EP #531 The Secret Behind This Creator’s Six Figure Kickstarter | Scout Battery

Key Concepts

• Crowdfunding as a validation and community-building tool
• Importance of understanding the target audience (backers vs. e-commerce customers)
• Scarcity marketing strategy
• The value of professional help (marketing agencies, fulfillment services)
• User-centered design and continuous feedback
• Balancing design, cost, and manufacturability
• The rewarding aspects of crowdfunding: product excitement, backer interaction, and company growth

Main Topics and Key Points

Introduction to Crowdfunding Demystified Podcast

• Salvador Brigman introduces the podcast, highlighting its focus on sharing stories and tactics from successful crowdfunding campaigns.
• He mentions an episode featuring a founder who achieved funding in 45 minutes, emphasizing the potential for success.
• The podcast aims to provide listeners with insights into the realities of crowdfunding, covering aspects like marketing, shipping, and community engagement.
• The episode features a creator who raised over $101,000 on Kickstarter for a unique product.

The Kickstarter Launch Formula Book

• Salvador promotes his book, "The Kickstarter Launch Formula," as a blueprint for crowdfunding success.
• The book offers a step-by-step strategy, from campaign inception to funding and momentum building.
• It's available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats on Amazon and Audible.
• Listeners can get a free Audible copy by signing up for a free trial at crowdcrux.com/kickstarteraudio.
• The book is positioned as a practical guide that can significantly impact a creator's career.

Interview with Marco from Mac Outdoor

Background and Product Origin

• Marco, co-founder and chief product officer at Mac Outdoor, is interviewed about their successful Kickstarter campaign for the Scout battery.
• Marco's background is in industrial design with a focus on sports equipment and consumer electronics.
• The Scout battery originated from a requirement by military, law enforcement, and first responder personnel for a reliable power source for their mobile devices in the field.
• Mac Outdoor is a new company created specifically for this product, spun off from a defense and R&D company.

Decision to Use Kickstarter

• Mac Outdoor chose Kickstarter to validate the product in the consumer market, gain massive exposure, and build a community.
• Kickstarter allows for quick feedback, production planning based on commitments, and cost-effective marketing.
• The platform is seen as ideal for innovation and testing new products.

Campaign Launch and Initial Success

• The night before the launch was filled with excitement and nervousness.
• The campaign was fully funded in 45 minutes, leading to a small celebration.
• The initial hours involved responding to community questions and engaging with backers.

Lessons Learned: International Shipping and Fulfillment

• The campaign revealed a significant international market, prompting the need to incorporate international shipping early on in future campaigns.
• Marco suggests considering professional fulfillment services to streamline the process.
• He recommends leveraging the expertise of professionals like marketing agencies (e.g., Jello) and crowdfunding experts.

Scarcity Strategy

• Marco discusses the scarcity strategy (limiting product quantities to create urgency) and how they couldn't fully implement it due to their initial quantity offering.
• He acknowledges the potential benefits of using scarcity in future campaigns to drive immediate purchases.

Understanding Crowdfunding Backers

• Crowdfunding backers are characterized as knowledgeable, tech-savvy, and enthusiastic about innovation.
• They provide valuable feedback and help build products and brands.
• Engaging with backers is crucial for product development and validation.

Creating a Great Product

• Creating a great product involves understanding the problem from the end-user's perspective, conducting market research, and conceptualizing solutions.
• Continuous feedback from users is essential throughout the design process.
• Balancing competing aspects like price, BOM (Bill of Materials) cost, scale, and manufacturability is critical.
• User-centered design ensures simplicity and error-proofing.

Rewarding Aspects of the Campaign

• The most rewarding aspects include the excitement surrounding the product, the positive reaction from backers, and the company's growth.
• The campaign has fueled innovation and the development of additional modules for the battery ecosystem.

Where to Learn More

• Interested individuals can visit macoutdoor.com to learn more about the Scout battery and sign up for notifications about its release.
• The website will also feature an e-commerce platform for other products in the ecosystem.

Final Advice

• Marco advises creators not to be afraid to use crowdfunding platforms for innovation.
• He emphasizes the importance of due diligence, seeking help when needed, and learning from both successes and failures.

Final Thoughts from Salvador Brigman

• Salvador encourages listeners to take action and apply the knowledge gained from the podcast.
• He promotes his one-on-one coaching calls as a way to gain confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
• The coaching calls are designed to provide tailored advice and guidance based on the creator's specific needs and goals.
• Listeners can book a coaching call at crowdcrux.com/coaching.

Notable Quotes

• Salvador Brigman: "I started this podcast back in 2015 to share with listeners just like you stories and cutting edge tactics and techniques, people who are in the trenches right now raising funding from the crowd."
• Marco: "Kickstarter allow you just to through while you still developing the product just validate the product plan a little bit production uh with the units that you're already committing and also have like a massive exposure on new product you brand through media and and in the community."
• Marco: "If you develop products on your own little kind of a environment and you never go and ask to the actual user what they want, you may fail."
• Marco: "Crowdfunding is a great platform, you know, just to innovation. So, don't be afraid to go through that journey."

Technical Terms and Concepts

• Crowdfunding: Raising capital from a large number of individuals, typically via online platforms.
• Kickstarter: A popular crowdfunding platform focused on creative projects.
• Backers: Individuals who contribute funds to a crowdfunding campaign.
• Early Bird Tiers: Discounted pricing offered to the first backers of a campaign.
• Dfm (Design for Manufacturing): Designing a product with ease of manufacturing in mind.
• Cad (Computer-Aided Design): Using software to create detailed 2D or 3D models of a product.
• Bom (Bill of Materials): A comprehensive list of all the raw materials, components, and assemblies required to manufacture a product.
• Scarcity Marketing: A marketing strategy that creates a sense of urgency by limiting the availability of a product.
• User-Centered Design: A design process that focuses on the needs and wants of the end-user.
• Fulfillment: The process of packaging and shipping rewards to backers after a crowdfunding campaign.

Logical Connections

• The podcast introduction sets the stage for the interview by highlighting the potential of crowdfunding.
• The discussion of the Kickstarter Launch Formula book provides listeners with a resource for further learning.
• The interview with Marco offers a real-world example of a successful crowdfunding campaign and the lessons learned.
• Marco's insights on product development and community engagement reinforce the key concepts of the podcast.
• Salvador's final thoughts and promotion of his coaching calls provide listeners with actionable steps to take.

Data, Research Findings, or Statistics

• The featured creator raised over $101,000 on Kickstarter.
• Mac Outdoor conducted a survey with 300 people before launching their campaign.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The podcast episode provides a comprehensive overview of crowdfunding, combining practical advice with real-world examples. It emphasizes the importance of thorough preparation, community engagement, and continuous learning. Marco's experience with the Scout battery campaign highlights the potential of crowdfunding for validating products, building brands, and driving innovation. The episode encourages listeners to embrace the challenges of crowdfunding and leverage available resources to maximize their chances of success.