When it comes to crowdfunding, the reality is harsh. Many crowdfunding campaigns may not deliver or at least deliver quite late! Reasons vary - it can be anything from inaccurate expense calculations that result in insufficient funds to problems with manufacturing. But here's the good news: If your product is made and ready to be delivered, you have already met your backers' expectations. At this point, you can either just ship your orders out, or think of ways to deliver a better-than-expected experience to your customers.
Going the extra mile and pleasantly surprising your customers isn't mandatory, but it's definitely recommended. Not many brands do it, so it's a way to stand out, strengthen your relationship with your supporters and trigger word of mouth marketing - the most efficient of the kind.
Without further ado, here are 4 ways to reward your backers:
1. Personalize Your Packaging
With millions of parcels sent and delivered every year, personalized packaging is your chance to stand out from the crowd. It's also a way to boost your brand recognition, surprise your buyers and get your customers talking, as people like to share their pleasant unboxing experiences with friends on social media.
The packaging expert Arka notes that there are two types of personalized packaging that brands use:
Stock packaging: ready-made, universal packaging that can be personalized with a branded sticker.
Branded packaging: custom packaging that is specifically designed for a certain product.
How to choose the best option for your product? It depends on your budget, as well as your product.
Custom made brand packaging will naturally be more expensive than stock packaging. If you're on a tight budget, you can start with stock packaging, then design your own when the business has taken off.
In the meantime, your packaging choice will also depend on the product you're selling. High-value, premium products - like watches, perfumes, etc. - require premium packaging. By shipping such products in stock boxes, customers may perceive them as of lower value. So, in this case, you may want to invest in custom packaging from day one. Arka offers premium custom packaging options for any business; you can check out our custom retail boxes or custom folding cartons.
Pro tip: Use BackerKit's Package Group feature to know exactly how many boxes of each size you'll need. By ordering the necessary quantity, you'll save both storage space and money.
2. Slip In Something Extra
Over 50% of American consumers say that appreciation for them as a customer is an indispensable part of providing excellent care- aka customer delight. By adding something extra to the order, you can thank your customer for their support and show your appreciation.
Here are some ideas for what you can put into your packaging to thank your customers:
- A personalized (hand-written) thank-you note - a simple and cost-efficient way to surprise your supporters.
- An additional item, like a free gift or sample - because who doesn't like free things, right?
- A coupon code on their next purchase or to share with a friend - a way to please your customer and generate extra sales!
Whatever you add to your orders, make sure it goes with your overall branding and product. For example, if you sell high-value products, use premium quality paper for your thank-you notes. Or if you give a discount, make it reasonable. That is, don't give a $5 discount on a product worth $500 - it just won't work.
3. Get The Rewards Shipped Out In Time
Crowdfunding projects are known for two things: that many campaigns fail to reach their funding goal, and that projects that do end successfully oftentimes aren't able to deliver the goods in time.
The main reason?
The chaos of sending products off to thousands of backers around the world. Because preparing and shipping out thousands of products requires an entirely different approach and organization than when you only have ten orders to send.
To stay organized, use BackerKit features that will allow you to create package groups and print labels in batches with automatically calculated package weights, shipping costs, etc. That will not only help you save time but also avoid errors, such as sending the wrong products to the wrong customer.
Pro tip: Pay attention to shipping deadlines, especially around holidays, to make sure orders arrive on time. Add some days on top of the official shipping deadlines when mentioning them on your website or Kickstarter campaign page. It's better to underpromise and overdeliver than the other way around. If you're planning your delivery by this year's Christmas, check out Backerkit’s shipping deadline tips and tricks for the upcoming holiday season.
4. Keep Your Backers Informed
Once your orders are shipped out, make sure you keep your backers updated. Customers will be eager to know where their rewards are, so send them a tracking link and estimated delivery date as soon as possible.
When shipping out thousands of products at the same time, entering tracking codes manually is not efficient and will most probably end up in chaos. To avoid that, use the BackerKit Automatic Shipment Notifications feature to send shipment notifications after you print out shipping labels, as well as automatically email tracking numbers to your backers.
Conclusion
The saying goes: go the extra mile, it's never crowded. Many sellers focus on collecting funds and pay little attention to what happens after the campaign ends and it's time to deliver the rewards.
But, the moment you're delivering your products is when you're actually building a relationship with your customers. By paying attention to your packaging, adding something a little extra to your orders and just delivering your products earlier than expected, you may boost your customer loyalty and win supporters for life.
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