Episode: 305

What does it take to come back to Kickstarter and nearly double your first campaign’s funding? Bigger spaceships help, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes!

Episode 305 – What does it take to come back to Kickstarter and nearly double your first campaign’s funding? Bigger spaceships help, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes!

Scott Pease returns to Crowdfunding Nerds to unpack the Snap Ships Tactics expansion and reprint campaign, which raised over $550,000 in just 24 days. Andrew and Sean dig into the six-month pre-launch, the switch from collecting email leads to driving Kickstarter followers, and why a messy Gen Con photo outperformed polished advertising.

We also explore how a $349 all-in pledge became the campaign’s most popular option, why Scott sometimes encouraged backers to buy less, and how scheduled unlocks kept people coming back without the scramble of traditional stretch goals. From Kickstarter promotion to responding to tough comments, this case study is packed with practical lessons for your next launch.

And we’re not done yet! Part two will dig deeper into campaign numbers, referrals, payment options, and communicating with different audiences.

Guest Bio:
Scott Pease is the co-inventor of Snap Ships and a driving force behind Snap Ships Tactics, a tabletop miniatures game that lets players build and battle their own modular spacecraft. A veteran game developer, Scott spent 15 years at Neversoft as Studio Development Director, helping shape titles in the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Guitar Hero, and Call of Duty franchises. He brings that experience in product development and audience engagement to tabletop gaming, including the Snap Ships Tactics expansion and reprint Kickstarter campaign that raised over $550,000.

Resources:
Snap Ships Tactics: https://www.snapshipstactics.com/
Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/
Gamefound: https://gamefound.com/
Gen Con: https://www.gencon.com/
Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/

YouTube Chapters:
00:00 Scott Pease Returns: The $550K Snap Ships Case Study
01:05 The Kickstarter Roller Coaster
03:06 Comparing the First and Second Campaigns
05:45 Why Backer Engagement Matters
08:16 Six Months of Pre-Launch Marketing
10:36 Switching Ads to Kickstarter Followers
13:01 Kickstarter Followers vs. Email Subscribers
14:49 Social Proof and Keeping Your Audience Engaged
17:47 Planning Product Reveals Before Launch
22:26 Showing Product Scale in Your Ads
23:43 Why a Messy Gen Con Photo Outperformed Polished Ads
25:31 Building an Irresistible All-In Pledge
28:59 Pricing Bundles to Encourage Upgrades
31:11 Offering Pledge Bundles as Add-Ons
32:50 Building Trust Through Backer Conversations
40:38 Working with Kickstarter for Promotional Support
43:25 Understanding Kickstarter Referrals and Attribution
47:05 Campaign Length, Momentum, and Scheduled Unlocks
53:06 Combining Stretch Goals with Reveals

Must Watch Episodes 👀 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNUl_AIQk_sIXD4K7-44maiK3hfFMg7Gl

Thank you to our sponsors!

Use Our Pledge Manager Powered By Hive Interactive – 2% Late Pledge Fee + 0% Setup Fee / 0% Campaign Fee: https://pledgemanager.crowdfundingnerds.com/services

https://bridgedist.com/ – We recommend Bridge Distribution & Fulfillment for US fulfillment and Amazon fulfillment. We use them for our own projects, too!

https://crowdfundingnerds.com/hive – Hive Interactive Pledge Manager –

https://www.mailerlite.com/a/6K95GNejWHMV – We recommend Mailerlite for building your community [Affiliate]

https://crowdfundingnerds.com/academy/ – If you are looking to DIY your crowdfunding, we have highly impactful courses that teach you how to build, excite, and prepare a crowd to fund you on Launch Day!

Official Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ and join our bustling Crowdfunding Nerds Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/

Stay Nerdy!