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Post by Auburn on Dec 22, 2014 23:02:55 GMT
This thread is for marketing updates on the campaign. And just general stuff about what we're up to.  If any of you have anything to add, like places you've posted it, and so forth, please feel free to post. It'll help keep track of where we've been. |
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Post by Auburn on Dec 22, 2014 23:09:38 GMT
#1: Campaign launched on December 17th. * I think the first thing that happened after launch is, Fifi, you posted the campaign on the Facebook Elvish Groups that you're a part of. * Then a few hours after launch we got selected as a "Kickstarter Staff Pick" by someone at their headquarters. * I uploaded the video to my youtube, and then Fifi uploaded it to hers (which has 530ish subscribers) * I contacted a few Tolkien forums and dropped a brief link mention. * I contacted David Salo (and here you are! ), who suggested using the Elfling mailing list to spread the word. Haven't done so yet, since it appears the forum is down for maintenance.. hmmm * Prefundia contacted me saying they'd like to feature our campaign on their site, for free. Usually getting your campaign featured on their frontpage costs a fee of $150. Prefundia is like Kickstarter but it's for getting feedback on projects before they launch, or feedback during launch (at another site like Kickstarter/Indiegogo). Still they have a decent amount of traffic and the campaign links back to the Kickstarter page. |
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Post by Auburn on Dec 22, 2014 23:16:47 GMT
Today: 22nd
I was a bit confused at this point since it seems the campaign is getting thumbs-up, but pledges aren't being made. So I took another look at the rewards, did some research, and realized they were all a little too high. They could be a little lower and still financially manageable.
* So I reduced the Sticker donation to $5, from the previous $10. (in hindsight, that much for a sticker was steep)
* Reduced the T-Shirt donation to $20, from the previous $30. (likewise, $30 for a T-shirt seems steep in retrospect)
* Also bundled together the smaller rewards into the higher ones of $50 and $100.
* Also, upon Xandarien's suggestion, Fifi and I changed the Sticker phrase "Speak friend and enter" to "Strive for Joy", to avoid copyright infringement. Fortunately nobody picked that phrase, in the time it was up, so we're in the clear.
I hope these changes make it more inviting to people.
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Post by Auburn on Dec 26, 2014 23:25:15 GMT
*submitted news article to www.theonering.net (hopefully they approve it ) *submitted news article to www.legendariummedia.com/ (hope they approve too ) *posted update on Kickstarter page, saying David Salo supports the project |
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Post by Auburn on Dec 29, 2014 1:08:42 GMT
* no reply yet from www.theonering.net , but i've sent another message to their advertising section: www.theonering.net/torwp/advertising/ . I think that may have been more appropriate than the "Got News" section, which I previously sent it to. It says on it: - "The One Ring believes in raising up the Tolkien community. To inquire about advertising with our small business/fan campaigns, please use the form below. No campaign is too small!"
That perfectly applies to us. And I will not give up so easily!  - Some way or another, I'll find a way for people to hear about this idea. |
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Post by Auburn on Dec 30, 2014 0:07:24 GMT
We've had a surge of new pledges! Around 7 in the last 30 minutes, doubling our current amount.
I had yet another revelation. I'm such a dunce, and am learning so much about marketing from this campaign.
A lot of people wanted the software to come to life (and to use it themselves) but weren't willing to pay the massive amount previously quoted. *shame* Then I realized..
Crowdfunding "works" when everyone pitches together to make something for everyone. Not for everyone to make something for a select few, or the campaign starter. So I decided to make the software something Open-Source. After we build it, we'll be giving a copy of it to all of our backers.
Please update any places you've let know about this, and tell them we've decided to make it open-sourced and available to all backers.
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Post by Auburn on Dec 31, 2014 7:04:28 GMT
Holy crap, the campaign's almost at $1,000 --- down from a hundred and something a few days ago.
This. is. awesome.
It seems like it's finally picking up momentum.
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Post by Auburn on Jan 1, 2015 23:55:51 GMT
The campaign's at $3,200!! ...And still has 14 days to go. ^^
I think it's safe to say we're going to reach our goal.
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Post by Auburn on Jan 7, 2015 11:46:35 GMT
The campaign's at $3,800!! And I got some news too: * I've contacted the owner of Omniglot.com and he's posted an article on his blog about it: www.omniglot.com/blog/ - I also posted a comment on their facebook group. * I still haven't heard back from theonering.net, so I might just give up on that direction for now. * I sent a message to the owner of elfdict.com asking him what format he uses for his database, so that we can use the same type of format for this tool. That way (potentially) dictionary databases such as theirs could be directly imported into our own, and vice-versa. |
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Post by Auburn on Jan 10, 2015 5:48:24 GMT
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Post by xandarien on Jan 13, 2015 21:44:48 GMT
Congrats on reaching both stretch goals! Looks like someone put about a grand in today?
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Post by Auburn on Jan 13, 2015 23:45:57 GMT
Yeah a $1000 pledge! And another $115 one right after.
Oh my gosh, what a surprise to wake up to!
This is... becoming quite an elaborate project isn't it?
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Post by dreamingfifi on Jan 16, 2015 20:51:28 GMT
It's over, and we're 160% funded!!!! *freaks out*
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Post by ruscthilion on Jan 16, 2015 21:50:37 GMT
Congrats on being fully funded! And thank you for taking the initiative to organize something like this. I see this software being a big help to many people.
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Post by Auburn on Jan 17, 2015 0:49:52 GMT
ty! yeah, we hope so too.
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- Some way or another, I'll find a way for people to hear about this idea.
