advertise my product. It sounds like I need a following of "fans" of me before I can get "fans" of my product. I'm a nobody. It would take me years to build up a fan base like others who have 1000's of likes on their pages. There has to be an easier way.
If it was easy everyone with a computer and a lame brained 'Fred Flintstone' idea would be wealthy.

So you're just figuring out that starting a business is hard work. Yes, that's a statement, not a question. You don't need 1000's of "likes", you just need to treat the people you have like gold. Grow it. If you're not spending money it's a slow crawl. It doesn't take a million people, it just takes a few of the right people to keep singing your praises and telling their people about you. Impress everyone. It's like the old shampoo commercial...they tell two friends and so on, and so on, and so on. And keep building your contacts. Forever.

Don't let it overwhelm you so much that you never do anything. Get started. One step at a time, and keep going. It may work, it may not. But not doing anything is sure fire failure. There is no success without risk.


A question of mine is still not answered. How do I promote a kickstarter campaign without having a live campaign? Do I tell people I am going to put it on kickstarter? Do I just make a really long running campaign and promote my product really hard during that time?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm sure you've seen other kickstarter campaigns and I'm sure you see the kind of ideas that get funded and the tap dancing and begging that people do to get others to give them money that may or may not ever amount to anything. So if this is how you've chosen to try and raise funds, then you need to get right with the fact that you are your own marketing department, and that you are asking strangers to send you hard earned money out of their pockets that isn't even tax exempt, knowing they may never see you again...but believe in you anyway.

So yeah it's great that you believe in your idea. That's the easy part. Now you need to get others to believe in it. That's what Kickstarter is.
(cue the "Rocky" theme song).

Fulcrum
04-02-2016, 02:12 PM
So yeah it's great that you believe in your idea. That's the easy part. Now you need to get others to believe in it. That's what Kickstarter is.
(cue the "Rocky" theme song).

Let me help with that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4

Harold Mansfield
04-02-2016, 04:17 PM
I am new to all of what you said (press releases, podcasts, local news, social media, and kickstarter). I think I figured out how to make my kickstarter page very professional looking (I am a graphic designer), but I don't want to waist time if I don't have anyone knowing my campaign is on kickstarter. So my question is: is this how all kickstarter projects that make a lot of money get so many backers? Is it not because of the product alone but both a "prior following" AND a great product?

Of course it's the product, but it's also the marketing. I've backed a few ideas on kickstarter and most times, besides it just being something I liked and wanted, they had a good presentation that they took great care to create, and it allowed me to visualize the final product. Yes, many of them spent money to create them, some didn't, but they all knew the importance of their presentation. Not just posting some day dream up and asking people to "gimme money".

The second part of that is that I would never know about most kickstarter ideas if they weren't mentioned on podcasts, blogged about, or I heard about it somewhere that I regularly frequent. So you will have to get it out there. You can't just post it up on kickstarter and hope someone sees it and decides to do your marketing for you because they love it so much.

How will you know if you're wasting your time? You don't. You cannot know until you try. That's what's both scary and exhilarating about starting your own thing. But you can't just dip a toe in the water to see if anything nibbles. Hope and luck are not realistic marketing strategies. You have to commit and give it your best or else you will definitely fail and you'll end up constantly second guessing yourself...wondering what would have happened if you actually gave it 100%...learned all that you could...and gave it your best.

If you truly believe in it, go for it. What's the worse that can happen? You fail? Or it could actually work.

pkaiken
04-12-2016, 02:44 PM
Okay, i like all of you guys's comments. They are really good. I have set up my kickstarter campaign. View it here. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/571370336/405585022?token=f0d98d92

Its not live yet because I am STILL waiting for my prototype so I can take pictures of the actual product. Since, as you already know, I am a graphic designer, I can design my own stuff for this campaign. (Can you believe theres companies who charge $10,000 to make a video and graphics for a kickstatered page?).

Okay, I need your advice. I basically mimicked the most common layout I see on countless kickstartre pages. I haven't shown anyone yet because, all the people I know don't even know what kickstarter is, and posting the link on Facebook requires everyone to log in. Again, most people don't have a kickstarter account. So can you view my page and see if there is something you see needs improvement or revision or anything for that matter. I need more than just my eyes to view this before it goes live in a couple of weeks. I plan to make a video when I get the prototype so don't say it needs a video. I know that. ;)

Fulcrum
04-12-2016, 04:30 PM
Can you believe theres companies who charge $10,000 to make a video and graphics for a kickstatered page?

Absolutely. If I had a kickstarter running that I knew would help form a 7-figure+ company, I'd spend that.

Harold Mansfield
04-12-2016, 05:10 PM
Can you believe theres companies who charge $10,000 to make a video and graphics for a kickstatered page?.



Of course. I've seen some very well done kickstarter pages that I can believe spent at least that. It's more than just plopping some pretty pictures on the page. You can tell the difference between the people who went to pros and the DIY. Not that it always makes a difference, but no one has ever said "The presentation is too good".

pkaiken
04-12-2016, 05:51 PM
but no one has ever said "The presentation is too good".


I disagree. I've seen some kickstarter videos that looked like they hired Steven Spielberg to make their product video. It was TOO epic and cinematic. It distracted from the product and was totally unnecessary. Its like getting special effects and professional actors to make a toilet paper commercial. It was too much. Their video could have been much simpler and more effective. I was in awe of the quality of the video, NOT the product.

Harold Mansfield
04-12-2016, 06:17 PM
I disagree. I've seen some kickstarter videos that looked like they hired Steven Spielberg to make their product video. It was TOO epic and cinematic. It distracted from the product and was totally unnecessary. Its like getting special effects and professional actors to make a toilet paper commercial. It was too much. Their video could have been much simpler and more effective. I was in awe of the quality of the video, NOT the product.

How much money did they raise?

If not enough was it because of the video, or because the product just wasn't that good?
Surely you aren't trying to make the point that there's a such thing as too professional? Maybe that one video that you saw wasn't the best fit, but overall you should do the absolute best that you can with your presentation. Not just enough to get by, because that never gets by.

It's already a virtually impossible feat to have a successful kick starter campaign. Most don't get funded, and even fewer get any attention. No sense in making it harder by talking yourself into believing all it takes is a good idea, and the presentation is secondary.

But ultimately it's your call. All we can do is give the advice that you asked for. You're the one who has to execute.

pkaiken
04-12-2016, 07:04 PM
How much money did they raise? If not enough was it because of the video, or because the product just wasn't that good? No sense in making it harder by talking yourself into believing all it takes is a good idea, and the presentation is secondary.

My plan was not to debate essentially "quality of substance" when it comes to kickstarter pages. But i must clarify my previously stated point.

My point was that spending $10,000 on a professional video and graphically pleasing page design does NOT guarantee funding, nor does a more simplified video and page say you will get less funding. Many high quality pages got barely the funding they were asking. Others who had good product and very DIY looking page got way over their asking price. My example again, would a special effects filled commercial convince you to buy toilet paper? No, its not a product that interests you where a quality presentation will grab your attention of the product. The quality of video has no barring (at least for me) on me in convincing me to back a project. Its all about the product and how well it solves a problem.

Which brings me back to my point, it DOES take a good idea, and the presentation IS secondary.

Harold Mansfield
04-12-2016, 07:48 PM
My plan was not to debate essentially "quality of substance" when it comes to kickstarter pages. But i must clarify my previously stated point.

My point was that spending $10,000 on a professional video and graphically pleasing page design does NOT guarantee funding, nor does a more simplified video and page say you will get less funding. Many high quality pages got barely the funding they were asking. Others who had good product and very DIY looking page got way over their asking price. My example again, would a special effects filled commercial convince you to buy toilet paper? No, its not a product that interests you where a quality presentation will grab your attention of the product. The quality of video has no barring (at least for me) on me in convincing me to back a project. Its all about the product and how well it solves a problem.

Which brings me back to my point, it DOES take a good idea, and the presentation IS secondary.

OK, then give that a shot and let us know how it works out. Good luck.

Fulcrum
04-12-2016, 07:54 PM
Others who had good product and very DIY looking page got way over their asking price. My example again, would a special effects filled commercial convince you to buy toilet paper?

It tells me that the listing had the right amount professionalism (just my opinion and not splitting hairs). Then again, special effects might make me buy toilet paper if I could see the benefits it gives while TPing a neighbour's place.

pkaiken
04-12-2016, 08:24 PM
It tells me that the listing had the right amount professionalism (just my opinion and not splitting hairs). Then again, special effects might make me buy toilet paper if I could see the benefits it gives while TPing a neighbour's place.

My point was that toilet paper has only one function (regardless of any unique "benefits") and is only used for an undesirable situation. No amount of special effects will make the product more interesting. The toilet paper analogy was being used to relate to a weak idea being presented with a top notch expensive presentation. Presentation is secondary to the actual product being introduced. There are many examples of this on kickstarter, even kickstarter staff themselves say they have liked many campaigns that have a very DIY feel to them simply because they liked the product.

But this gets off the main subject I was trying to focus on, which was getting advice from others who can give me sound advice about my kickstarter page.

Harold Mansfield
04-12-2016, 08:41 PM
But this gets off the main subject I was trying to focus on, which was getting advice from others who can give me sound advice about my kickstarter page.

That is EXACTLY what we're doing. From all sides. As people who've had kickstarter campaigns, the marketing side, and people who actually back kickstarter projects with our hard earned money and have since the platform launched.

Like I said, give it a shot. You can hypothesize until the cows come home. Doesn't mean a hill of beans until you put it to the test and see if it floats.

Fulcrum
04-12-2016, 09:12 PM
So, in order to get back on topic, let me ask these questions:

1) What product or service, exactly, are you trying to raise money for?
2) What will you be spending the money on?
3) How much money are you looking to raise?
4) What are you offering to the contributors in order to remain legal?
5) How do your contributors know you won't take the money and run?

Keep things simple and don't oversell what you are trying to accomplish.

I did understand your toilet paper example. I just tried to keep the mood light by trying to get people to picture rolls of toilet paper being fired out of potato guns and unraveling over trees and houses (c'mon, you got to admit that could make for a fun video).

pkaiken
04-13-2016, 01:11 PM
I did understand your toilet paper example. I just tried to keep the mood light by trying to get people to picture rolls of toilet paper being fired out of potato guns and unraveling over trees and houses (c'mon, you got to admit that could make for a fun video).

Thanks for keeping the mood light. Indeed it would make an interesting video. Still wouldn't get me to buy a certain brand though.

pkaiken
04-13-2016, 01:12 PM
So, in order to get back on topic, let me ask these questions:

1) What product or service, exactly, are you trying to raise money for?
2) What will you be spending the money on?
3) How much money are you looking to raise?
4) What are you offering to the contributors in order to remain legal?
5) How do your contributors know you won't take the money and run?


All of those questions are answered here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...token=f0d98d92

Speaking of questions 5. Do people on kickstarter "run with the money"? Since you have backed several projects, have you encountered a situation like that, or have you gotten a product that was not as good as advertised?

Harold Mansfield
04-13-2016, 03:20 PM
All of those questions are answered here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...token=f0d98d92
But you should be able to answer them freely whenever anyone asks. You can't just direct people to a link. You have to be your own salesman to make me want to visit the link and basically give you my money in exchange for a promise.


Speaking of questions 5. Do people on kickstarter "run with the money"? Since you have backed several projects, have you encountered a situation like that, or have you gotten a product that was not as good as advertised?
Yes, happens all of the time. Kickstarter is a risk, and competition is steep. I can give my money to anyone. Why you?

Also, I think you need some perspective. Your $500 package is for 5 sets of repair kits. Basically valuing them at $100 each. Not sure if this has some proprietary features that makes it different from the other magnetic mats and repair kits offered by other companies, but in comparison the Oculus Rift, the most most talked about Kickstarter and product of the year is $599, and you get an Oculus Rift set up.

Your kickstarter isn't presented like you are trying to fund development of a project, it presents like you're trying to make money by selling a product that already exists for more than you were selling it before when we looked at your website a few weeks ago and you were asking about licensing it
http://www.small-business-forum.net/starting-your-business/16703-partner-company-product-ground.html#post118073

Fulcrum
04-13-2016, 05:08 PM
As Harold said, you need to enjoy sounding like a broken record sometimes. I say this because your link doesn't work (all I get is a 404 error) and aside from Harold answering #1 I still don't know what your answers are to questions 2-5 (you don't need to answer them here as I just want you to understand my position).

pkaiken
04-14-2016, 01:27 PM
But you should be able to answer them freely whenever anyone asks. You can't just direct people to a link. You have to be your own salesman to make me want to visit the link and basically give you my money in exchange for a promise.


I may not be an expert but I can do a sales pitch when necessary. I am on this forum to talk to people who are only interested in giving advice so I did not approach the questions as if you were a potential backer. But realizing that potential backers would be thinking these questions, these will help me refine my sales pitch and later on my kickstarter video. Thanks.

pkaiken
04-14-2016, 01:41 PM
Also, I think you need some perspective. Your $500 package is for 5 sets of repair kits. Basically valuing them at $100 each. Not sure if this has some proprietary features that makes it different from the other magnetic mats and repair kits offered by other companies, but in comparison the Oculus Rift, the most most talked about Kickstarter and product of the year is $599, and you get an Oculus Rift set up.

Your kickstarter isn't presented like you are trying to fund development of a project, it presents like you're trying to make money by selling a product that already exists for more than you were selling it before when we looked at your website a few weeks ago and you were asking about licensing it
http://www.small-business-forum.net/starting-your-business/16703-partner-company-product-ground.html#post118073

First, the $500 level is for 5 repair kits, 5 sets of repair guides (I am currently finishing more guides and I will have a total of 15 different repair guides. If you have read the page, each guide at retail will cost $10 each. So if I am including around 15 guides plus the magnetic tray set (which goes for $25 retail) I am giving away a $175 bundle for $100.) PLUS it comes with future guides I will make for the rest of the year. I plan to make around 10 more guides. Backers who choose the $500 get 10 future guides for EACH set, which means 50 additional guides to each backer of this level later in 2016 ($100 value). (thank you for pointing this out, because I may need to make this reward level a little more clear)

Second, Occulus rift is one computerized headset for $599. I am selling a school worth of repair guide sets that will make a repair school or store $1000's of dollars by aiding new repair technicians. My repair set is worth way more than a gaming headset that depreciates in value over the years and gets replaced by something else. My repair guides will be used for many years to come by whoever buys them.

Third, I have changed the price a few times and I have actually lowered the price of the highest reward. But since I don't have a video explaining why I need the funding, I see why you don't understand the purpose of my campaign. I need start up capital by selling the small amount of product I had produced and getting essentially preorders, for the rest so I can afford to pay for marketing, stocking inventory and paying off the small debt I am in in getting the LLC, patent, and prototype made. This is not unusual, I have seen many Kickstarter campaigns do this, so I am not sure what your point was about when saying I am selling a product that already exists for more. The second paragraph above should clarify the price issue you initially had.

Besides, isn't kickstarter for SELLING things?

Finally, plans change and I am not sure if I even need Gadget Mechanix to be a part of this screwPad. I am sure they would want to be a distributor of ScrewPad but otherwise they will have no part in the product itself.

AND I ended up doing a sales pitch anyways by explaining my page.

I don't know why the preview link from Kickstarter shows an error.

Thanks for the comment, I will try to address these clearly in my kickstarter video.

Harold Mansfield
04-14-2016, 01:42 PM
I may not be an expert but I can do a sales pitch when necessary. I am on this forum to talk to people who are only interested in giving advice so I did not approach the questions as if you were a potential backer.

When you are online you never know who is listening, reading, following along, or who may be a potential backer. Always present yourself as if the world is watching, because it is...or at the very least can find it in search.

Harold Mansfield
04-14-2016, 02:35 PM
So what about the other issue?
I'm not trying to be combative with you, but your kickstarter doesn't seem to be what kickstarter is meant for.

This is a product that you've already developed and is for sale. So what are you raising money for? It looks like you're just selling an existing product and that's not how kickstarter can be used.

pkaiken
04-14-2016, 07:16 PM
So what about the other issue?
I'm not trying to be combative with you, but your kickstarter doesn't seem to be what kickstarter is meant for.

This is a product that you've already developed and is for sale. So what are you raising money for? It looks like you're just selling an existing product and that's not how kickstarter can be used.

No you are not being combative, I appreciate your communication. This is what I am looking for on this forum. If you have confusion about something in my page, then most likely someone else will be confused too.

I WISH this product was already for sale. I have a web site set up but I have NO inventory. Again, I am in debt and have reached the end of money I can borrow. I have NO MONEY. All I have is a prototype (that is still being finalized) and the repair guides themselves in digital form. I have NO product what so ever. I cannot afford to buy $1000's of inventory. So I am essentially pre-selling it on kickstarter. I am making a profit from all of the rewards in order to have start up capital to invest in inventory. (This includes printing the repair guides which will be about 10,000, with the 10 repair guides I have finished being split into 1000 prints per guide, and maybe 1000 magnetic trays. That about $10,000 right there). Plus marketing, plus paying a shipping and inventory stocking service so I can ship these things around the world, plus pay off my debt I spent of my own money to get the product to this point. Thats roughly $20,000 I need in order to "go live" with this product. Only kickstarter will give me that kind of money. I can't get a loan from a bank for that kind of money.

I didn't realize my web site looks like my product is for sale. I have changed it to say it won't be available until June 2016. I will make sure to mention in my kickstarter video. You are really helping me round out my campaign with your questions. Thanks

Harold Mansfield
04-14-2016, 07:53 PM
No you are not being combative, I appreciate your communication. This is what I am looking for on this forum. If you have confusion about something in my page, then most likely someone else will be confused too.

I WISH this product was already for sale. I have a web site set up but I have NO inventory. Again, I am in debt and have reached the end of money I can borrow. I have NO MONEY. All I have is a prototype (that is still being finalized) and the repair guides themselves in digital form. I have NO product what so ever. I cannot afford to buy $1000's of inventory. So I am essentially pre-selling it on kickstarter. I am making a profit from all of the rewards in order to have start up capital to invest in inventory. (This includes printing the repair guides which will be about 10,000, with the 10 repair guides I have finished being split into 1000 prints per guide, and maybe 1000 magnetic trays. That about $10,000 right there). Plus marketing, plus paying a shipping and inventory stocking service so I can ship these things around the world, plus pay off my debt I spent of my own money to get the product to this point. Thats roughly $20,000 I need in order to "go live" with this product. Only kickstarter will give me that kind of money. I can't get a loan from a bank for that kind of money.

I didn't realize my web site looks like my product is for sale. I have changed it to say it won't be available until June 2016. I will make sure to mention in my kickstarter video. You are really helping me round out my campaign with your questions. Thanks

Makes sense. Yes, you definitely want to make it clear to people what they are investing in/for. Mentioning that you've exhausted your own funds trying to get to production may also go a long way. That's the kind of thing that people want to hear.