An upsell is an enticement for customers to purchase more, both during and after a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign. At Art of the Kickstart, we often recommend using upsells both during the campaign and once it’s over. Fortunately, software such as BackerKit or CrowdOx makes it easy to upsell to your backers and offer add-on products.
Below we’ve compiled some of our top tips for upsells.
Pitch your upsell directly on the crowdfunding campaign page by inserting the upsell description in the rewards copy.
Say you’re selling a special type of shoe, and you know that backers are going to want multiple shoelace colors as accessories to the shoe. Within the copy of the rewards description, you can simply insert text that tells backers how much to add to their pledge to get the desired add-on, using copy such as, “Want extra shoelaces? Simply add $2 to your contribution for each shoelace color you wish to buy!” This way, backers will be able to take advantage of those add-ons while backing your project.
Offer your upsell through project updates.
If you want to introduce an add-on or upsell mid-campaign, consider using backer updates to notify your customers. Kickstarter emails updates out to all backers, so this is a great way to pitch add-ons to those who have already backed your project. Try adding a button to your update copy that says something along the lines of “Add to my Order,” then link this button to their pledge by adding “/pledge/new/” at the end of your project URL. This will take them back to their original pledge so they can add enough to cover the cost of the add-on. Be sure to mention what add-ons you are offering and how to add to the pledge.
Use direct messaging to promote your add-ons.
You can also try messaging your backers privately to promote your add-ons and upsells. Think of this message as friendly outreach, thanking the backer for their support and for making your idea a reality and then offering the add-on, noting that it is exclusive to Kickstarter backers. Try using the backer’s first name in the message and ending with your own first name; this personalization drastically improves click-through rates.
Managing your upsells after the campaign.
After your campaign, you’ll need to manage rewards, add-ons and upsells for fulfillment to ensure all backers get exactly what they wanted. Services like CrowdOx or BackerKit can simplify the process. For example, BackerKit gives backers the option to choose an add-on if they pledged an extra amount during the campaign, but it also gives backers a chance to add new items that they didn’t get during the campaign, ultimately increasing your funding even more.
For more tips and techniques for hitting your crowdfunding goal and increasing your funding, tune into our podcast or subscribe to our newsletter!
