The Best Time to Launch a Kickstarter (exact hour, month, and day)

Key Concepts:

• Kickstarter launch timing
• Backer engagement
• Email list building
• Reservation funnel
• VIP offer
• Seasonal products
• Crowdfunding strategy

Best Day of the Week to Launch:

• Tuesday: The optimal day due to high email open rates and increased backer activity. 99.9% of LaunchBoom's launches occur on Tuesdays.
• Email open rates are typically highest on Tuesdays, leading to more backers.
• Avoid Weekends: People are less engaged and more focused on personal activities and spending on weekend activities.
• The Monday Myth: Launching on Monday is not ideal as people are catching up from the weekend and less likely to engage with new projects.

Best Time of Day to Launch:

• Early Morning: Launch in the early morning within the time zone where the majority of your backers are located.
• The data suggests 8-9 AM EST, but firsthand experience indicates that aligning with the target audience's time zone is more critical.
• Example: Brio Kitchenbox: Launched at 10 AM EST, targeting a US-based audience, and raised over $148,000 on the first day.

Best Month to Launch:

• Avoid December: Due to the holidays, crowdfunding campaigns perform poorly.
  • Reason 1: Crowdfunding is about pre-ordering, while holiday shopping is about immediate gift purchases.
  • Reason 2: Advertising costs skyrocket due to competition with major brands.
  • Reason 3: People have less disposable income due to holiday gift buying.
• LaunchBoom Data: September and October are the busiest months, with an average raise of $164,000 in 2024. In contrast, December launches averaged only $21,000 (an 87% decrease).
• Other Months: Most other months perform similarly, unless the product is seasonal.

Launching Seasonal Products:

• Launch During Usage Season: Launch when people will use the product, not when they will receive it.
• Example: Go Sun Chill: A solar-powered cooler that raised $944,000 on Indiegogo. Launched in early summer, even though backers received the product in January.
• Backers buy based on current desires, even if the product arrives later.

The LaunchBoom System: Building an Email List:

• Key Principle: Build an email list of "super fans" before launching.
• Reservation Funnel: Create a website to collect email addresses and $1 reservations.
• VIP Offer: Those who put down a $1 deposit become VIPs and receive the best deal upon launch.
  • Example: Cublet: VIPs received a 47% discount off the retail price in exchange for a $1 pre-launch deposit.
• $1 Deposit Value: People who put down a $1 deposit are 30 times more likely to buy when the campaign launches.
• Breaking the Dam: A large email list creates a massive influx of backers on day one, boosting the campaign's popularity and attracting free traffic.
• Readiness Indicator: You are ready to launch when you have a large enough email list to hit your funding goals.
• Audrey's Success Story: Audrey's first Kickstarter failed. After working with LaunchBoom to build an email list, her second campaign raised over $150,000 (six times more than the first).

Recap and Actionable Advice:

• Best Day: Tuesday
• Best Time: Early morning in the target audience's time zone
• Best Month: Avoid November and December; launch seasonal products during their usage season
• Prioritize Email List: Don't rush the launch; build a qualified email list large enough to achieve funding goals on day one.

Notable Quotes:

• "You're ready to launch when you have a big enough email list to hit your goals."
• "People want to buy gifts they can wrap and put under a tree not a promise of a product that may ship months later"

Technical Terms:

• Crowdfunding: Raising capital from a large number of individuals, typically via the internet.
• Kickstarter: A popular crowdfunding platform.
• Indiegogo: Another popular crowdfunding platform.
• Email Open Rates: The percentage of recipients who open a given email.
• Conversion Rates: The percentage of people who take a desired action (e.g., backing a project) after being exposed to marketing.
• Reservation Funnel: A marketing system designed to collect leads and pre-commitments before a product launch.
• VIP Offer: A special discount or incentive offered to early supporters.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The video provides a data-driven and experience-backed guide to optimizing Kickstarter launch timing. While specific days and times can offer advantages, the most critical factor is building a strong email list of engaged potential backers before launching. By focusing on audience location, seasonality, and pre-launch engagement, creators can significantly increase their chances of crowdfunding success. The LaunchBoom system emphasizes the importance of preparation and building a community of "super fans" to drive initial momentum and overall funding.