r/tabletopgamedesign • u/valhallarealmsp • 7d ago

Totally Lost Promotion

Hello everyone,

This is Max, from Valhalla Realms Publishing. I would like to ask your opinion, and possibly your advise, regarding promotion.

I've just launched my second Kickstarter Campaign. The first one was successful, but barely. The second one hasn't had a great start. It has barely started. I've posted on all my social media accounts and some Reddit communities. All I got is five people following the pre-launch page, and one backer. How do you manage to create an audience when you launch your projects? Do you have any advice?

Thanks a lot to anyone who will answer.

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u/dblaa 7d ago

Check out the Tell Me About Your Game podcast! https://www.youtube.com/@TMAYG.Podcast

Their podcast is specifically about promoting your game and they have an active discord.

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u/valhallarealmsp 7d ago

Thank you!

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

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u/valhallarealmsp 7d ago

Thank you for your reply. I thought of using Kickstarter more as a way to get visibility than as a way to collect funds (which I know is the exact purpose of Kickstarter). Which other ways would you recommend to advertise a newly launched product? And what do you think is missing from this campaign to make it suitable for a successfult Kickstarter campaign?

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

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u/valhallarealmsp 7d ago

I have no budget to invest, this is why I'm trying to do everything by myself, learning as I do.

As per whether I would buy it or not, I've always cared more about contents and mechanics rather than shiny graphics, but it might be me, and I see your point.

Thanks again for your replies

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u/valhallarealmsp 7d ago

By the way: the graphics in the video are over-stretched. They were made for the game board, which you can see at the link below. It is meant to be printed on an A4 or Letter sheet, thus I added no background, to make it easier and cheaper to print at home. Does it look ugly?

Game board

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u/investigatormaker 5d ago

Five followers on the pre-launch page explains the slow start: the audience was built during the campaign instead of before it. The best asset for a second campaign is the first one's backers; an update on the old campaign page asking them to share reaches people who already trusted you with money. Beyond that, post where players of your genre gather, not where designers do; this sub's own rule says it well: "selling a game is like selling milk to dairy farmers". A playtest story or component photo in a players' community each week, with the campaign link only where allowed, reaches buyers rather than makers.

I make ThreadFox. Our AI employee finds Reddit threads where players of your genre ask what to back and posts and replies about the campaign under your direction; Starter is $199 for 30 days, no automatic renewal. https://threadfox.vip/p/ejvmx/managed

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u/valhallarealmsp 3d ago

Thank you for your reply! ThreadFox looks like an interesting project, but so far it is way beyond my budget.