1. Validate Your Idea Long Before You Launch Your Kickstarter

The first time I tested my card deck was at the launch party for my Kickstarter.

I learned a lot from that, and incorporated that feedback into my designs. But had I gotten feedback earlier, my designs would have evolved significantly. I also would have taken a different approach to pricing and packaging, and built up a larger audience of support. (And recorded a different video for my Kickstarter.)

For any entrepreneur, you succeed by continually getting feedback on your idea.

2. Master the Art of Connecting with New Audiences

To be successful on Kickstarter you need a robust visibility strategy.

My campaign was mostly funded by people in my network. Had I been more coordinated, I would have arranged those donations in the first 24 hours to boost attention. I didn't even prepare a media kit to make it easier for those in my network to share, and I didn't realize the importance of partnering with other projects.

Visibility is about finding new audiences, and making your project easy to share.

3. Focus on Making Your Presentation Shine

I've heard crowdfunding is a great way to validate an idea, but it's not.

It's a great way to validate whether you can reach a wider audience, and that doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of your idea. The skills to present your product are different from those needed to build and develop your project. So focus on developing a high quality story and quality of your video, along with rewards that make sense, and great copy for the page and updates during your campaign.

For a successful Kickstarter, get feedback on your story and presentation, and get professional help where necessary to make it shine.