Last summer, Kokoon launched the first sleep-sensing EEG headphones. These headphones are designed to be slept in, and know how and when to adjust your music and other audio as you fall asleep and when you wake up. The EEG sensors and app provide intelligence to help improve your sleep. Kokoon’s users feel they fall asleep easier and , and wake up feeling restored, and because Kokoon can track sleep patterns, users have the data to back it up. What’s more, Kokoon partnered with Onkyo Corporation to make sure the headphones provided world-class audio.
By the time the Kickstarter project closed on July 10, 2015, Kokoon had raised $1,936,825 from 8,489 backers.
Video
The video begins with a shot of the creator explaining the inspiration behind Kokoon – he was frustrated by troubles falling asleep. He wanted a natural way to improve sleep quality, so he created the sleep-sensing headphones that improve sleep through the use of audio. Beyond the sleep-sensing capabilities, the physical design of the headphones was done with comfort in mind – again, in order to help the user sleep better. Then, he explains why they partnered with Onkyo: to make sure the audio was high-quality to provide the best experience.
After explaining the physical benefits of the product, the founder goes on to lay out the prototyping and development process, which the team spent nearly two years on, before going to China for several months to meet with manufacturers in order to truly make their headphones the best natural sleep product on the market.
Finally, the video ends with a direct ask from the founder – something we consider key to any Kickstarter video.
At 2:51, the video is the ideal length; it includes all the necessary information, without losing the viewer’s interest by being too long. Additionally, it’s high quality, tells the story behind the product, highlights the headphones’ key features and instills confidence in potential backers by showing off aspects of prototyping and manufacturing.
Campaign Page
At the top of the page, Kokoon includes some information about where to get the product now that the campaign is over; this is something we always recommend project creators add right before their campaigns end. By including all of their press mentions at the top, it instills confidence in those considering backing the project.
Below that, the real meat of the page begins. Kokoon starts off by describing the project in depth, including its features and what makes it unique. Specifically, they highlight their partnership with Onkyo, and how that guarantees that the sound will be great.
After highlighting each feature and differentiator, the campaign page goes into logistics – who the team is, what the production timeline is, the products specs, why they are launching it on Kickstarter and FAQs.
Perks
Kokoon made several interesting decisions when determining which rewards to offer on Kickstarter, and other project creators can be inspired by their choices.
First, the Kokoon team chose to offer a less expensive “light” version without the sleep science, sensors or app. Essentially, it’s a set of comfortable headphones meant for sleeping. The two rewards for this version had 270 backers combined, and at $139 (for early birds) and $159, a significant amount of money was raised through this simpler version.
This brings us to another point that is worth mentioning – always include a limited number of early bird rewards in your perks. It creates a sense of urgency, making visitors more likely to convert into backers at the beginning of your campaign.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that their highest pledge level was $3,000 for a product workshop. If you can offer a perk like this, do it. Only one person backed at this level, but that’s $3,000 the campaign may not have received otherwise. For a Kickstarter project that raised as much as Kokoon did, $3,000 isn’t much, but when it comes to hitting your goal, these high-dollar rewards can make a big difference.
Press
Kokoon received press from most of the the top tech blogs. If you’re planning a crowdfunding project for a tech product, definitely plan to reach out to these outlets – a press hit from even one of them can bring in a huge number of pledges.
Key Takeaways
So, what can crowdfunding project creators learn from this project?
- Make sure your Kickstarter video tells the project’s story, rather than simply showing off the features
- Use your campaign page to highlight what makes your project awesome, and what separates it from the competition
- Don’t feel limited by the final product when deciding what perks to offer – consider offering lighter versions, developer packages and trips to meet the team
- Always reach out to the top tech blogs before launching, as getting a hit in some of these outlets can provide a significant boost to your campaign
For more tips and tricks from successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects, tune into our podcast.
