Mercifully, your Kickstarter project does not have to be *perfect* to succeed.

But, doing each portion to the best of your ability does have an affect.

In the case of rewards packages, it is possible to totally blow it and still succeed.  But when this portion of your project is not optimized, it is a place that obviously leaves money on the table.

Let’s look at how to fix 3 common mistakes made in designing Kickstarter rewards packages and why it matters.

LIST OUT COMPLETE CONTENTS FOR EACH KICKSTARTER REWARD

None of this “cool widget + all of the above” B.S.

List it out!

“Cool widget + the tunes + a postcard from my great aunt Ruth + a 3am drunk dial”

When you don’t list the contents of each package out, you are giving a backer the opportunity to miss something.

This really compounds as you move along.

Take a look at Kristina’s $150 reward.

Point 1)  There is nothing labeled as “Reward #7”.  I don’t even know what it is.  I had to go count.  If she wants my $150, she should not make me count!

Point 2)  Even if I didn’t have to count, what if I was just mentally going down this list and by the time I got to this package, I forgot that a T-shirt was involved so I just though I was getting a digital download, a signed CD and the Ultimate VIP status.

Is that worth $150?  Maybe.  If you throw a T-shirt in, it will be worth $150 to more people than without.  Make sure people know exactly what they are getting so they get the maximum impression of the package’s value.

KICKSTARTER REWARD IDEA #1: INCLUDE ALBUM CREDITS AND AN ACOUSTIC HOUSE CONCERT

This post by Levi includes the 5 rewards that every music Kickstarter should have.

Album credits and acoustic house concerts are in there and this is not by accident!

These are 2 rewards that are relatively easy for you to fulfill AND they are valuable ~ high $/difficulty ratios in rewards are AWESOME!

In Kristina’s case, it would be hard to take the full band so grab her hubby and a guitar player and go make $500 for an hour long acoustic concert!

KICKSTARTER REWARD IDEA #2: INCLUDE PERSONALIZED, CREATIVE MID-LEVEL PACKAGES

Backers don’t just want your music, they want to relate.

Think about it.  Reading the constitution is great.  Reading the constitution with the President of the good ol’ USA is waaaay better!

Getting a nice birthday card with a pre-printed message makes you feel good.  Getting a hand-written card can be moving.

These simple examples and a thousand more in everyday life make it OBVIOUS that people crave relationship and personal connection.

This is Kristina’s debut album so maybe she doesn’t think she has had enough opportunity to establish those connections that will draw people in.

But she has.  And you have.  If you have any family and friends at all, you have!

So, go make some soap.  Take an awesome photograph that ties into your music and matte it.  Knit a hat.  Ask your grandma to help you bake some cookies.  Tie a fly.

If you can do anything at all like this, you can create a nice mid-level package (say $75 to $250 ~ this is a moving target) and you will get some action.

WHY KICKSTARTER REWARDS DESIGN MATTERS

When fundraising, you are concerned with two things:  getting backers and giving them the opportunity to really support you with mid-level and upper-level rewards packages.

In monetary terms, this is how you raise your average dollars per backer and, in turn, your overall funding.

Another way to think about it is that 2 or 3 upper level backers and/or 10 or 15 mid-level backers can impact your overall fundraising just as much as 100 backers at the $10-20 level.

It is extremely important to design your Kickstarter rewards with this in mind otherwise you are leaving real dollars on the table.

And remember, you ARE giving your backers value so don’t feel like you are just trying to suck $$$ out of them.  It might feel like that at times, but the point is to create rewards that honestly and truly provide backers with the value they seek.