Unboxing of Jojo!

Hello All!
This is very exciting. All the pins are back from the manufacturer. Polling is 80% complete. I know some folks won't order their pins until they get all of the polling done. But, I'm confident that I ordered enough pins for fulfillment. I just need the remaining 20% of the backers to complete their poll. If you haven't already done so, please do. Check to see if you missed the email. Double-check the spam folder; we all know that can happen. Enjoy the video! I'll keep you updated.

And thank you for your support!

While this is not my first crowdsourcing project, it is my first time using BackerKit. The amount of technical support you get is outstanding. Also, the community behind the scenes of other campaigns has been very supportive. Learning the correct way to fill in the blanks on their polling software took me longer last week than I anticipated. Now, you can look forward to getting that email. Some of you might already have it. BackerKit sends a Smoke Test to a few supporters to see if there are any hitches in the system. If there are, they can be fixed right away.

The polling email will send a link; start by clicking on it. You will then confirm your award level. The number of pins you get will appear on the right, and the designs will appear on the left. Be sure to scroll down until you see the radio buttons for each design. The design name will appear on the right-hand side of the square with that pin number. Select the next pin number on the right and then the design. Select the next pin and repeat until you have made all the selections for your award level.

You can select from any of the six designs. If you selected an award level with three pins, you can select any combination of three. You can even select three of the same design.

When you finish that, you will be taken to the add-on portion. Did you want more pins? This is where you can add them. They are available at the same rate as during the campaign (not including early birds.) You can also get other stuff you might have missed promoted as an add-on during the campaign. I created another set of pins, a game to play while watching or talking about horror movies, and a book of cartoon movie reviews. Feel free to add what you want.

If you don’t want any add-ons, continue to the next portion of the poll. The poll will show you an inventory of what you will get and the money you have forwarded. You will notice that there might be a credit at this point, so don’t wig out; that’s to cover the postage. The next part of the survey will ask you to confirm or update your address. The postage will then be applied. Your postage may not have been added until now, so you could include additional items in the add-on portion. This way, the cost for postage can cover the add-ons or be adjusted depending on the weight of things.

The last button should process everything. It might take a week or two before all the surveys come back. I’ll be updating you. And by “update,” I mean hounding the stragglers.

Know that I have a BackerKit Support that will be able to answer field your questions. They will forward the ticket to me if they receive any questions they cannot answer. 

Status of the pins. I have Jumbo, Fatso, Shorty, Slim, and Spikey, and they look great. I sent the art for JoJo and the partnership pin to the manufacturer the same week the campaign ended. I should be getting a Proof from them next week. If I approve their appearance, they will be mailed out. I’ve worked with this company for years on three other projects. I’ve yet to have a production problem with them.

It took me longer than I wanted to get this update to you. Part of the reason was that I attended a convention last weekend called “Crypticon.” It is a horror-themed convention. There were plenty of scary clowns walking around. Here are photos of some and a shot of my meeting Billy Zane.

Keep an eye out for those survey notifications. Thank you again for your support and patience.

Mark

The survey asks which pins you want and confirms your email has been set. It's only been 24 hours, and I've received a 34% response - that's terrific. If you happen to be one of those who haven't responded to the survey, please double-check your email or notifications.

My previous update gives instructions in case you find the survey confusing.

In my last update, I mentioned that I tabled it with Crypticon. I have another convention lined up at the end of the month in Lilac City. So, if you're in Spokane, WA, you can find me there. A big seller at these conventions, and in the add-ons of this campaign, are the Horror Movie Bingo Cards. I took 120 horror tropes and scattered them on 25 different cards. Before watching a movie, you hand the cards out and see who can spot the most tropes. And, of course, a BINGO is an instant win.

While I have more than enough to cover current orders, I just put in an order for some more. I want to ensure I don't run out while attending conventions.

I will keep you updated as the surveys come in.
Mark

What a fun filled three weeks of promoting Killer Klowns from Outer Space Enamel Pin Invasion and Pintopia 2024 that was! I want to express how grateful I am for all of your support! 

I learned a lot during this campaign, sessions I can apply to the next campaign. One of the lessons I learned I was able to apply to this campaign. That lesson was if a poll gives your overwhelming feedback, follow that feedback. In this case it was a desire to have Jojo added to the line up. He wasn’t part of the original plan but he’s in the mix now.

What’s up next? 

We anticipate sending out the Backer Surveys in the next couple of weeks, so keep an eye on your inbox for those. The survey will be your opportunity to choose your pins and add on any extra goodies you might have missed.

I’m  also going to be finalizing the Jojo pin for the manufacturer and get production started as soon as possible! I’ll continue to communicate our production and fulfillment timeline as things move forward with the manufacturers, so you’ll always know where things are in the process. Right now I have 100 pins of Jumbo, Slim, Spikey, Shorty, and Fatso produced. Along with Jojo I’ll be sending out artwork for the “No More Clowns” pins for the backers who supported me and my pin partner, Carrie Alyson, and her Just Say No pins.

Thank you again for backing the Killer Klowns from Outer Space Enamel Pin Invasion! Soon these creepy Klowns will reach your home town!

I want to thank everyone for helping me reach my funding! WooHoo! Maybe it was adding JoJo to the line-up. Perhaps it was finally getting my advertising on Facebook to work. But the real force behind the achievement is you guys! It's time for me to get Jojo ready for manufacturing! I'm all excited! 

And it's time to set a stretch goal. I will be adding another Klown when we reach $3,500. Which Klown will it be? The one that is leading the poll! Check out the poll!

We ran a poll to see which Killer Klown we overlooked. By a landslide, the votes came in for JoJo! So, I added two new pledge levels. These are for sets of 6 pins, and for those who want two sets of six, there is a pledge for that level as well. I'm pushing the advertising hard during these last few days. And there is more... read below JoJo.

Please check out the add-ons. I've put together a special deal where you can get a set of my last pin at a special rate only available on this BackerKit campaign.

At the beginning of the campaign, there were early bird tiers, which provided a smaller quantity of pins for $11 each. The initial set of five did not have an early bird, but was set so that each pin was $11 each. Folks wanted double sets, so I created tier for two sets of five, for a total of ten pins. The average pin value was $11 per pin. When I added Jojo, I also added a tier with a set of six pins and a double set of six pins. The value of pins in these sets was also $11 each. Several of you decided to increase to those sets.

I just want to be clear. The Klowns that appear in the sets are not fixed. You are basically selecting your quantity. Yes, the default is for one of each Klown design. But, when you get the poll, you will have the option of selecting your favorites. BackerKit allows me to create a poll that will go out to you. One the poll you will be able to select which pins you want for the quantity you're signed up for.

You might want one of each. Or you might not want Jumbo. So, while the icon on the tier shows Jumbo as part of a set of 5, you can select ANY five. You can select Jojo, Slim, Fatso, Spikey, and Shorty as your set of five. Or you might want five Shortys. The choice will be yours. 

Some of you have been reading the comments and saw my instructions there. I thought I would make a post tonight before the campaign closed tomorrow so that those who missed the comments and were wondering what to do could adjust their tiers accordingly.

Also, I encourage you to check out the add-ons I'm offering. These include past pins I created, a book of movie reviews that I drew in a cartoon style, and a game I created called Horror Movie Bingo. I'm offering the previous set at a price you can only get here on BackerKit.

Thank you everyone for your support. I really enjoyed creating these pins, and I can't wait for the invasion to begin.

Yours,
Mark

Watch me as I unbox Spikey, Fatso, Slim, and Shorty!

My manufacturer sent me these photos as proof of production. They look great! Jumbo was already produced. These four additional Klowns are en route even as you read this. I'm so excited to see them in person. 

On the first day of the campaign, I received a lot of feedback that people were having difficulty selecting the quantity of pins they wanted. So, I've gone into the reward tiers and made it easier by adding selections for 4 pins, 3 pins, and 2 pins. The early bird specials still apply for another two days, so go into your reward tiers and make your changes.

You might have noticed that the set of five pins is not marked as Early Bird. That's because the set of five has a reduced rate already. This will remain in place for the entire campaign.

Please understand that you are selecting the "quantity" of pins at this time. At the end of the campaign, you will be able to tell me which pin designs you want. I will be sending out a poll to learn which pins you desire. 

Thank you for your feedback. I hope the additions to the tiers will be helpful.

Mark