BackerKit Cross-Collab Campaign

What is a Cross-Collab Campaign?

Why Cross-Collab Campaign?

Cross-Collab Reward Incentive Examples

When Can I Launch?

Requirements to Participate

Participation Perks

How to Communicate Your Cross-Collab Campaign

What Makes a Great Cross-Collab Partner?

Help! I need assistance in finding a cross-collab partner!

How to Connect Your Cross-Collab Campaign with Your Partner

How to Shout Out Your Cross-Collab Campaign

What is a Cross-Collab Campaign?

Introducing Cross-Collab Campaigns: Crowdfunding campaigns where two (2) creators launch two (2) separate projects concurrently, each with its own independent concept and funding goal, but collaborate on an incentive (eg. an exclusive cross-collab reward) that unlocks only when both projects reach their initial funding goals. Backers must back both projects to earn the coveted cross-collab reward.

Requirement: Both projects must be launching on BackerKit Crowdfunding to use the cross-collab campaign feature. Create a BackerKt Crowdfunding project here.

Why Cross-Collab Campaign?

More fans. Get instant exposure with your partner’s backer audience and vice versa. One Cross-Collab pair saw up to 80% of their combined backers pledging to both projects.
More funds. Cross-promotion among Cross-Collab creators can help boost funding. One creator gained an extra 33% in total funds raised from their partner’s backer audience.
And way more fun. This is your chance to partner with a creator that you admire to make something unique, run a project side-by-side, and to collaborate throughout the crowdfunding experience like never before, together.

Cross-Collab Reward Incentive Examples

If a backer backs both projects and both projects fund, they receive the cross-collab reward incentive that both creators created. We know every creator is different, so it’s important for us to learn how creators like yourself would be interested in creating a collaborative incentive with another creator! If you would like to brainstorm some ideas, please send us a message to crowdfunding@backerkit.com.

Incentive Ideas:

A physical item (eg. stickers, enamel pin, art print, custom die, exclusive patch where each collab is providing one half)
A digital item (eg. PDF, wallpaper, audio files, new story crossover, bonus supplement that can be used with either game)
A livestream (eg. exclusive access to contributors to the campaign, meet and greet, interviews)

Cross-Category Incentive Ideas:

Plushie x Pin: Stickers
TTRPG x Comic: 4-panel mini comic featuring game character(s)
Music x writing publishing: exclusive downloadable track based on book
Hot drink system x Tea company: Exclusive branded mug incentive
Shoe company x Sock company: Exclusive branded shoe bag incentive
Socks x Illustrator: Exclusive illustrated socks incentive
Tea x Beer: Exclusive tea beer incentive incentive

Creator Examples:

My emotional support Sugarbell Pals x AuDHD creatures plushies + more!
- If a backer backed both their projects, they would receive 1 free sticker pack from each creator (2 free sticker packs total). Each creator will deliver their own sticker pack to that backer.
MAZES City of Skull x Vast Grimm Horde: No Safe Haven
- If a backer backed both their projects, they would receive 1 free patch from each creator (2 free patches total). When you connect the patches together, it would complete the "powersword" patch! Each creator will deliver their own patch to that backer.
Foxwright Apothecary: Pride Potions x Pride Angels
- If a backer backed both their projects, they would receive 1 free pin from each creator (2 free pins total). Each creator will deliver their own pin to that backer.

FAQs:

Does the incentive need to be the same type of item as what my project category is (eg. dice incentive for a dice project?)

Not at all! Your incentive should align with what you and your partner believe would be enjoyable and relevant for both of your audiences. Additionally, there's no requirement to collaborate with another creator solely based on being in the same category as you.

I am worried that the incentive will be too much trouble logistically to produce or ship.

You should select an incentive that won’t burden you both. The incentive should be a value add to your campaigns, simple enough for you to produce, and easy to fulfill.

How will I be able to know who pledged to both our campaigns?

BackerKit will provide creators a segmented list of backers who backed both campaigns,

When Can I Launch?

You can launch anytime that works for you and your partner. You must launch and ending your campaigns at the same time (eg. launching August 1 and ending Aug 30).

Requirements to Participate

Produce a new project adhering to our BackerKit Crowdfunding Guidelines and AI Policy. Your project can be something you already have planned to launch, just not a repeat launch of something that already exists.
Publish and share a BackerKit Teaser Page and a BackerKit crowdfunding campaign page.
You must create, manufacture, and distribute your cross-collab reward alongside your partner.
Have already spent time building out your audience and concept.

Participation Perks

Access to expert resources and BackerKit staff on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Access to our private Cross-Collab Campaign Discord channel to connect and trade advice with fellow participants and the BackerKit team.
Promotion in BackerKit media (eg. social media, BackerKit Newsletter).

How to Communicate Your Cross-Collab Campaign

Once your projects are connected by a BackerKit staff member, there are two places you should communicate your collaboration:

1. BackerKit Launch Teaser Page + in email marketing communications

For the BackerKit Launch Teaser page, follow the instructions here.

2. BackerKit Campaign Page

For the BackerKit Campaign Page, you will need to edit 2 areas to communicate to your audience about your collaboration and the incentive you are offering:

a. Cross-Collab Widget: You will see a widget under each campaign’s navigation bar on the right side.

b. Story Section: Create a story section to market the collaboration incentive you are offering with your partner. Add a description and visual of the incentive, some information about your partner, and a link to your partner’s campaign page.

You can create a story section here.

Example 1:

MAZES City of Skull and Vast Grimm Horde: No Safe Haven ran their own campaigns. If a backer backed both their projects, they would receive 1 free patch from each creator (2 free patches total). When you connect the patches together, it would complete the "powersword" patch!

They communicated this in their collab sections: MAZES City of Skull description and Vast Grimm Horde: No Safe Haven description. Example below:

Example 2:

Foxwright Apothecary: Pride Potions and Pride Angels ran their own campaigns. If a backer backed both their projects, they would receive 1 free pin from each creator (2 free pins total). Each creator will deliver their own pin to that backer.

They communicated this in their collab sections: Foxwright Apothecary: Pride Potions Description and Pride Angels description. Example below:

What Makes a Great Cross-Collab Partner?

The beauty of running a BackerKit Cross-Collab Campaign is that your partner can be anyone! If you know creators that you would love to partner with that are currently not in the BackerKit ecosystem, we welcome them as well. Here are a few traits that we’ve noticed made a great collab pair:

Someone that you can make a fun cross-colab incentive with that both your audiences would enjoy.
Someone who you trust is a team player and will work hard to make sure that each other's campaigns are a success.
Someone who has already spent time working on building their audience and validating their own project’s concept. Note: If you or your potential partner have not spent enough time building your audience, and especially if this is your first time crowdfunding or have not launched a successful campaign yet, I would hold off on partnering with another creator.

FAQs

Is it required to build an audience before I ask a creator if they would like to run a Cross-Collab Campaign together? I have not started building out my audience, and think a Cross-Collab Campaign would be good to help me do that.

Before collaborating with another creator, start building your audience to the point where you are confident you can fund with your email list. It ensures interest in your project, increases chances of a successful launch, and avoids reliance solely on your partner's audience for funding. Preparedness from both collaborators is crucial for effective collaboration. Discussing mutual support and benefits is key for a successful Cross-Collab Campaign.

Here are some resources on how to build your email list:

Should I partner with a creator with a similar audience size?

This is completely up to you! This will be a personal choice and a discussion that you will need to have with your potential partner of how you want to approach this collaboration and what your goals are.

Can I partner with someone launching on a different platform than BackerKit Crowdfunding?

Unfortunately, no. BackerKit Cross-Collab Campaign Beta only works with campaigns launching on BackerKit Crowdfunding.

I do not see anyone on BackerKit.com that I would like to partner with.

Although it is required for Cross-Collab Campaigns to launch on BackerKit. It is not required that the creator is already on BackerKit. If there is a creator you have in mind that you would like to collaborate with that does not have a BackerKit Crowdfunding account yet, we can get them on the platform, no problem! They can sign up for BackerKit Crowdfunding here.

Should I match with a partner in the same category as me?

There are no rules that you must find a partner that is in the same category as you! Collaborating with a creator that is outside of your category could lead to interesting cross-collab rewards and sharing of audiences. Here are some cross-category collab ideas:

Plushie x Pin: Stickers
TTRPG x Comic: 4-panel mini comic featuring game character(s)
Music x writing publishing: exclusive downloadable track based on book
Hot drink system x Tea company: Exclusive branded mug incentive
Shoe company x Sock company: Exclusive branded shoe bag incentive
Socks x Illustrator: Exclusive illustrated socks incentive
Tea x Beer: Exclusive tea beer incentive incentive

What happens if one campaign reaches its funding goal and the other does not?

A Cross-Collab Campaign involves two separate campaigns running concurrently, offering a shared reward if a backer supports both and they both achieve their funding goals. If one campaign fails to meet its goal while the other succeeds, backers supporting both projects will miss out on the rewards from the unsuccessful campaign and the advertised cross-collab reward. Since not all backers will support both campaigns, only a portion will miss the collab reward. In the event of a campaign not reaching its funding goal, the creator who reached their goal must inform their backers that the collab reward won't be distributed due to the other campaign's failure.

Help! I need assistance in finding a cross-collab partner!

If you would like to be part of the cross-collab creator directory, please fill out this form:

Cross-Collab Campaign Matchmaking

We follow up via email and share this directory with interested parties only. Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback on how we can make this experience better for creators.

How to Connect Your Cross-Collab Campaign with Your Partner

Create a new project in BackerKit Crowdfunding.
Go to the Basics page and scroll down to the Additional Options > Invite a Partner section.
Click on the Invite a Partner button.
Select your project that you would like to connect with your partner's project.
Click the Generate Link button. Once clicked, this will take you back to the Basics page.
On the Basics page, scroll back to the Invite a Partner section. There, you will see the generated link that you can now share with your partner so that they can join.
Share this link with your partner.
Once your partner clicks the link, they will see their live and upcoming projects that they own and they will choose who they want to partner.
You (the inviter) will receive an email once the invite is accepted by your partner.
Your projects are now connected!
You both must publish your teaser pages before you can begin to save edits.

How to Shout Out Your Cross-Collab Partner?

Now that you are paired up with cross collab partner, it's time to shout out your partner creator in every/most project emails and updates pre-live and during live campaign to showcase your unique collaboration with your partner and the free incentive that backers will qualify for if they back both projects.

We've put together sample templates for both Launch Emails and Project Updates below along with examples of actual campaigns for inspiration.

🔥tips:

We recommend adding your personal touch to any of these templates to make it more you!
We recommend always attaching images of the cross collab incentives so backers can see what they would receive for free if backed both projects.
We recommend adding ref tags when linking out to your partner creator’s campaign teaser page (pre-live) or campaign page (live) so that you can track how many pledges that you helped your partner creator raise just by shouting them out in your Emails. Check out this help doc on how to ref tag links and be sure to share the ref tags with your partner creator so they can track it on their project dashboard.

Pre-Live Launch Email

Example 1, Example 2

Hi,

We're excited to launch our next project: Add Project Title.

As a fan of ours, we want to ask for your commitment to pledge on day ONE so that we can have the strongest launch possible.

Recommended: Mention your funding goal for the first 48 hours, note any incentive for committing early (offer BackerKit credit, free item, etc)

Also, I've teamed up with (insert name and link to cross collab partner teaser page) to create the free (insert name of incentive 1) and the free (insert name of incentive 2)!

If BOTH projects are funded, backers who supported BOTH projects will get these 2 cross-collab incentives for FREE!

(insert image of cross collab incentives)

Both of our campaigns launch on (insert launch date), can we count on your pledge?

Signup for notifications so you don't miss our awesome campaigns :)

Click here to count yourself in!

Thanks!

Add Sender

Live Launch Email

Example 1, Example 2

Hi,

Thank you so much for your support! We are X% funded as of today and we couldn't have done it without you 🎉

I am so excited to share with you the following new designs that are unlocked! Check them out.

Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to also back my cross collab partner’s (insert name of cross collab partner campaign) campaigns to receive 2 free collab (add incentives) from us. You can find the designs of the freebies below:

(insert image of cross collab incentives)

Click here to pledge today!

Thanks!

Add Sender

Last 48 Hours Launch Email

Example 1, Example 2

Hi,

We are in the last 48 HOURS for [(insert name of campaign) by (insert name of creator).

Add anything else you’d like to share with your backers about the campaign including new unlocked rewards, freebies and other milestones.

A friendly reminder, if you also back (insert name of cross collab partner campaign), you get 2 free collab pins from us!! Check out these awesome designs for the free incentives!

(insert image of cross collab incentives)

Click here to pledge before time runs out!

Thanks!

Add Sender

Live Project Update

Example 1, Example 2

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for your support! We are X% funded as of today and we couldn't have done it without you 🎉

I am so excited to share with you the following new designs that are unlocked! Check them out.

Add detailed info on any unlocked rewards, freebies and milestones. Attach a poll or community achievement to continue to get backers and followers engaged in the campaign.

(insert image of cross collab incentives)

Click here to pledge today!

Thanks!

Last 48 Hours Project Update

Example 1, Example 2

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for your support — we couldn't have done it without you 🎉

There are 2 days left to go in the campaign and if you were on the fence or have friends who would like to back the campaign, now is the time to do so.

Add anything else you’d like to share with your backers about the campaign including new unlocked rewards, freebies and other milestones.

A friendly reminder, if you also back (insert name of cross collab partner campaign), you get 2 free collab pins from us!! Check out these awesome designs for the free incentives!

(insert image of cross collab incentives)

Click here to pledge before time runs out!

Thanks!