10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd – Stonemaier Games

10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd

DunshireOne of the key concepts that I often talk about on this blog (and that Richard Bliss often mentions on the Funding the Dream podcast) is that launching a Kickstarter project without a built-in crowd of people who are aware of you can lead to your project being dead on arrival.

So how do you get that crowd of people? I’ll tell you how below, but first I want to tell you how not to get a crowd: Don’t buy it. If you buy Facebook fans, Twitter followers, or attention of any sort, you’re simply diluting the base of people who are actually interested and invested in what you’re doing.

Building a real crowd takes time, but it doesn’t take much time every day. One of the most inspiring blog entries I’ve ever read was posted by marketing guru Seth Godin about 2 years ago. It’s called Feet on the Street, and it’s a list of daily actions you can take to grow your crowd through relationships. Most of the action points below are direct quotes from Seth’s post.

About a month ago, Richard Bliss and I took a look at that list and applied it to Kickstarter creators. You can listen to the 20-minute podcast here. Then I would recommend you print out the following list, pin it to your wall, and make sure you do at least ONE of these things ever day from now on. Your company will never be too big or too small for these action items.

Before you do any of these things, set up a Facebook page, Twitter account, and e-newsletter (I use MailChimp). People need a way to stay in touch with you after you engage them.

  1. Write a blog post not to sell, but to teach. That’s a really key distinction. Basically, when you write a blog entry (or record a video/podcast), focus on adding value to other people instead of trying to convince them to do something for you. More on that here.
  2. Comment on one other blog. This is one of the best ways to expose people to who you are. Don’t make the comment about you–again, you’re not there to sell. You’re there to engage and get your name out there. So once a day, comment on your favorite blog post or YouTube video and use your real name when you do. Richard and I have a full podcast on that here.
  3. Connect two people in your industry. This is the oldest party trick in the book. People feel important when you introduce them to one another. Not only will you add value to those two people, but you’ll increase the chances that they’ll introduce you to others in the industry too.
  4. Distribute one free sample. This is probably the best way to expose people to your product. If you believe in what you’re making, get it in peoples’ hands. It could be a promo given to convention attendees or a full product sent to a reviewer or blogger.
  5. Pay attention to people who mention you online and engage with them in a way that they prefer to be engaged. If you get a ping from Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, BGG, or the aggregate service Mention, go check it out! Someone has taken the time to link to you so that you’ll see you’re being linked to, which means they’re giving you permission to engage them on the same platform. When you do, they won’t be the only person to see it–others will see that you’re the type to participate in online engagement, and they’re more likely to link to you in the future too.
  6. Write a thank-you note to someone who doesn’t expect one. You know how it feels to be thanked by someone, especially if the thank you comes out of the blue. It feels good. This is one of the easiest ways by far to share that feeling with other people. It gives you a great opportunity to get your name in front of people who don’t otherwise know who you are (like your favorite reviewer). The key is to thank them, tell them why you’re grateful, and leave it at that.
  7. Reach out to someone who used to work with you. You know the saying, “Don’t burn bridges” (especially when you leave a job)? It’s also important to maintain those bridges or they’ll burn on their own someday. The way I do this with anyone in my life is that when something happens that reminds me of someone, I reach out to them to let them know. Maybe it’s something interesting I read online, or something triggers a fond memory of someone. Instead of pushing away that thought, I let the person know about it. It’s easier to rekindle an existing connection than to create a completely new one. (Richard has a very touching story about this at 10:30 in the podcast.)
  8. Help a stranger. This might be my favorite of all the items. The key here is that it’s not an offer to help–it’s an action you take to recognize a need and to help someone with it. I have a full blog entry about that here.
  9. Talk positively about the competition. It’s really easy to talk about yourself and your products online, and there’s nothing wrong with it–if people follow you, they’re interested in what you’re doing and making. But if you want to really keep their attention, talk about the competition too. For example, I often talk about games I’m excited about from other companies. I also try to link to blog entries from other writers that I think will interest my readers. The more you show people that you’re interested in the community, the more they’ll pay attention and engage with you. Oh, and focus on the positive! People get really turned off by negativity.
  10. Build your permission asset by 1 person. Seth Godin is all about permission assets. The idea is to incrementally make people more excited to hear from you. One of the best examples of this are project updates. You shouldn’t write a project update every day, but when you do, make sure there’s something in it that will make people more and more excited about what you’re making for them. Note that this is something you’ll do during and after your campaign–building a crowd doesn’t stop the day you launch your project.

What types of things have you done to grow your crowd, especially if it’s not on this list and might help other creators?

Update: Check out this great list from 40 creators about what they did to build a crowd.

134 Comments on “10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd

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  1. Hey Jamey after reaching out to you via email after reading your book I went through all the headers of your blog and chose this one to start out with. I’m in early days of entrepreneurship and I have quickly learned through all the research, reading and advice that power of the people is absolutely vital that’s why I have set a goal for myself to talk to anyone at all that can even remotely be involved in my venture or even just give me advice. You never know who might know who or what you can learn! A couple of years ago if you would have told me who I am today I would have horse laughed in your face. I have completely evolved. It’s a crazy story. I’ve wanted to leave my hometown since I was 8 and move away and experience something else now I’m an entrepreneur in the process of bringing something extraordinary to my hometown that will be all inclusive and exciting for many different audiences and demographics. I literally can’t wait to keep learning and evolving to be not only the best person I can be but to be the best person for a community and help a lot of others and not even to my benefit it will actually decrease my revenue but I have many ideas to spread togetherness to make up for that! It’s what the world needs; togetherness not selfishness I have 10x or probably more opportunity to be successful being a team oriented and selfless favor for a favor business owner than to be a selfish monopoly!
    I would love to hear your story as well this is definitely a shortened condensed version of mine! But everyone has a story to tell

  2. Hey Jamey,

    I wish I had found this blog months ago as feel I’ve done my first campaign back to front! There is so much information, I am dumbfounded where you get all your ideas. Im trying to read and take action on a few articles a day.

    Thank you for the sheer amount of time you must put into this blog.

    Ian

  3. I’ve just found this blog post and it’s completely lovely and brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing Jamey, I’m definitely planning to start doing at least one of these daily from now on!

  4. I’ve been reading through your content for a few years, and neede to comment. As I’m transitioning from maker to seller, I find myself coming back to your content to keep myself grounded in the process of getting myself out there.

    How do you feel about Reddit as a medium to build an audience? Have you found it more or less productive than other social blogging platforms?

  5. I have just stumbled upon your corner of the internet and I’m in the process of reading these incredible advice. As someone who is just setting foot in TTRPG sphere, thank you!

    Truly invaluable collection of information.

  6. This blog about 10 Daily Actions keeps coming up and finally I just printed it, and it is under the glass on my desk, so I see it every day! It is not easy to make something into a habit, but I am trying to do that with items on this list. How can you fit all of this into a day, though! I am trying to keep up on my business milestones but realize that building our crowd is a huge pre-requisite for crowdfunding. Even writing blog posts sometimes takes me more than an hour. I do find these kinds of lists helpful and appreciate the advice!

  7. Still digging through your old content and I appreciate so much that you continue to provide transparency and information to the community. Your work ethic is intimidating and also inspiring. I got into Godin for a bit and found his ideas on niche marketing and getting that smaller more rabid fanbase to be quite ahead of it’s time and very applicable in today’s online arenas. This is a good list to put on the wall. Do you feel after all these years that this is still relevant or do you have any updates to the list or how you approach all this?

    1. Thanks Tony! This article takes me back. :) I reread it, and while I would replace “blog” with “content” (blog, podcast, post, video), I’d keep everything here as viable options to consider. Maybe not all 10 every day–some are more “daily” than others.

    2. same for me, so cool to see that there are more people reading these old blogs for the first time. its so helpfull!

  8. This is such a great collection and I’m really grateful to find it again.

    This covers wonderfully what to do once you’ve already found the communities you’re a part of (the blogs, facebook groups, etc), but I’m finding it a bit challenging to find those places to begin with, in part because I’m interested in a particular kind of niche (pattern matching games) that isn’t fully at home in general board game groups. The usual board game crowd can have quite mixed reviews depending on the type of game and what they’re looking for. Things like Wingspan and Viticulture do exceptionally well with this crowd! But I’m curious, for those out there making something a bit more niche (e.g. a minimal number of game pieces, nonstandard mechanics, etc.) what are your strategies for finding others with like interests? In the meantime I’ll go back to my googling, reddit-searching, discord-lurking, etc. and continue to try to find such places. Another new tool for me is https://metaphor.systems, though it can be hit or miss.

    Greatly appreciate the post, and any insight on how to locate more niche communities in the vastness of the internet,

    George

    1. That’s a great question, George! The thing I’ve learned about the gaming community is that there’s a Facebook group, BGG guild, or Discord for pretty much every niche of games. I don’t know one for your specific game, but maybe looking for groups, podcasters, or channels that focus on abstract games might help? There are a few places to hunt around listed here: https://stonemaiergames.com/kickstarter/how-to-design-a-tabletop-game/

      1. Much appreciated, and I’m impressed that even while running the company you make yourself available like this.

  9. These lessons are super important they do take time but I’ve found that 1 connection that becomes a friend is way better then getting paid promotions for a bunch of clicks from people you will never actually hear from.

  10. Hi Jamey, this is a great collection of help, as I start thinking of producing my own games :-) If I might add one point, it would be this:
    Ask for help from somebody with the right expertise (or maybe not). People actually like to be asked for help, even if this means they need to invest some time. It doesn’t have to be real work, just some advice, a needed answer or opinion is enough. By asking someone, I acknowledge their superior expertise, which is a compliment in itself. This helps strengthen the bond and eases future conversation.
    Keep up your great work!
    cheers,
    Alex.

  11. This is perfect! Question, I’m engaging with several facebook groups online that are created by other’s. How do I grow my own facebook community without promoting my group page on other groups?

    1. Great question! The biggest thing you can do is make your Facebook group a fun, engaging, welcoming place. Beyond that, it’s okay for you to talk about your product/project/company elsewhere—just make it a natural part of the conversations you have elsewhere.

  12. […] 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd Sharing the Love…of Your Competition […]

  13. […] you launch, it’s highly unlikely they’ll magically discover it when it appears on Kickstarter. Spend time and effort in your industry’s community and–when appropriate–share what you’re working on. The community continues during the […]

  14. Jamey thank you so much for these blogs! Our bottleneck in the few days of running our KS campaign is the crowd, and your blogs are shaping my mental model on what I need to do in the next couple of weeks to build my crowd. Thank you so much!

  15. You know that you’re creating quality content when people are still commenting 7 years later! I am hoping to eventually Kickstart my board game, and I have been going through all of your articles/posts/videos, and they are really helping me! Thanks so much for putting this stuff out there. I’m really excited to continue learning from it.

    1. Thanks Andrew! I occasionally look back at this post myself as a reminder that there are always ways for me to continue to reach out to people and expand our crowd. :)

  16. Thanks for these insights, Jamey. Great to know more about some of the ways that others have built their own community and good to see people sharing their advice (rather than selling it in a get-rich-quick scheme. Have a good day :)

  17. Your insights on Kickstarter and building crowd are very helpful.
    I admire the way you point out every single crucial detail about the process, following which one can plan their own course of action.
    I find your blog very helpful.

  18. Hi Jamey this article is from 2014 and the information here still holds strong today. Even though I publish comic books a lot of what you teach can be applied to my genre and many others. Thank you for your time.

  19. Hi Jamey,
    I decided to take your advice and start looking at other people’s blogs, but I am not a game developer, so I have to admit, I felt like I was reading a foreign language while looking at the blogs I saw avaiable. My project is a really unique abstact construction toy, but I have no idea where to find blogs or post a blog where people will take interest in that. I have in the past year (since I retired from 36 years of teaching high school chemistry) started using facebook just to post about fun stuff I’ve been discovering that has nothing to do with my project. I looked through my FB friend list of about 650 people, and about 630 of them are people I have actually known, taught with, had in class, attended workshops with, family members… Would that be a more appropriate place to start “blogging?” Or… do you know of a toy creators blog site?

  20. Hey Jamey,

    I wanted to thank you for everything you post about kickstarter campaings, Your advices are really helpfull, it gives me confidence that it’s achievable and gives a really good foresight for the future campaigns. I’ll definately follow all I can (even if there are so much of them that I’m afraid to forget some).

  21. Jamey, first of all thank you for the time you devoted to just simply helping people! you seem like a legit nice guy. I read all of your advice and it inspired me to get started on creating a board game. This one part though, about interacting with the community and building a base, is the part that is my biggest initial roadblock- I am quite the introvert. I feel that if I put out youtube posts and videos with me talking to the world, would actually hurt me, I’m pretty introverted. I would like to stick to emails. What is your thoughts on having a close friend or relative promote my product?

    1. Thanks Ryan! I can relate to your question, as I’m a big introvert too. Two quick answers: One, I wouldn’t suggest thinking about it as promoting your product. Rather, think of it as connecting with people about shared passions, just as you’re doing with your comment today.

      Two, finding a business partner whose strengths are your weaknesses can be invaluable, though even then, I think you should be prepared to share what you love with the world as yourself. That may mean you pick and choose the forms of social media that work for you, which is perfectly fine. :)

  22. I wish I had found your blog sooner. I’m starting to get closer to launching my first Kickstarter and I think your messages about being part of the community should be essential reading. Thanks Jamey!

  23. Thank you for your suggestion to start here, this post was great! I’ll be referring back to this regularly for sure. I’d like to break out of my bubble and start talking to more people in the industry, and I know this will help.

    Thanks again Jamey!

  24. Jamey, I wanted to ask something regarding starting a blog… I’ve started today writing a blog and came across a really complicated issue, at least for me: I’m from argentina, main language is spanish, though boardgaming community is growing, I think trying to appeal to it would be less beneficial than going for a broader crown using english as the blogs main languaje… What’s your take on it?

    1. Andres: With the power of Google Translate, I would recommend that you write the blog in Spanish, as anyone can still read it in English.

      1. Whanks for your replies, Jamey!
        I decided to write in spanish since there aren’t a lot of blogs (that I know of)…

        PS: sorry for the typos… Also, I’m not getting the notifications of new messages or any mail from here even though I subscribed to every post I replied to.

        1. You may want to check your spam folder, as I think you should get a confirmation from WordPress for each post on which you selected “Notify me of new comments via email”. You then approve the notifications, and you should them from then on. If you’re doing all that and you’re still not getting e-mail notifications, please let me know so I can look into that.

  25. What an excellent resource this website is. Each article addresses several things for young designers to think about while explaining in detail its importance, how it’s been successfully used in the past, and where to find additional resources. This article again teaches rather than tells; simple actions, diligence, patience, community, and respect are necessary for success. Regular actions build sustained success. Thanks for another great post!

  26. […] and about the things you do to build your audience. Additional information can be found on the Stonemaier Games’ website, as well as many other places. Until next time, happy […]

  27. […] Here are some small daily actions that can help you build a crowd. Make sure you have a hub with an e-newsletter signup before you do any of these […]

  28. […] followers who know about your product well before launch. These are people with whom you’ve forged genuine connections over time, or people who have found you through the content you create (blog, podcast, etc). I consider those […]

  29. Jamey, these are so good points! I find myself coming back to this site frequently, just to see if I missed somethings. Sure enough I did! You’re a great teacher! Keep burning bright!

  30. […] task that takes quite long and there have been numerous very good posts about it like this one here. But what if that reputation comes under attack? It can take months or years to build it, but only […]

  31. To add to the idea of commenting on other blogs, one method I’ve found helpful is to diversify the number of communities you participate in as much as possible. It takes some real commitment, but commenting on numerous, high-traffic websites frequently and with motivation gives you a much wider pool of potential backers to work with in the future, which is especially helpful when you’re starting out.

    How many communities (online or otherwise) did you initially draw from when you were starting out?

    1. Nicholas: I like that! I agree that diversification is good. When I was starting out, I focused mostly on comments on blogs (opposed to Twitter, BGG, Facebook, or YouTube), and I would say there were about 15-20 blogs I’d comment on at least once a month.

  32. Thank you! Your articles are very helpful! For me, a beginner in the world of board game publishing (soon expecting to start my first KS campaign), your thoughts about marketing, crowdfunding and interacting with people via social media are just pure gold. They turn complicated multi-layered task into simple, “easy to remember” form and that’s invaluable.

    Cheers!

  33. Hi Jamie. We’ve chatted a little by email in the past, and as everyone has said, great blog and resource.

    I’m in an interesting situation in which we are currently running a campaign but we launched it prematurely (crazy considering we’ve run a solid campaign in the past in a different category) without building a crowd, and have therefore not managed to gain momentum. As you’ll know this means you don’t feature in any of the popular lists etc, so get no benefit from the Kickstarter audience as the project isn’t visible.

    Since launching the campaign and realising this, I’ve implemented a better approach. We’ve got around 100 playtesters lined up to receive physical test packs, and we’ll build a crowd over the next couple months.

    Currently, our campaign backers are mainly from my personal network, and we’re unlikely to hit the funding target. My thoughts at this point are to cancel the campaign and then re-launch it once we’re happier with the size of the crowd that we’ll have behind it. Do you think this is the way to go at this stage? What would your approach be given the situation?

  34. I’m in the beginning stages of preparing my card game for a go at Kickstarter. I’ve been devouring your posts religiously the last couple of days. Thank you for such an in depth look at the world of crowdsourcing! On to the next post…

  35. Hey Jamey! I just found your site because I recently just purchased Scythe (love it) and was looking at the expansion. While browsing your site I found your kickstarter page. I’ve been thinking of designing a game for awhile now and I’m so appreciative of all the help you’ve laid out here! Like I’m blown away by the amount of content and it’s been so helpful-even in these early stages-getting a better picture of what I want to do!

    I also really love this article because I have a small youtube channel on the side that I’ve been trying to grow for the last year. So “building a crowd” is always something on the forefront of my mind! Couple things I’ve learned from youtube is to “Be Consistent” and “Be Authentic.” That’s forcing me to make my twitter less about “hey check out this video” and more about “hey this is who I am.” And instead of posting once a week, trying to post more often! I feel one of the best way to get a crowd is to get people to love you as a person. And I think you’re doing a great job of it just by replying to people and being so open on this blog!

    Thanks for being encouraging!

    1. Thanks for your note, Brian! I appreciate you sharing some of the things you’ve learned through your YouTube channel. I really like the concept of “Hey, this is who I am.”

  36. […] that this is not a huge number, but also, it’s not something that needs to be underestimated. I remember how I “fought” for every single potential backer during promoting our first game, and seeing we have 60+ new customers brought by IndieGogo, without moving a finger from our side, […]

  37. Hi – i”m planning to launch my new product (to correct screen slouching) in September 2017. I’m going to start above mentioned steps, however debating whether to have on online account (on FB, T etc) using my company or my personal name ?

    1. Adam: I think either is fine, depending on what your brand is. If it’s about you, just use your name. If you want people to focus on the company, use the company name. If you choose that latter, if you are the only person at the company, I would recommend using a photo of yourself as your company profile photo.

  38. Hi Jamey. Great article, it’s amazing how much help you have been already.

    Could you please expand on ‘don’t buy your crowd’? I am trying hard to build an online social presence, but I’m finding it more difficult than anticipated. It’s really easy to fall between the cracks (even if I try to follow all of your steps), purely because there are now so many competitors in the marketplace. My idea was to spend a little bit on advertising on facebook, twitter, instagram. Is that also a valid approach? I basically just want people to learn about the game, but I’m not sure if this is the right way to go about it.

    Thank again.

    1. Thanks Jamey. Not only do I appreciate this site you’ve set up for others, but your quick reply is equally amazing. I’ll prioritize reading that section next, skimming through it just now, it looks like it might have a couple of resources that I hadn’t found on my own yet.

  39. Hello. I was only recently introduced to this site by another gaming friend. I am loving the content on here and still have quite a bit of reading to do. I couldn’t find a great spot for my question, so I hope this spot is acceptable. My question is this:

    I am just finishing up putting together a PnP version of my game so I can send it to others for feedback, and hopefully, so they can enjoy playing it. Of course playing it with my friends is great, and I can take it to my local game stores, but I would really like to connect with people in other areas. So, is there a good place to find gamers who enjoy working together? Maybe who enjoy game testing and providing feedback? Or maybe just like fantasy board games and want to play another one before it’s officially released?

    I’ve been looking around quite a bit and seem to be having trouble finding people to connect with. While I continue looking, I’ll keep reading the posts here. Perhaps I just haven’t gotten to the right one yet :)

  40. Hi Jamey,

    First, I want to thank you for all the information you shared with us through this blog.
    I am particularly curious about this step – building a crowd and I agree with the things you mentioned above. Now the thing is since I am not from the states, how could I promote my game here? Because some of the things you wrote, do not apply, if you are not from around here.

  41. […] 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd […]

  42. Hi Jamey – Thanks once again for this website and the wonderful resource it is. This is my rebooted attempt at my own blog – check out Reality Respite Games. Hopefully it will do as these lessons suggest and become a valuable resource for people (though not in the same league as yours…). It should be a fun ride to publish my game design pain for all as well…

  43. […] 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd […]

  44. Jamey, thanks so much for your blog! I first came across your work when I saw Scythe on Kickstarter. What a beautiful and interesting looking game! Since then, I’ve been reading your blog and really appreciate all the advice you give. But I haven’t commented to thank you yet. So taking the advice of this post, I am leaving my first comment. For myself, and all others out there who enjoy designing games and are trying to figure out how to make them great and produce them for others, thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom!

    1. Thanks Sam! I appreciate you taking the time to comment, and I’m glad this blog has been helpful for you. :)

  45. Hi Jamey

    Your lessons are really helpful and your podcast with Richard was so clear and thorough. Thank you very much for all your Crowdfunding advice! Been going through them a lot. I liked that you included ‘Help a stranger’. That’s such thoughtful advice that doesn’t get said enough. Thanks again :)

  46. I think the key thing is to do all these stuff on a regular basis. Every day a bit. It’s better to spend 15 minutes every day than 2 hour once per week!

    Just a great list of everyday tasks! Printed! Thanks!

  47. Thank you for the great info collected here I am starting to get organized to start up my own kickstarter campaign and I was wondering if you think that with the free sample if having rough prototypes could be constructed for free samples and reviews would be acceptable when it comes to card games. I was thinking about using some quality card stock and printing everything on my own. What are your thoughts.

    Respectfully
    Dewayne

    1. Dewayne: Thanks for your question. It’s definitely fine to put together some homemade prototypes, especially for a card game where it just involves some printing and cutting (and maybe sleeving). Have fun! :)

  48. Abigail: Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you found it at the right time. I applaud you for staying grounded and focused on building relationships instead of giving in to the lure of the PR firms. :)

  49. Jamey,
    Thanks so much for your post. I stumbled upon it at a great time. I agree with your theory of having genuine followers and not buying likes. I have been over whelmed with the amount of PR firms that have approached me since the launch of my campaign and it is so tempting. I keep trying to stay grounded and focused and i think your list will be very helpful. Thanks again.

    Regards,

    Abigail

  50. Hey Jamey,

    I have Facebook and BGG setup so far, I have no idea how to use twitter :D. Thanks for taking the time to get back to me, I’m going to continue to be positive and practice what I know and continue to use the new ideas from this part of the site.

    Thanks for being approachable and… wise.

    Simon

  51. Simon: Thanks for your comment. This is an interesting scenario, because you have done what I talk about so much in terms of building a crowd of people who are passionate about your game. The only problem is that it sounds like they are the only people who even know the game exists (I could be reading that wrong).

    However, it’s not too late to change that. All the tools are at your disposal–it’s just up to you to plug back in and use them. Kickstarter is a web platform with a mini social network built into it, so now is a great time to prepare yourself for running a campaign by diving into BGG, Facebook, and Twitter. April is a little tight, but it’s possible if you dive in today.

  52. Hey Jamey,

    I have been hooked and chronically reviewing advice from this section of your website since I have discovered it, thank you for taking the time to be such a supporting figure. I’m launching a Kickstarter at the beginning of April and currently I’m scared. Three years ago I was unprepared and launched a Kickstarter that failed.

    I have a practical major that I choose not to use to work on projects of my own. I am currently the web designer artist and game designer for my game, and like you, work around 40 – 80 hours a week on top of my other job.

    My problem is that I’m not social and have deliberately severed digital communications for the past 8 years so I don’t get so distracted (I still have a flip phone and just re-activated my facebook for this game). I also moved last year, taking me away from my large support group that I had at home.

    I’m excited about my game and love my testers that have helped and supported me thus far, but I’m scared for the fact that I have absolutely zero online presence.

    There’s a ton of answers I’ve already read, but it’s slow working going thus far, I’m writing to see if there is anything in specific that you think might help my current situation?

    I have a set of around 20 regular testers, and around 20 other friends that enjoy playing the game so far and… they’re my game essentially, they’ve basically made it, through suggestions and feedback and they’re the ones that are spreading it through word of mouth currently. Things have quieted down a bit now though that testing is over and I’ve shut myself in coffee shops preparing for the launch.

  53. Hi Jamey
    Just reading more and more of your lessons And finding gems in each one. You have really created a fantastic resource for us all.

    I’m going to print this out and do as you say!

  54. […] 6 Tips to Smash Your Kickstarter Goal in a Single Day The Ultimate Kickstarter and Greenlight Guide Learning From Shadowrun Returns Kickstarter Success (QA) 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd (not directly Kickstarter related, but a good resource for buil… […]

  55. I’m really glad to have found this blog right at the very start of our project. Reading about how people only found this after they had a failed project really drive the point home. As this is one of the most useful sites I have found those far I’m going to make you my number 2 of the 10 daily actions “Comment on one other blog” until something better comes along any way… just kidding.

  56. […] 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd […]

  57. Just found this website today, thank you this is a great help.

    I had a failed Kickstarter in 2013, and not having an established community around the game before diving in really hit us hard.

    I am ramping up for a new Kickstarter later this year and I have to say that building a community in anticipation of it is definitely the most challenging element for me.

  58. […] the advice of Jamey Stegmaier, specifically from 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd and Art of the Comment, I have been putting effort into picking my favorite blog entry every day […]

  59. […] from Stonemaier Games has a lot of information about what he uses for marketing. He’s even got this checklist. It’s good advice. I feel the same way – try to help others, write articles, make videos that […]

  60. Fantastic tips. Now that’s putting your money where your mouth is, eh! You’re definitely giving back.
    It is interesting how it’s all about personal engagement… no one really cares so much about just some faceless company. They prefer to get to know people.
    Thanks again, I’ll definitely be trawling through your treasure trove of articles.

    1. Well said, Oliver. I really like what you said about personal engagement, and I completely agree.

  61. I am absolutely inspired Jamey. You definitely practice what you preach. Time to bust out of my shell and start actually moving towards my goal. It’s a long walk, but I now know there are lots of places to look for support and guidance. You’re awesome.

  62. This article is wonderfully insightful. I am printing it out like you recommended and going to do my best to follow through. I look forward to reading through your other posts. Now that I have made my way through most of “Funding the Dream,” I need more Kickstarter help! Luckily, I already know from listening to you on “Funding the Dream” that this is the place to get it.

  63. Hey Jamey, great list! Seems like alot (if not all) of these would greatly help to build an interest in a kickstarter. Had a question about distributing a free sample. As we are starting out with our game we are realizing that a full version sample is going to be quite expensive to prototype. We were thinking of creating small sample packs that give you a feel for the game but obviously wouldn’t last as long as the full game. Do you think this is a good strategy? And what about giving it to reviewers, should we be planning to get multiple full versions of the game created to be able to give them to a reviewer?

    Appreciate any advice you have on this aspect. Thanks!

    1. Phillip: I think it depends on the game. For a reviewer, you want to give them as much of the game as possible. It’s tough for them to review it properly without a full game. Pick a few reviewers you really like and focus on them.

      As for general promotional samples, if you can replicate the essence of the game in a small pack, sure, it can’t hurt to hand out to people. I don’t know if people will necessarily play it (it’s going against every other game in their collection), but it’s possible.

    2. Hi Phillip, I’m glad you brought this up because I’m in the same boat right now. I’m about to finish my final prototype of my first game, which incorporates A LOT of components and custom pieces, so it will be quite expensive to make as well. I agree with Jamey though, in that you should try to get as much of your complete game as possible to the reviewers. I feel that the more complete and the more your prototype looks like a finished product, the better presentation it’s going to make for the reviewers. You could focus on making a really nice prototype to send to reviewers, and let that copy be mailed from one reviewer to the next (I haven’t done this yet but I’m guessing it’s a matter of providing them with a box and paid shipping label to the next destination).

      Additionally, you could put those sample packs together to hand out to people, it wouldn’t hurt. Ultimately though, if you have to wait an extra month to afford to get a really nice prototype made, I think it’s worth it. You want it to make an impact and exceed expectations.

  64. Thank you for the post Jamey. I am printing this out to post on my wall when I am unsure of what else to do in a day.

  65. Some of this advice can apply to a marriage, help others first.

    But now I’m overwhelmed again with months more networking to do. My first Kickstarter is like deciding when to go in the middle ring in Talisman, I never feel prepared.

    Still excellent advice. Thanks!

    1. Reed: I like the idea of applying this to marriage too!

      It can feel overwhelming, but I’m hoping this post helps you break the work down into little chunks that you can ultimately have fun with. Good luck!

  66. […] on my post about the 10 daily actions to build your crowd before launching a Kickstarter project, I recommended that future creators try to make one comment somewhere online once a […]

  67. Not only was this awesome for me (planning to do my first kick start next year), I also passed this on to my wife – she works for herself, running her own business.
    Great advise, thanks again!

  68. Really nice list Jamey. I’ve been going through a lot of your posts recently and there is some real gems in every post. Thanks so much for sharing what you’ve learned as you’ve gone along. I know it will make me feel all the more positive going into my next KS campaign.
    Cheers,
    Ben.

  69. […] constantly reinforces that you should take 15 minutes out of each day to find someone that you know, maybe someone that […]

  70. Printing this out now. Thank you for sharing your lessons and knowledge. We’re just getting going in this industry and are really striving to start doing these things and get connected with the community. We’ve been in our own little bubble for a long time, but are learning (through you and others like the Funding the Dream podcast) that we need to break out of that and build a community. Good advice!

    1. Thanks Jessica! I’m glad you’re finding the blog to be helpful. Good luck as you expand out of your bubble (though it’s good that you have a bubble to start with!)

  71. Stonemaier Games » To Kickstart or Not to Kickstarter: The Top 10 Reasons to Launch a Product via Crowdfunding says:

    […] You don’t already have some sort of community or crowd: You need the support of people who believe in you from day 1 on Kickstarter. This is distinctly different than angel investing, for example, in which case you really only need a few people to believe in you. How do you build a crowd? I’m glad you asked. […]

  72. Today in Board Games Issue #216 - Should I Buy Battle at Kemble's Cascade? - Today in Board Games says:

    […] 10 Daily Actions to Build Your Crowd – Stonemaier Games […]

  73. Jamey – Awesome post and I think it is inspiring. I’m not in the industry but would like to be more involved in the hobby community. Would you change any items to apply them to game hobbyists?

    1. Jimmy: I try to write these posts to apply to all types of KS project categories, but because I’m mostly involved in the tabletop game category, they definitely all apply there. Boardgamegeek.com is a great starting point!

  74. This is such a great list and one we strive to do daily (although not always accomplishing). I especially like #9. One thing I have noticed about being in the board game industry is this sense of comradery that just seems to permeate the industry. I have never met such genuine people that, while they are your competitors, honestly want to see you succeed.

    I endeavor to run my company to those high ideals which is one of the reasons I like to promote other peoples games, help answer their questions, give feedback, and even buy their games. Because the world can always use more great games!

    Anyway, thanks Jamey, for being a part of that. It was great to finally meet you at Gen Con btw.

    1. Thanks, Jeff. We’re very fortunate to be in an industry with such a great sense of camaraderie. It was great to meet you too!

  75. I think one of the most important things in this is to have respect and care in all of these things. I thank many folks through my day, but how do they know that is what you mean or that it is from my heart? I will give you an example and I challenge you to do this and see the difference.

    When I go to the store or a place of business and I speak with an employee I use the name that is provided to me on their name tag. I will tell you when I say thank you Tom, instead of just thank you it makes a difference to both of us. As a customer it is like the server who runs my card and looks at my name and says Thank you for coming in to see us Mr. Washburn.

    This creates a diffrrent level of communication. I also want to always go the extra mile for someone. Not because I have too, but because I would want that from them.

    Great advice in all of what you have posted. I know I can do better. Thank you Mr. Stegmaier, you gifts to the community are awesome!

    1. Jason: I completely agree. I think we’ve all been at “networking” events where we encountered people who were simply there to network opposed to those who are there because they really care about the topic or the community. There’s a big difference.

      Also, it’s okay to call me Jamey. :)

  76. Wow Jamey, this might be one of the best posts you’ve made. I know it’s constantly a question on my mind as developing and maintaining connections doesn’t come naturally to me, I have to work on it constantly.

    I love talk positively about the competition as one of the main things. I think this is always important in all aspects of life.

    1. Thanks Dominique. I think you point out something crucial here–the idea that we have to be intentional about these things. That’s why I like to treat them as a checklist of sorts, something to keep nearby your workstation.

  77. printed, taped to wall. Thanks!
    I particularly was inspired by the “distribute one free sample”. I think of samples for events, but I often don’t have any on hand when I am places and the conversation turns to what do you do and all that. Having a sample would make a world of difference. Thus, from now on, will have samples in the car, on hand wherever I go.

  78. Great article, I’ve already been doing most of these (though not quite daily) and I’m already getting good results. I’ve never been the most social person so it’s all a bit scary to me, but it’s scary in a good way. I’m taking it as an opportunity for personal growth.

    1. Richard: That’s great to hear that you’re already doing a bunch of these things! I like that you’re doing it despite it being a little scary.

    2. I’m just getting started on building my crowd and feel the same. Like you said it’s a chance to grow so I’ll take these things and run with them! It is a bit scary tho ?

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