Monday Dec 25, 2023
Predictions for 2024!
Crowdfunding Nerds: Kickstarter Marketing, Business, & Beyond!
Crowdfunding Nerds is a practical, behind-the-scenes podcast for creators looking to launch and scale successful crowdfunding campaigns. Since 2019, the Crowdfunding Nerds team has helped creators raise over $40M on Kickstarter and Gamefound while generating more than $100M in ecommerce sales.
From pre-launch strategy to post-campaign growth, the show delivers real-world marketing insights, campaign breakdowns, and lessons from both first-time creators and major IPs like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fallout, Dune, and Star Trek.
Whether you're preparing for your first Kickstarter or optimizing your next launch, this podcast helps you do it smarter.
Listen on:
Episodes
Episodes
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Welcome to the wild ride that is episode #157 of Crowdfunding Nerds! Ever wondered what links sharks, ice cream, World of Warcraft, and marketing? Prepare to be enlightened. Your hosts, Andrew, Sean, and our special guest, Rick, will take you on a journey that melds humor, curiosity, and invaluable insights.
We'll dive into a unique blend of marketing strategies, examined through a scientific lens that promises to revolutionize your approach. We navigate the thrilling world of trading card games, explore the legal labyrinth surrounding game creators, and delve into the importance of community engagement.
Sean will guide us through the crucial aspect of accurate data interpretation, while Andrew shares his vision for the future of his game 'Deliverance.' As we near the end, we'll discuss the importance of persistence and the art of ignoring trolls. So buckle up, and let's get nerdy!
Links to check out:
Affirming-the-Consequent: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Affirming-the-ConsequentDeliverance on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/273814/deliveranceRoyal Road: https://www.royalroad.com/The Scientific Method: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-fair/steps-of-the-scientific-method
Timestamps:- 00:01: Sharks, Ice Cream & World of Warcraft- 00:40: Dragon Ball Z & Marketing Levels- 00:49: Introductions & SEO Expertise- 01:18: Scientific Method in Marketing- 02:04: Trading Card Game Market- 08:26: Deliverance's Popularity & Community Engagement - 16:04: Data Interpretation in Scientific Research- 21:42: Applying the Scientific Method to Marketing- 35:06: Avoiding Over-Analysis in Marketing- 39:06: Understanding Customer Behavior- 48:06: Deliverance: Kickstarter Strategy- 51:19: Persistence in the Creator's Journey- 59:58: Ignoring the Trolls - 1:07:17: Conclusion & Farewell Wishes
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Welcome to Episode 156 of Crowdfunding Nerds! I'm Andrew, and alongside my co-host Sean, we're going to unravel the secrets behind a successful crowdfunding campaign. This episode marks our 3-year anniversary and we've got a ton of exciting topics to cover!
Ever wondered how a well-crafted ad campaign can create ripples in the crowdfunding world? Or how a single game can become the cornerstone of a thriving brand? We're diving into these questions and more. We'll start with a heartwarming catch-up on life events, including the story behind the name of our newest addition - John Constantine.
We'll then dissect our viral ad campaign for 'Deliverance' on BoardGameGeek, sharing insights on how we climbed the hotness list and ignited a buzz in the board game community. We'll also delve into our brand-building strategy, the importance of customer acquisition, and the exciting concept of turning Deliverance into a lifestyle game.
Links to check out:
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3202814/poor-advertisement
https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode147/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EZu9NoWV5k
Chapters:
00:01 Three-Year Anniversary of the Podcast
00:45 New Baby - John Constantine
01:59 Future Plans & Learning Opportunities
02:05 Christmas Season– A Selling Opportunity
03:59 Viral Post on BoardGameGeek for Deliverance
09:21 Anatomy of an Ad Campaign
18:03 Focusing on a Single Game - Brand Building Tactics
25:46 Strategies for Customer Acquisition and Cross-selling
38:33 Deliverance - A Lifestyle Game
43:37 Vision for the Future - A Sustainable Brand
50:14 League of Legends - Building a Game Community
Join us on this exciting journey and discover the secrets to crowdfunding success!
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Welcome to the 155th episode of Crowdfunding Nerds! Ever wondered how World War Two propaganda, the Bavarian Illuminati, and humor can boost your crowdfunding campaign? Join hosts Sean and Jacob as they delve into these fascinating connections. We also introduce Jacob, our Facebook ads guru, to discuss the power of different ad types.
Discover why Facebook Ads are a game-changer for pre-marketing campaigns and how Instagram can help you capture attention. We also explore the magic of humor in marketing and how witty headlines can give your campaign the edge.
Learn about the power of targeted advertising and how thinking outside the box can help you reach untapped audiences. We also discuss how to leverage your product's uniqueness and the effectiveness of themed headlines and emojis to grab attention.
We dive into the concept of using mysteries to engage potential backers, and caution against gimmicks, emphasizing the need for genuine engagement. Finally, we wrap up with some words of encouragement for your crowdfunding journey.
Chapter timestamps:00:01 Introduction00:30 Meet the Facebook Ads Expert03:00 The Power of Facebook Ads16:00 Humor in Marketing19:00 The Magic of Targeted Advertising22:00 Leveraging Product Uniqueness32:00 Engaging with Mysteries36:00 Genuine Engagement vs. Gimmicks42:27 Wrap Up
Join us on Crowdfunding Nerds, where we help turn your campaign dreams into reality!
Monday Nov 27, 2023
Monday Nov 27, 2023
Welcome to episode 154 of Crowdfunding Nerds! I'm your host, Sean, flying solo today while Andrew and the rest of the team enjoy a post-Thanksgiving break. Ever felt weird on the internet? Well, according to Felicia Day, "You're Never Weird on the Internet". In today's episode, we delve deep into her book, uncovering the journey of her creation, "The Guild", and the early adoption of the internet in her family, influenced by her military grandfather.We'll explore the four productivity principles she shares, and learn how to create low-budget films that still wow the audience. We'll also discuss the art of marketing, using the unique approach of "The Guild" as a case study. And for those of you wondering about Facebook ads, there's a little something for you too.So buckle up and let's get nerdy!
Links to the books mentioned in this episode:
https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Never-Weird-Internet-Almost/dp/147678566Xhttps://www.amazon.com/Surveillance-Valley/dp/1785785710Chapter Timestamps:00:00 Intro & Book Discussion: "You're Never Weird on the Internet"0:45 Facebook Ads0:51 Solo Episode Announcement2:17 Early Internet Adoption & "Surveillance Valley"4:00 The Formation of "The Guild"4:39 Military Influence in Internet Adoption6:18 Four Principles of Productivity9:05 Creating Low-Budget Films12:50 Marketing: "The Guild"15:00 YouTube Funding & The Success of Geek and Sundry19:05 Business Advice from the Book
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Ever wondered how to safeguard your crowdfunding campaign from cybersecurity threats? Curious about the tactics hackers use to target unsuspecting victims? In episode 153 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast, we dive headfirst into this digital minefield.
With Andrew away, Jacob (our Facebook ad guru) and Sean step in as the Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi of cybersecurity. We expose a real-world data breach and unravel the fear and urgency tactics used by cyber attackers. Learn how to fortify your defense with multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, and by changing those pesky default router passwords.
We also navigate the murky waters of zero-day attacks and malware-infected USB devices, stressing the necessity of software updates. Discover privacy-oriented tools like Librem laptops, VPNs, and DNS-based security tools, and the importance of end-to-end encryption with apps like SimpleX and Session.
Join us as we summarize key takeaways to protect your crowdfunding campaign and online presence from the relentless claws of hackers. So, ready to ride the cyber wave?
Links to check out:
https://cointelegraph.com/news/monero-community-wallet-loses-all-funds-after-attackhttps://ccs.getmonero.org/https://mullvad.net/https://usbkill.com/https://youtu.be/3hbuhFwFsDU?feature=sharedhttps://www.qubes-os.org/https://librem.one/https://getsession.org/https://simplex.chat/https://nextdns.io/https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/10/16632724/scam-chatbot-ai-email-rescam-netsafehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPajqAJWiNA
Episode Breakdown:00:01 Cybersecurity & Privacy Importance00:43 Meet the Hosts01:04 Privacy in Crowdfunding & Real-World Data Breach04:02 Cybersecurity Threats & Hacker Tactics15:13 Securing Your Router & Avoiding Social Engineering23:40 Phishing Attacks & Effective Security Tools27:57 Zero-Day Attacks, USB Killers, & Encrypted Apps38:00 Recap: Safeguarding Your Campaign & Personal Data
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Welcome, crowdfunding enthusiasts! I'm your host, Andrew, joined by my co-host Sean, for Episode 152 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast. Ever wondered about the secret recipe for a perfect crowdfunding email pitch? Curious about how to handle criticism while maintaining your sanity? Interested in optimizing your Kickstarter campaign pages? We've got you covered!Join us as we take a trip down memory lane, recapping episodes 6-10 of our podcast journey. We'll revisit the golden nuggets of wisdom from these episodes, discussing organic marketing, email personalization, Facebook ad effectiveness, and more. Expect to hear about our experiences with guest Gabe Barrett, our lessons learned from three years in crowdfunding, and our strategies for dealing with toxic backers and comments.Finally, for those of you planning to sell your game on Amazon, we'll share crucial insights on preparing your infrastructure and optimizing your product listings. So, buckle up and let's dive into the exciting world of crowdfunding!
Episodes in review:https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode6/https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode7https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode8https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode9https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode10Cold Email Article: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/email-cold-calling/Organic Board Game Marketing: https://boardgamedesignlab.com/how-to-market-a-board-game-part-1-with-andrew-lowen/Deliverance New Website Redesign: https://playdeliverance.comTimestamps:0:01 Introduction and Overview0:29 Lightning Bolt, Facebook Ads1:17 Key Takeaways from Past Episodes2:03 Episode 6: Marketing with Gabe Barrett3:53 Episode 6 Continued: Email Cold Calling and Personalization5:43 Episode 7: Are Your Facebook Ads Effective?8:35 Episode 8: Lessons Learned from Crowdfunding13:40 Episode 9: Focusing on Mental Health19:38 Episode 10: Maximizing Your Kickstarter Page's Impact27:03 Recap and Takeaways34:43 Selling on Amazon and Infrastructure Preparation39:49 Website Sales and Improvement47:07 Wrap Up and Closing Remarks
Sign up for marketing here: https://crowdfundingnerds.com
Join the Crowdfunding Nerds Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds
Monday Nov 06, 2023
Monday Nov 06, 2023
Welcome back to Crowdfunding Nerds, episode 151! Today we're thrilled to have Joe Slack with us. Ever wondered what makes a board game irresistible? It's all about the 'table presence'! In this episode, we delve into the key elements that contribute to a game's allure, such as color, unique components, and physical presence on the table. We also emphasize the importance of player feedback in shaping the game and creating an immersive experience.
Throughout the episode, we highlight games that nailed 'table presence,' like Dark Tower and Fireball Island, and discuss how they balance attractive setups with solid mechanics. We wrap up by discussing the impact of playtesting and how the physical table can influence the game's experience. So, ready to dive deep into the world of board games?
Podcast chapters:00:01 – Exploring the Concept of Table Presence20:13 – Games that Excel in Table Presence35:00 – The Impact of Playtesting and Physical Table on Gaming Experience.
Links to games and episodes mentioned:
Mayan Curse
How To Launch Your Second Kickstarter Project With Joe Slack
Listen To Joe Slack Before Launching Your Second Kickstarter
SOURCE & Timestrike
Sign up for marketing here: https://crowdfundingnerds.com
Join the Crowdfunding Nerds Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Welcome to Crowdfunding Nerds' milestone 150th episode! It's your hosts, Andrew and Sean, and we're diving deep into the world of change. Ever felt daunted by change? Or are you someone who thrives on it? Join us as we navigate the choppy waters of change in life and business.We kick off by celebrating this landmark episode and expressing our gratitude to you, our listeners. Then, we plunge into the importance of embracing change, drawing on examples from business history, and discussing the role of constant learning.We explore how humility can help us embrace change, highlighting the value of diverse perspectives and critical thinking. We also emphasize the importance of expanding our knowledge base and applying what we learn, rather than just passively consuming information.Finally, we announce a change in our podcast format, aiming to provide clearer introductions and focusing on the topic at hand. Tune in as we dissect, analyze, and understand what it takes to navigate, implement, and win at change.
The Ultimate Crowdfunding Reading List – Part 1: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode57The Ultimate Crowdfunding Reading List – Part 2: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode58Radlands Shelfside Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFQRH3vj6x4Dan Boe, Interview With A Sales Master – Part 1: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode61Dan Boe, Interview With A Sales Master – Part 2: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode62
**Chapters:**00:00 Introduction04:30 Embracing Change15:20 Humility and Change25:50 Expanding Knowledge Base38:40 Changing the Podcast Format48:50 Conclusion
Monday Oct 23, 2023
Monday Oct 23, 2023
Welcome to episode 149 of the Crowdfunding Nerds podcast! I’m your host, Andrew, along with my co-host, Sean. Ever wondered how to pivot when unforeseen issues arise in your crowdfunding campaign? Well, you're in the right place. We kick off by sharing the purpose of our podcast, and then dive into a real-life case study about a client who had to change their pre-launch marketing strategy.
We discuss the importance of setting realistic expectations and not assuming that everything will go smoothly. We delve into benchmarks and standards in our marketing strategies. Then, we highlight a dangerous assumption that Kickstarter creators should avoid - thinking that marketing efforts will always lead to instant success.
We explore the importance of giving yourself enough time to set up your marketing efforts, especially with Facebook ads. We then discuss the concept of pivoting when faced with obstacles and finally, we share advice on how to stay focused and positive during challenges.
So, are you ready to navigate the unexpected twists and turns of the crowdfunding world? Let's dive in!
CHAPTERS:1. 01:23 Introduction2. 01:44 Case Study: Pivoting in Marketing3. 02:50 Setting Realistic Expectations4. 06:37 Marketing Benchmarks5. 11:28 Avoiding Dangerous Assumptions6. 19:34 Timing and Facebook Ads7. 31:35 The Art of Pivoting8. 36:27 Staying Focused and Positive9. 46:09 Conclusion and Invitation to the Crowdfunding Nerds Community
Sign up for marketing here: https://crowdfundingnerds.com
Join the Crowdfunding Nerds Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Marketing specialist Ben O’Brien of Curve Games joins the Crowdfunding Nerds to discuss transitioning from the board game industry to the video game industry, alongside crafting engaging crowdfunding campaign pages. 00:01:19 – Some Board Games Make Great Video Games 00:09:47 – It’s Harder To Make A Video Game Into A Board Game00:19:28 – Kickstarter Vs Steam00:28:39 – Total War: Rome & Homeworld Campaign Page Breakdown 00:43:45 – Campaign Page Template Curve Games - https://curvegames.com/EGX Convention - https://www.egx.net/london/en-gb.htmlWhat Matters Most To Backers On Your Kickstarter Page - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode10/Total War: Rome The Board Game - https://gamefound.com/en/projects/psc-games/total-war-rome-the-board-gameHomeworld: Fleet Command - https://gamefound.com/en/projects/modiphius/homeworld-fleet-commandFrom Space - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1502190/From_Space/