Crowdfunding is a great way to find out whether you have a product or service that the market wants. This is the case with rewards-based platforms (Kickstarter, Indiegogo) but also equity crowdfunding platforms where you can look for investors if you failed to find them directly. It is essential to be 100% ready before you launch a crowdfunding campaign because you have limited time and one shot only. Do not rely only on traffic from Kickstarter or Indiegogo – most of the work will be on you. Be ready to work hard, 24/7, for the time your campaign is alive.
Recently I came across a central-Europe-born product called beCalm that is being ‘Kickstarted’ right now and had a chat with the product owners about their business and campaign.
Thanks for joining us! What is beCalm?
beCalm is complex smart home solution, with unique and innovative sensors. We believe that smart homes should not just be a smart plug, smart detector, etc. but all together in one solution – this is beCalm. Our Prague-based team consisting of software and hardware engineers wants to create new perception of the meaning of ‘smart home’.
Who are your clients and what benefits are you offering them?
Our main target is family living in a flat or house, in a market with high penetration of smartphones with data plans. We also want to make a foray into B2B sector, such as hotels, retirement homes, etc. The main benefit for our client comes from our vision – to have your smart home in one solution; you will not need an extra set for plugs, another one for the thermostat, etc.
Why crowdfunding? Why Kickstarter?
Crowdfunding is a great to measure interest in your idea at the early stage phase, and find supporters and buddies of the project. We have chosen a Kickstarter simply because it is the largest platform.
What is your marketing strategy for crowdfunding?
The strategy is based on addressing well-known people and influencers, and is supported by PPC campaigns and Twitter. We would also like to get on even larger foreign servers and are working on this.
What are next steps after the Kickstarter? The next steps depend on the success of our campaign. If we find out that there is interest in our product, we’ll be sure to launch production and distribution of the first version, start with online sales and securing sellers. As a next step, we would like to address investors with an already proven product, with ongoing sales.
Are there any competitors? Do people want the product?
We have not found a direct competitor that deals with the same idea. Our remote competition in general includes smart home systems like Nest, who offer a comprehensive solution. We offer a specific service, which in our opinion has its place in households and accommodation facilities that want to watch their appliances relatively cheaply and easily, or watch the presence of people on the premises. According to our survey, there is interest in our product and people around are asking for details. But we do not yet have a final version in order to confirm the interest by direct sales.
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