DAY 6: PRODUCTION PLANNING - ORGANIZING YOUR CAMPAIGN FOR SUCCESS
Let's get real about planning your Kickstarter campaign. Success isn't just about having great rewards - it's about being organized enough to actually deliver them. Today, we're diving deep into planning every aspect of your campaign, from production timelines to backer updates.
PART 1: CREATING YOUR MASTER TIMELINE
Before you even think about launching, you need a solid production timeline. Here's the thing - your timeline needs to be both comprehensive and flexible. Let's break this down into manageable chunks:
Writing Phase:
□ First draft completion date
□ Beta reader schedule
□ Revision periods
□ Final manuscript deadline
Pro Tip: If your book isn't finished when you launch, that's okay! Many campaigns launch with partial manuscripts. Just be honest with your backers about where you are in the process.
Editing Timeline ***Remember that these are only estimates and you may not need every editing type for your book. Talk to your editor or editors you will be using to make sure your timeline matches what they can deliver***:
□ Developmental editing (2-4 weeks from when they are available)
□ Line editing (2-3 weeks from when they are available)
□ Copy editing (1-2 weeks from when they are available)
□ Proofreading (1-2 weeks from when they are available)
□ Final review (1 week)
Remember: Build in buffer time between editing phases for your own revisions.
Design Elements***Again these are estimates. These may be areas you are doing entirely yourself or hire out for. These are all from the actual start time and can be different. Sometimes if there are no delays these can day a day or two each while things can be delayed and it can take longer***:
□ Cover design (2-3 weeks)
□ Interior formatting (2-3 weeks)
□ Special edition elements design (1-2 weeks)
□ Marketing graphics creation (1-2 weeks)
□ 3D mockups for campaign (1 week)
Production Schedule:
□ Printer quotes and samples (2-4 weeks to allow for shipping time to get to you. Some printers will take much longer for a proof)
□ Print proof review (1-2 weeks)
□ Main production run (4-8 weeks)
□ Special editions production (add 2-4 weeks)
□ Shipping to you (1-2 weeks domestic, 8-12 weeks international)
□ Fulfillment prep (1-2 weeks for a small campaign. Larger campaigns will take longer.)
□ Shipping to backers (2-4 weeks. Larger campaigns may take longer and you don't know how large it will get before you launch.)
PART 2: CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION ESSENTIALS
Let's create your campaign command center. You need everything organized before you launch. It's best to create a folder somewere with all of the items in one spot. A back up isn't a bad idea.
Campaign Documentation Folder:
□ Campaign story draft
□ Reward tier descriptions
□ Graphics list
□ Production quotes
□ Timeline documents
□ Contact information for all vendors
□ Backup plans for various scenarios
Digital Asset Organization:
□ Campaign images
□ Update graphics
□ 3D mockups
□ Behind-the-scenes content
□ Social media graphics
□ Stretch goal graphics
□ Thank you graphics
Pro Tip: Create a folder structure now that will work for your whole campaign:/Campaign Planning/Graphics/Updates/Production Documents/Backer
PART 3: PREPARING YOUR UPDATES
Updates are your lifeline to your backers. Plan them ahead but keep room for spontaneity.
Pre-Written Updates to Have Ready:
• Launch day celebration
• 24-hour milestone
• Funding goal reached
• Key stretch goals
• Weekly progress updates template
• Production begins announcement
• Shipping begins announcement
Making Updates Engaging:
Behind-the-Scenes Content:
• Writing process snippets
• Design evolution
• Production samples
• Packaging tests
Interactive Elements:
• Polls for minor decisions
• Production milestone celebrations
Visual Content Ideas:
• Time-lapse videos of signing sessions
• Unboxing of samples
• Design progression slides
• Mockup reveals
• Special edition feature spotlights
Update Suggested Schedule Template ***Updates are a great spot to do campaign swaps. Think like a newsletter swap, but with other campaigns being the swaps***:
Week 1: Daily updates
Week 2-3: 3-4 updates per week
Remainder of campaign: 1-2 updates per week
Production phase: Bi-weekly updates
Shipping phase: Weekly updates
PART 4: PRE-LAUNCH COMMUNITY BUILDING
Building excitement before you launch is crucial. You can have your campaign up and gathering followers for as long as you want. Some campaigns have it up for a year or more before launching finally, just gathering followers the entire time. Remember that a Kickstarter is another type of book release. It requires a lot of energy and time to have go well.
90+ Days Before Launch:
□ Start social media campaign
□ Create follower page for your campaign and get it launched to start gathering followers
□ Plan preview content
□ Begin networking with other creators
□ Join relevant Facebook groups
□ Start documenting your journey
60 Days Before Launch:
□ Release initial mockups beyond the one in the Kickstarter preview header image
□ Share design process
□ Start countdown graphics on social media or in your newsletter
□ Update preview page with teasers
□ Create campaign video if you plan on having one
□ Start setting up newsletter swaps for during campaign
30 Days Before Launch:
□ Daily social media presence
□ Email list warming (This can be done earlier as well by starting to preview Kickstarters you like to your newsletter just like you would any other book you like)
□ Sneak peeks of rewards
□ Find Kickstarter update swaps
□ Launch team recruitment
□ Final preview page review
PART 5: RISK MANAGEMENT AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING
Every campaign needs a solid risk section and private backup plans.
In your story section you need to create a risk section that is you being open and honest about possible problems. Make your backers aware that there are things that can happen out of your control. Things such as:
• Production delays
• Shipping delays
• Cost increases (not that it will be given to them but it may delay fulfillment if you are having to foot that bill)
• Quality issues
• Supply chain problems
• Personal emergencies
For Each Risk, Document:
Potential impact
Likelihood
Mitigation strategy
Backup plan
Communication strategy
Sample Risk Statement Template:"While we've carefully planned our production timeline, delays can occur in printing and shipping. We've built in a [X] week buffer to our timeline to account for potential delays. If delays occur, we will communicate immediately with detailed updates and revised timelines."
PART 6: POST-CAMPAIGN PREPARATION
Plan ahead for after your campaign funds. Sometimes we focus so much on how the campaign will happen that we forget to even think about what to do when the campaign ends. The first few weeks will be a bit odd feeling if you've never run one before. Cards will be run and you are sitting there going what do I do? Panic may set in as you see cards that were declined. Don't let it get you down. Every campaign has this happen. Focus on what to do first and give it time. Your backers have a buffer window to fix their payment and you will not receive any of the money until Kickstarter closes that window.
Immediate Post-Funding Tasks:
□ Thank you update
□ Backer survey prep
□ Prep your files for production
□ Vendor confirmations
□ After a couple of days, if there are still declined cards, email the backers to see if they need any help
After Kickstarter Closes The Buffer Window:
□ Send backer surveys
□ Payment from Kickstarter will start processing. It usually takes a few days before it arrives in your account. Remember that there will be a cut taken out for Kickstarter and the financial side of it. Usually between 5-10%. Kickstarter takes 5%, but Chime takes a cut too to pay you.
□ Begin regular updates
□ Start production process
□ Organize fulfillment system
Remember: Organization is your best friend during a Kickstarter campaign. The more you plan ahead, the smoother your campaign will run. Keep everything documented, maintain clear communication with your backers, and always have a backup plan.
FINAL TIPS:
Running a Kickstarter can feel overwhelming, but here's the most important thing to remember - you don't have to do this alone. While many creators choose to handle everything themselves, there's absolutely no shame in bringing in help. You can hire experts to set up your campaign page, manage your social media during the live period, or handle your fulfillment when it's time to ship. Just make sure you factor these costs into your funding goal and profit calculations. Many fulfillment companies specialize specifically in Kickstarter campaigns and can take that entire burden off your shoulders.
When it comes to staying organized, backup is your best friend. Keep copies of everything - and I mean everything - in multiple places. Use cloud storage, external hard drives, whatever works for you. The last thing you need is to lose crucial campaign information because your computer decided to have a meltdown mid-campaign. Have templates ready for common communications too. Trust me, when you're in the thick of things and need to respond to backers quickly or update your community, you'll be grateful you don't have to write everything from scratch.
Building relationships is another crucial element of success. Connect with your printers, designers, and other service providers before you need them. Join creator groups, engage with other authors who've run campaigns, and build your support network. These relationships become invaluable when you need advice or run into challenges. Their experience can help you avoid common pitfalls, and sometimes just having someone to talk to who understands what you're going through can make all the difference.
Finally, and I can't stress this enough - take care of yourself during the campaign. It's way too easy to get caught up in the excitement and stress, checking your funding total every five minutes and responding to messages at 3 AM. Don't do that to yourself. Set boundaries, maintain regular hours, and remember that a well-rested creator makes better decisions. And speaking of decisions - stay flexible. No matter how perfectly you plan, something unexpected will probably pop up. That's okay! Roll with it, adjust your plans, and keep moving forward. Your backers will appreciate honest communication about changes more than rigid adherence to a plan that's no longer working.
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