Oct 16, 2024 Margie Romani

RECAP: Case Study: How I Raised $27K on Kickstarter in 30 Days Using Social Media

Past Event: Level Up Your LinkedIn: Secrets for Success from LinkedIn Local Madison

Watch the full presentation above!

The Story

Therese started Tricky Foods, a charcuterie and cheese board business, in 2020, at the age of 23. She originally pursued a major in Information Technology from UW-Whitewater and (amongst some other random jobs) worked at various software companies doing sales, marketing, and ended in project management post-grad. After 2 years at a large tech company in Madison, she quit with the mindset of “getting her life back” which equaled getting back into the kitchen. When the pandemic hit, she thought “screw it, let’s start a business around something she loved –food and bringing people together.”  After considering a few options to fund this monumental project, Therese chose Kickstarter. In this presentation, Therese walked us through the process she used to raise $27K in just 30 days, sharing tips and advice to inspire other to use the power of social media to grow your business.

 

Kickstarter 101

  • Stepping out of your comfort zone and aiming higher than you think you can achieve, even at the risk of failure.. in front of everyone.
  • The importance of embracing your personal story and selling yourself first, then your vision/product. Your story is everything. 
  • How to engage your network and ask (and accept help),  as people love to be part of a compelling story.

MARKETING MARKETING MARKETING

  • Email newsletter
  • Daily updates (IG, Facebook, LinkedIn)
  • Collaboration with your network aka your “unpaid sales team” 😉
  • Keeping the audience engaged
  • Keeping communication lines open
  • Pivoting when needed and using your authenticity to attract the right audience. 
  • Using humor to help rally supporters.

You reached your goal.. Now what?

  • Achieving the goal.
  • Unexpected generosity.
  • An unplanned/ successful marketing push.
  • Increased visibility on the brand, story, and expansion.

Looking back.. 

What started as to-go boxes and platters made from a commercial kitchen grew into her very own brick and mortar storefront that now serves wine/beers/other NA drinks along with an event space for private rental, commonly used for baby, bridal and corporate events. One of her proudest achievements is being able to employ 8 part-time staff, 2 interns, and 2 full-time employees who help run and grow the business alongside her. 

 

 

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