How Daphne Lage Cross-Promoted Her Way to Her Highest Kickstarter Goal Yet
by Clay Adams
Daphne Lage wanted to push herself.
A veteran of several campaigns, she’d crunched the numbers, done her homework, and knew what running a successful Kickstarter would take.
But this time, she was determined to attract new backers to the fourth issue of her book EGORAVEN and reach a personal best in funding.
Her goal?
$6,000.
The only question was:
What would it take to get there?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you'll learn:
- the importance of the pre-launch page, catch-up tiers, and studying other campaigns
- why (and when) you should get involved in the Kickstarter community
- plus: are podcast appearances the unicorn you should be chasing?
Use the Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page to Drive a Big First Day
As a Kickstarter veteran, Daphne had already built her mailing list and made it a habit to study her past campaigns.
“ListLaunch and ComixLaunch were both huge in helping me...
How Michel Abstracto Conquered His Limiting Beliefs and Funded His First Comics Kickstarter on Day One
by Clay Adams
Michel Abstracto had a good problem.
His campaign for TALES OF INTOXICA funded quickly, within the first minute of being live, and he plowed through his planned stretch goals faster than anticipated.
And with plenty of days left on the clock, he wondered—
“What now?”
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you'll learn:
- how to build a rabid fanbase that's ready to support on day one
- the limiting beliefs that hold creators back
- plus: secrets of live-streaming your launch
How to Build a Rabid Fanbase That's Ready to Back on Day One
Hitting his goal so quickly was no accident.
Michel put a lot of thought and effort into building his audience ahead of time. On the advice of a friend, he went through the ListLaunch Course before jumping into crowdfunding, giving himself a solid base to draw from.
But the key to getting your audience ready to back on day one?
“It always seems to come back to...
How Lynsey G & Jayel Draco of Oneshi Press Hired a PR Firm and Beat the Algorithms
by Clay Adams
Lynsey G and Jayel Draco of Oneshi Press were threading a fine needle.
Their TRACY QUEEN series is very much Not Safe for Work. Although the story is full of heart and touches on some very important topics, the book contains some nudity and adult situations.
Because of that, the two creators felt limited in how they could talk about the book on social media and in ads—after all, they had to beat the algorithms, which clamped down on such content.
So how would they reach the audience they knew would love it? How would they locate podcasts, websites, and other creators willing to help promote the book?
And as launch day grew nearer, they found themselves wondering…
How sexy is too sexy?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- how to promote a NSFW comic without getting banned on Facebook
- the benefits of working with a PR service for your comics Kickstarter
- the most...
How George O'Connor Found His Dream Team, Beat His Fears, and Had His Best Comics Kickstarter Ever
by Clay Adams
George O'Connor felt like he was chasing his tail.
He’d spent months putting together TODDLER-POCALYPSE, an anthology he co-wrote that was drawn by a dream team of collaborators.
He'd painstakingly put together his page and made a plan for Kickstarter success.
But once he hit launch, he quickly found himself fighting to maintain a delicate balance between life, work, and spreading the word about the campaign.
And as the “very busy 25 days” went by, George wondered if he’d ever get that balance right…
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- how to find your dream team collaborators
- the power of a good subject line when cold contacting artists
- how to harness the power of streaming video to promote your project
How To Find Your Dream Team Collaborators
Over the last couple of years, George curated a Twitter timeline of talented and positive artists that continually made him...
How Jack Holder Used Digital Add-Ons to Power His Best Kickstarter Launch Ever
by Clay Adams
Jack Holder had put in the work.
He’d been slowly building up his audience, Kickstarting books, and delivering on his promises. Now, with the launch of Legends of the Realm #1: The Floated Dream, he was having his best campaign yet.
And that's when he noticed something interesting.
A large number of backers were opting for digital rewards. And Jack couldn’t help but wonder:
“Can I get them to upgrade?”
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- How to turbocharge your audience building
- The beauty of digital rewards
- Why your attitude determines your altitude
How to Turbocharge Your Audience Building
Jack spent several years growing his audience. He focused his strategy on building out a robust email list, but it hasn’t always gone as fast as he’d like.
And when Covid hit, his job got even tougher as conventions shut down.
“A surefire way to build up a...
How David F. Starr Grew His Email List and Stayed Positive on the Road to Kickstarter Success
by Clay Adams
David F. Starr worried his list wasn’t big enough.
Not only was he concerned about hitting his outward-facing Kickstarter goal for his book A-Z Baby Animal + Scientists: ABC Fine Art Book for Everyone, but like many other creators, he had a private goal he wanted to hit as well.
David had spent months building his list in anticipation, but now that it was time to launch, he found himself wondering:
“Did I put in enough work?”
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- how to grow your mailing list--and convert them into backers
- tips for finding a printer for your publishing project
- why managing your expectations is the key to Kickstarter success
Building Your Audience Ahead of Your Kickstarter Launch
David knew that the success of your Kickstarter launch is set months before it starts. He got to work building a mailing list well before his planned launch, but he wasn’t...
Kurt Zauer's Simple Strategies for Success on Kickstarter--and Beyond!
by Clay Adams
Kurt Zauer was kicking himself.
Caught in a time crunch, he didn’t have his Kickstarter page peer reviewed before launch, which led to some embarrassing errors in his tiers.
And as he played clean-up in the first few days of his campaign, Kurt made a promise to himself:
He’d never make the same mistake again.
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- the importance of “backwards planning”
- how to fight the Dead Zone with gratitude
- plus: two key ingredients to Kickstarter success
The Importance of “Backwards Planning” Your Kickstarter Launch
Based on this experience, Kurt came up with a system for getting his page ready in time.
“Backwards planning will help you avoid delays. Call your launch day X-day. Think about everything you want to accomplish before X-day. How much time do you want for your friends/peers to have to look at your page to review and give feedback? A week?...
How M Sorcier Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Kickstarter Dead Zone
by Clay Adams
M Sorcier felt like she was banging her head against a wall.
A quiet, introspective type, she was struggling to stay energized throughout her 21 day campaign for Sacrimony #2. How many times—and in how many ways—could she say, “Hey, please check out my comic?” It was especially hard on those days when she didn’t get any backers at all.
So M decided to do something about it.
She decided to chill the heck out.
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- Why taking it easy during the Dead Zone isn’t "giving up"
- How to grow your audience between campaigns
- Plus: the one thing you *must* do before you launch
Zen and the Art of Kickstarter: Why Chilling Out Isn’t "Giving Up"
M has made peace with the fact that trying to generate excitement during the Dead Zone can be draining and often futile. With no opening day excitement or final 48 hours FOMO, she knows it's harder to...
How Frank Martin Juggles Multiple Comics Campaigns--And Genres--On Kickstarter
by Clay Adams
Frank Martin knew the risks.
He'd heard the advice to stick with one thing until it was successful. To pick his genre and focus his efforts there as a specialist.
But that's not where his passion lies, and he knew if he faked it, his audience would sense it.
So the question nags him every time he launches a new project:
"Will my audience show up?"
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- The mindset shift that led to Frank's success with Facebook ads
- The benefits of Kickstarting one-shots & two-parters
- Plus: Why you need a little “sexy indifference”
Frank’s Facebook Ad Strategy
One way Frank mitigates this fear is by constantly looking for ways to grow his audience. He's tried viral giveaways to varying success, but ultimately decided his efforts would have better results elsewhere.
So, like many comic creators, he turned to Facebook ads. Frank freely admits he's...
How John Edingfield II Turned His First Comics Anthology into a Five Figure Campaign
by Clay Adams
John Edingfield II felt elated.
His first anthology—a collection of fractured fairy tales he called Not So Fair Tales—had been named a Project We Love and reached its $12,000 goal early in the campaign.
But with plenty of time still left on the clock, John couldn’t help but wonder…
“What now?”
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- Best practices for running a comics anthology on Kickstarter
- How running an anthology can level up your Kickstarter game
- Plus: tips for keeping the momentum going when you fund early
Best Practices For Running A Comics Anthology On Kickstarter
Before launch, John spent countless hours putting together the book. He had a clear vision of what he wanted—a 172 page hardcover anthology collecting some of the best professional indie creators and new creators in comics. Many of these creators were seasoned veterans who had been on his...