Kickstarter

I few years ago I became disenchanted with non-profit organizations. I used to give to several. I stopped all of things. I decided to divert these funds to two places 1) medical expense fundraising for friends in need 2) fundraising for artistic projects.  I know some people don't like the idea of Kickstarter, but I think it is great. I like that people give how much and if they want...and I like that the project doesn't get funded unless it meets its goal. I worry that there are "hidden" expenses associated with such fundraising that not everyone who starts a project understands, but other than that I think it's great.

I have given to...I think...five Kickstarter campaigns so far (and two medical funds). In general, if I know the person or know of them and like what they do...I give.  I have the following observations about these campaigns. This is not meant as a slam on the people I've funded...but rather as a guidepost for myself if I ever run such a campaign.

1) Plan for those "hidden" expensenses. That's the fees that you own Kickstarter and also taxes

2) Don't go crazy on the incentives and plan for the amount of time and money these will take to fulfill. Of the five Kickstarter campaigns that I've funded, I have not yet received my full incentive packet for a single one (three are still in process to be fair). In short...what I thought I would get I did not get. I think this is because people are overly ambitious in what they set out to do. I know from being a fundraiser in the past that people don't give money because of incentives anyway...they give money because of relationships.  To me, for a cd project for instance, this should be the incentive structure:
     All levels: thanks on the cd cover
     Less than $25: nice hand written thank you note on a nice photo of artist
     $25: all lower incentives + digital download of cd
     $50: all lower incentives + physical cd
     $100: all lower incentives + t-shirt
     $500: all lower incentives + something else interesting
     $1000: all lower incentives + house concert (within driving distance)
     $5,000: all lower incentive + house concert (outside driving distance but within USA)
Anything too much more complicated is a mess.

3) Don't tweet or fb or make other notice of the campaign except once a week...maybe twice a week. Every day...and certainly more than once every day...is super super annoying. I get that annoying someone into donating is a strategy...but it is a strategy that I think fails long term. It makes me not like you anymore.

4) Collect all the info you need from me when I pay. If you need a shipping address or t-shirt size...do it when I pay. If you need an rsvp for an event...do it when I pay. Don't send me a message about it later. Or multiple messages. I don't want to have to keep reading your messages to find the hidden one that is important for me getting my incentive. And for sure don't send me an email like this "please get me your shipping info" and then don't include a direct link to where I do that. I don't have time to go digging to figure out how I do that.

5) If I've already sent you my shipping info or t-shirt size...don't ask me for it when you see me in person or by personal email. Check your database first. I already took the time to tell you...don't waste more of my time. If you need to send reminders...do it the official way. This keeps things better organized for you and means I'm treated the same as all donors.

6) If I personally know you, don't cheap out and try to hand me my incentives in person when you see me instead of mailing. Fulfill and mail in a timely manner just like you do for everyone else. Again...this keeps things organized for you and means I'm treated like all donors.

7) I know that you are supposed to keep the fans engaged...but I really don't want dozens of updates on the project after I've paid. Once a month from payment to you finishing the project and sending the incentives is plenty.

8) get the incentives out asap

9) if one of your incentives is to be on a guest list for an event...don't pester me about if I will attend. If you have a limited amount of seating/tickets...set a deadline for rsvp and then stick with it (preferably, again, the deadline for rsvp is the same time that I pay...I say yes or no then and then can forget about it). It is either an incentive or it isn't. If I say I'll come and don't...them's the breaks.

10) don't fail to send something you've promised. Lame.

UPDATE:
11) don't send me a project update that says "I will send you a project update tomorrow". Either update or don't. If I see two emails from you in 24 hours and the first one of them says "I'll send an update tomorrow" I will hate you forever.