Crowdfunding Nerds: Kickstarter Marketing For Board Games & Beyond!

Nerding Out: Unmasking Felicia Day’s Internet Legacy and Productivity Hacks

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

Cybersecurity Unmasked: Protecting Your Crowdfunding Campaign

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

Andrew & Sean React! Episodes 6-10 Revisited

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
 
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Table Presence: Crafting Irresistible Board Games

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
 
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Embracing Change: Navigating Life and Business at Milestone 150

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

Navigating Crowdfunding Twists: Pivoting and Staying Positive

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
 
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A Crowdfunding Page Template With Ben O’Brien

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/

BoardGameGeek Advertising - Everything You Need To Know

The advertising manager of BoardGameGeek (BGG) Chad Krizan joins the Crowdfunding Nerds to talk about all the options available to publishers seeking to promote their games on their site and in their emails.00:01:24 – Who Is Chad Krizan?00:05:54 – The Evolution of BoardGameGeek Advertising 00:09:36 – BoardGameGeek Contests 00:12:37 – BoardGameGeek Add-Ons00:16:07 – Crafting Good BoardGameGeek Display Ads 00:29:01 - How BoardGameGeek Rotates Ads 00:31:16 – The Traffic & Email Open Rates of  BoardGameGeek00:33:20 – Region Targeting00:34:39 – Questions To Consider Before Using BoardGameGeek Ads00:38:24 – Long Term Advertising Campaigns 00:41:58 – GIF Files In Banner Ads?00:43:21 – BoardGameGeek User Experience & Ad Blockers 00:45:19 – Targeting Ads Via Demographics & Interests 00:51:32 – BoardGameGeek Video Advertisements 00:53:13 – BoardGameGeek Email Marketing 00:58:19 – Final Advice ShownotesGeek Advertising - https://advertising.boardgamegeek.com/Puzzle Bomb - https://puzzlebomb.com/If You Want CFN To Run Your BGG Ads - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/question/
 

Crowdfunding Rewind: Episodes 1-5 Revisited

The Crowdfunding Nerds revisit the first five episodes of the podcast to talk about key elements and industry updates since recording them.
00:01:51 – Episode 1 Rewind 00:10:43 – Episode 2 Rewind 00:17:45 – Episode 3 Rewind 00:25:33 – Episode 4 Rewind 00:30:39 – Episode 5 Rewind
Shownotes
Episode 1 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode1/
Episode 2 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode2/
Episode 3 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode3/
Episode 4 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode4/
Episode 5 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode1/
Kickstarter Calculator - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/kickstarter-success-calculator/

How To Hire The Right People

On this episode the Crowdfunding Nerds discuss the importance of hiring the right people while using Valve as a case study for business productivity.
00:01:51 – How Jacob & Andrew First Connected 00:07:58 – How We Hired Jacob 00:13:37 – The Crowdfunding Nerd Philosophy Of Hiring 00:15:52 – Leveraging Employee Past Experience 00:19:39 – Valve As A Case Study 00:27:26 – Being Customer Focused 00:29:35 – Understand Your Own Weaknesses Or Deficiencies 00:39:07 – Overtime Is A Sign Of Being Unproductive 00:48:08 – Your Environment Can Impact Your Productivity 00:51:55 – Four Ways To Measure Employee Output
Gravity Forms - https://www.gravityforms.com/
Hands On Originals - https://outfitters.handsonoriginals.com/
Valve Playtesting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yomqk0C6kE
Valve new Employee Handbook - https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/Valve_NewEmployeeHandbook.pdf
Dan Boe Part 1 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode61/
Dan Boe Part 2 - https://crowdfundingnerds.com/episode62/