The Crowdfunding Success Course
DISCOVER HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY CROWDFUND YOUR GAME
- Build an audience of raving fans
- Get your game funded
- Share your game with the world
LOOKING TO SELF-PUBLISH YOUR GAME?
It's great to take charge and maintain creative control over your game. You've worked hard to make an amazing game and you should be able to enjoy the fruits of your labours.
But designing a game and publishing a game isn't the same thing. Each one requires a completely different set of skills.
- Do you know how to build a following that will dramatically increase your chance of getting funded?
- How can you actually get your game made (finding an artist and graphic designer, understanding manufacturing and shipping, working with reviewers, etc.)?
- How will you ensure you can deliver your project without losing your shirt?
You can waste thousands of dollars on ads that nobody is looking at and that don't lead to sales (I know creators who have done this I can help you avoid this), spend tons of time on things that won't increase your backers, and end up out of pocket with an unfunded project.
That's why you need to invest in yourself and your project, doing things the right way.
“Without a doubt, if I had read Joe’s book back in 1989, it would have accelerated my progress and potential as a game designer by decades.”
-Jamey Stegmaier Designer of Scythe, one of the top 10 board games of all time.
HOW TO ACTUALLY BUILD AN AUDIENCE AND MARKET YOUR GAME
It's no secret.
You need to build an audience before you launch your crowdfunding campaign. Everyone is telling you this.
The only problem is, nobody tells you HOW to do this!
The Crowdfunding Success Course will...
- Help you identify your exact audience
- Show you how to build a following
- Demonstrate how to market your game
- Make you confident of success before you launch
I’ve been there before and I can help you to get your game funded and bring your dream to life.
It doesn't matter if you're using Kickstarter, Gamefound, or any other platform. The same principles will apply and they will help you reach your goal.
AFTER DESIGNING GAMES FOR 15 YEARS, DANNY FINALLY HAD 2 OF HIS GAMES PUBLISHED WITHIN A YEAR OF PARTICIPATING IN THE CREATION TO PUBLICATION PROGRAM
"Joe Slack's course gives you an opportunity to pick the brain of an industry insider as well as the other pupils. I highly recommend the course. Joe improved my games, and also helped me place them by suggesting four publishers."
-Danny Goodisman Creation to Publication Program Student
Does building an audience and running a campaign feel daunting to you?
YOU CAN LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN.
I CAN HELP.
Hi, my name is Joe Slack.
I've been designing board games since 2014 and I have helped over 4,000 game designers just like you. For years I have been helping game designers hone their skills and achieve their goals.
- I wrote the #1 international best-selling book "The Board Game Designer's Guide" and 3 other popular game design books
- I have taught Game Design and Development at Wilfrid Laurier University
- I created and run an online Board Game Design Course, which has been taken by over 100 students
- I have 7 published games and expansions with more on the way
- I have run 4 successful Kickstarter campaigns with each one raising well over their funding goals
A little more about me and my game design experience:
4 SUCCESSFUL KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGNS
My game, Relics of Rajavihara, not only funded in just 4 hours but it also raised 663% of the original goal.
The expansion campaign in 2021 reached 1,634% of its funding goal after funding in just 25 minutes.
14 Frantic Minutes and Mayan Curse also greatly surpassed their funding goals.
4 GAMES PUBLISHED WITH ESTABLISHED PUBLISHERS
- Zoo Year’s Eve
- Kingdom's Candy: Monsters
- Four Word Thinking
- King of Indecision
BEST SELLING AUTHOR ON BOARD GAME DESIGN
4 books on board game design - 1 international best-seller and 2 other #1 new releases.
The Board Game Designer's Guide
The Top 10 Mistakes New Board Game Designers Make (and How to Avoid Them)
The Board Game Designer's Guide to Getting Published
The Board Game Designer's Guide to Careers in the Industry
Some people are natural game designers. Some people are natural teachers. Learn from someone who is recognized as both.
“The course really helped me understand the process involved in designing a board game. Joe is a great instructor. He is able to ask probing questions that help to draw out answers so he can assist you with your game design.”
-David Neal Board Game Design Course student
JOIN NOW
CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE
CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE PLUS
CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE FULL COACHING PROGRAM
"The course was helpful in creating a support system for me. It created a community of fellow designers that were experiencing the same difficulties that I was having. I have already recommended the Board Game Design Course to others getting into game design."
-Chris Cormier Board Game Design Course Student
WHAT YOU WILL GET
Here is exactly what you will get when you join the Crowdfunding Success Course:
✔
THE CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE
A pre-recorded group training and coaching program led by me that will walk you step-by-step through the process of building your audience, preparing your campaign, and launching your crowdfunding project
✔
A STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS
12 sections, covering everything from working with manufacturers, to pricing your game, to running your campaign, to delivering your game to happy backers and everything in between
✔
WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE
Take the course at your own pace, covering the material according to your launch plan, getting the right information at just the right time
✔
LIFETIME ACCESS
Lifetime access to all the video lessons and resources
✔
MEMBERS-ONLY COMMUNITY
A full 12 months of access to the Private Members-Only Community, including twice-monthly group coaching calls to answer all your questions
✔
TAILORED CONTENT
Content is tailored to you, answering any questions you have
✔
EXPERT GUIDANCE
Expert advice and guidance throughout the course from an experienced board game designer, instructor, and crowdfunding campaign creator
BONUS OFFER
When you join today, you'll also receive a free copy of my next ebook "The Board Game Designer's Guide to Successfully Crowdfunding Your Game" when it is released.
HERE ARE THE LESSONS WE'LL BE COVERING IN THE COURSE
01
PROJECT PLANNING
We start things off in Lesson 1 by determining your budget, creating realistic timelines for everything you'll need to get done, and developing goals and expectations to set you up for success. I'll compare platforms and give you my recommendations but also bust some common crowdfunding myths and ensure you know how, what, when, where, and why to launch your game the right way.
02
BUILDING AN AUDIENCE
Everyone says "build an audience" but then never shows you how. Well, I'm going to share specific proven strategies to build an audience and engage with your fans, along with how to set up an email list, landing page, and a whole lot more. We'll cover social media strategies and how to develop playtest groups as well.
03
FINALIZING YOUR GAME
Lesson 3 is all about final development work and finding artists and graphic designers to help bring your game to life and make your campaign one that will attract attention. We'll also determine whether a "deluxe" version is right for your game (which can easily boost your sales by 20% or more).
04
FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERS
In Lesson 4, I will help you find reputable partners, including manufacturers, fulfilment centres, graphic designers, artists, rulebook editors, as well as the right game reviewers and other influencers who will help you bring in more backers. I'll share my recommendations for all of the above and also show you how to obtain great quotes so that you can find the best match for you.
05
MAKING YOUR PROJECT PAGE
Lesson 5 focuses on getting a jumpstart on your campaign by creating an early notification page, creating the optimal page structure, and making a killer video.
06
MARKETING AND PROMOTION
In Lesson 6, I will share specific social media post ideas to increase engagement, show you how to run ads, and find the right partners who will bring backers to you in a way that won't make you feel like a sleazy used car salesman.
07
GETTING SHIPPING & TAXES RIGHT
Shipping and taxes are the biggest campaign killers. If you get these wrong, you can turn a profitable campaign to break-even, or a break-even campaign into a big loss. In lesson 7, I'll show you how to get these right.
08
PRICING YOUR GAME
In lesson 8, I will help you price your game at the right level that will appeal to backers and set a funding goal that is reasonable while covering all your manufacturing and shipping costs.
09
REWARDS, PLEDGE LEVELS & STRETCH GOALS
In lesson 9, I will help you finalize your rewards and pledge levels, including exclusives, deluxe versions, print and play pledge levels, stretch goals, and more.
10
RUNNING YOUR CAMPAIGN
In lesson 10, I'll cover what to do as soon as you hit launch, when and how to update your backers, best practices for revealing stretch goals, and how to deal with the dreaded "mid-campaign slump."
11
ONCE YOUR CAMPAIGN ENDS
In lesson 11, I will show you what to do as soon as your campaign ends, including encouraging late pledges and upgrades, how to set up your pledge manager, meeting box labelling, testing, and certification requirements, working with your manufacturer to keep everything on track, and keeping your backers happy.
12
DELIVERING & BUILDING ON YOUR SUCCESS
In lesson 12, we'll make sure every last backer receives their game, we'll celebrate your successes, and plan your next move. This will include methods of selling your extra copies, getting your game into retail stores, and when you should consider re-printing your game or creating an expansion.
COACHING PROGRAM
ALSO INCLUDES
AN IN-DEPTH PROJECT PAGE REVIEW
A full review of your crowdfunding project page with tips on how to improve performance, remove any red flags, and appeal to more backers.
PLEDGE LEVEL AND FUNDING GOAL CALCULATOR
This will help you set the right funding and pledge levels, as well as determine how many backers you will need to fund your project.
2 x ONE HOUR DEEP DIVE CALLS BEFORE YOU LAUNCH TO ENSURE YOU'RE READY TO LAUNCH
A full review of your game, components, rules, quotes, pricing, etc. and detailed feedback on how to increase your chances of success and your funding.
A ONE HOUR CALL DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON TRACK
We'll review your progress and make sure to keep your community engaged and get out of that mid-campaign slump.
2 x ONE HOUR POST-CAMPAIGN PLANNING CALLS
We'll cover what went well on your campaign and what could have been improved. Then we'll set you up for success by planning your next steps and ensuring you will be able to deliver to your backers on time and on budget, along with how many copies to order and what to do with your extras.
THERE IS ZERO RISK TO YOU!
I’m so confident that you’ll love The Crowdfunding Success Course that I stand behind it 100% with my Ripped-Up Legacy Card Guarantee.
If you try out the program and decide it's not right for you, take the receipt and rip it up like a card in a legacy game and I’ll give you all your money back. You have a full 30 days from the start of the course for a full refund.
I want everyone who joins the course to be confident and excited about launching their project, and if you’re not, please let me know.
I’m happy to refund your money if the program isn’t right for you. No hard feelings. ☺
BUT DON'T JUST TAKE IT FROM ME
HERE IS WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID
“I would definitely recommend working with Joe. He has a lot of experience to share.”
- Amelie Le-Roche, Mentoring Program Student
“In board game design, there's a limit to how much you can learn just from reading books and blogs; Joe has a firm grasp on industry trends, important networks to follow, and knows what it takes to get a game published.”
- Patrick Hardy, Mentoring Program Student
"Joe really cares and wants to help. He is fully genuine in wanting everyone to succeed. He is constantly putting out content and the course continues to get better. Wherever you are on the journey, I know you’ll benefit from Joe's experience."
- Neal Baker, Board Game Design Course Student
"When it comes to teaching, Joe is a natural communicator. Apart from being an amazing communicator, he is a listener, which in my opinion is an essential asset in problem-solving and game design."
- Sylvain Plante, Game Designer
“It doesn't matter if you’re working on game number 1 or game number 100. Joe takes you through all the steps so you don't miss anything."
- Juan Becerril, Telomander Games
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I pay?
You can pay by any major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, etc.) or by PayPal.
What makes the Crowdfunding Success Course different?
Not only is the course taught by an actual game designer who has also taught and written 4 books on game design and launched 3 very successful Kickstarter campaigns, but it's also the only course that includes a membership community, group coaching calls, and bonus live material and reviews of your campaign page. I don't just hand you the materials and say "good luck", I walk you through everything step-by-step and I am involved the whole way through, helping you every step of the way.
Will this work for both a Kickstarter and Gamefound campaign?
Yes! The same key principles apply to any platform you utilize for your crowdfunding campaign. I will also share my recommendations for which platform to use.
What if I have a weird schedule?
Don’t worry! All the material is pre-recorded, so you can take the course at your own pace, whenever you have the time. Plus, you can always ask your questions in advance and have them answered on the call, even if you can’t make it live.
Is there a guarantee if I don't like the course or change my mind?
Yes! I’m so confident that you’ll love the course and will be able to create your own game that I stand behind it 100% with my Ripped-Up Legacy Card Guarantee. You'll find all the details above.
What stage should my game be at when I join?
To get the most out of the course, your game should be at least in the late development phase and you should be confident that it is unique and will appeal to gamers. You'll have access to the course for life, so you can always return to the lessons anytime if life gets in the way. If you're still not sure and you have any questions, please email me: joe@boardgamedesigncourse.com
What if I get too busy during the program and have to stop?
No problem! You'll get unlimited LIFETIME ACCESS to all the videos and resources in the course. So, the course will still be here for you when you're ready.
WHAT YOU'LL GET FROM THE COURSE
By the end of the course, you'll know:
- All the steps you'll need to do leading up to the campaign
- What you need to get done and when
- The best way to structure your crowdfunding page
- How to structure pledge tiers
- How to create and space out stretch goals throughout your campaign
- What to do on launch day
- How to become a "project we love"
- The proper way to handle late pledges (and bring in even more backers)
- How to deliver your game on-time and on-schedule
- How to sell those extra copies and get into stores
- Build a raving audience that will be back for your next game
You'll save time and money by doing everything in the right order and getting it right the first time.
If you want to crowdfund your game in the next 12 months, I'm here to help you launch with success.
JOIN NOW
CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE
CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE PLUS
CROWDFUNDING SUCCESS COURSE FULL COACHING PROGRAM
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