Tired of losing your wallet? Never able to find your phone? The guys behind Ekster feel your pain.
Their sleek leather wallet has a built-in tracking device that connects to your phone via an app. And if it’s your phone you can’t locate, your wallet can make your phone ring, even if it’s on silent. Pretty cool, huh?
The company’s crowdfunding campaign is doing exceptionally well, exceeding its $16,440 goal in less than 14 hours. Co-founder Richard Canneman, a WeWork Fulton Center member, shares tips on what he’s learned about launching a successful campaign on Kickstarter.
Alert the media before you launch
Send out an announcement to the media two to four before you kick off your Kickstarter campaign, advices Canneman. That way when your Kickstarter goes live, there’s already been good press about your product.
“In our case, Yahoo, Discovery Channel, and Product Hunt—to name a few—picked up on Ekster Wallets, which was fantastic,” Canneman says.
Address all backer concerns
When it comes to Kickstarter, Canneman emphasizes that you only have one shot at getting it right. Make sure you engage with potential donors as much as possible, addressing their concerns as quickly as possible.
“Create free, dedicated time to support enquiries and issues during the launch,” Canneman says. “A lot went wrong going live—shipping rates were too high and needed to be corrected, issues with Facebook sharing—but our team was there, and we were able to reply within minutes, if not seconds.”
Make sure your idea is unique
It’s easy to fall in love with your idea for a company, Canneman says. But it’s not until the idea is tested that you’re able to judge whether it’s a winner.
“Working on a product launch you always run the risk of convincing yourself that your wallet is really unique,” Canneman says. “And let’s face it. There are tons of wallet initiatives out there also on Kickstarter.”
Canneman says the reaction to the Kickstarter campaign has convinced him about the company’s longterm prospects.
“The fact that 60 percent of viewers watched our entire product film says something about the appeal,” says Canneman. “Apart from the money raised, that appeal is what makes the future bling bling of Ekster bright.”