My kickstarter successfully funded in 15 days! Now what?

May 1, 2013 8:47 AM

The kickstarter I launched for the documentary I've been shooting over the last 18 months got funded in 15 days. We've got 20 days left to go on the campaign. It's a big project but kickstarter is only part of our fundraising plan so the goal was rather modest. I would certainly like to secure more pledges. What techniques can I use to make the most of this time? The project got funded quickly because of the efforts of the tight-knit community in which I live and the subject matter I'd like to think. How can I bring in more funds having already met the goal? Metafilter is curating the project. Almost all of our marketing has been through Facebook. Any ideas? Google searches lead to plenty of blog articles on launching but not much information specific to this situation. We're funding post-production and film festival entries.
posted by manwoo to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

I have an acquaintance who was in a similar situation. Her project (a clothing line) ended up being funded at 165% last year. Once she started nearing her original goal amount, she started updating her page with "Stretch Goals". These were things outside of the original scope of her business plan but that would further her business. She updated her page with the cost of these items, and how they would help her. You can see it here: Cabiria. So I would start thinking about things that could further help the promotion of your film. Promo items? Paid advertising? Professional services?
posted by kimdog at 9:01 AM on May 1, 2013 [2 favorites]

Yes, add stretch goals. This could be things like signed copies of the film poster, a set of 10 DVDs for people to give to their friends. You could even have something like "Fly to such and such film festival for the screening" at a price of $5,000. Think big!
posted by alms at 9:06 AM on May 1, 2013 [4 favorites]

Also: is there anything you would like to add to the documentary if you had additional funds? Could you make it longer? Could you go back and shoot a "12-months later" postscript? Could you get original music composed for it? Given that you've gotten enthusiastic funding for what you've been planning on doing, now is your chance to get funding to do even more. (You just want to make sure that you present these as nice-to-haves, but not essentials. It needs to be okay if you don't meet all your stretch goals.)
posted by alms at 9:48 AM on May 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

I helped fund this project, and it seemed like the continual addition of stretch goals and add-on options kept the funding rolling in even after the initial goal was (quickly) met. Consider something similar.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:13 AM on May 1, 2013

Be careful with stretch goals. People often do not realize how much work and expense is involved in buying and mailing out extra goodies. Recognize that adding on a simple extra can easily and inadvertently tack on another three full days of licking stamps or signing posters.
posted by painquale at 11:24 AM on May 1, 2013

Avoid these Kickstarter pitfalls is a Wired blog post from Geekdad, mainly focusing on delivery issues. The same applies to stretch goals: make sure you plan for the bonus items as well as you did for the original goal.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:58 AM on May 1, 2013

Check out how Roman Mars did it http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1748303376/99-invisible-season-3

He basically did stretch goals too, although there seems to be an art in neutralising that first goal and injecting new momentum into the campaign. I know a few people who lobbied hard for their first goals and put their stretch goals in almost fine print.

Hey - good luck! Congrats on getting to that first goal!
posted by mooza at 6:44 PM on May 1, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks guys, I will check out these links and think about the stretch goals. There is an activist feeling to the campaign so I didn't want to break the community spirit by pushing too hard though we can certainly use the funds. The documentary itself is more verite style but it means a lot to the people here where I live I think beyond being just a work of art. Thanks, Mooza, for the congrats. Any more ideas that might apply within this context, I'd love to hear them.
posted by manwoo at 8:13 PM on May 1, 2013