Kickstarter wants you to know that your project needn’t be an overly ambitious undertaking that leaves you sweating it out as you gradually begin to wonder how on earth you’re going to meet all those crazy goals you set.
That’s right — projects can be simple and manageable, too.
To inspire people to turn their attention to stress-free projects, the company this week launched Quickstarter, a place for low-budget ideas that can be done and dusted within a short time frame, or “the kind you do mostly for fun,” as the company puts it.
Kickstarter decided to incorporate Quickstarter into its site after hearing about the idea from London-based designer Oscar Lhermitte.
“As exciting as big projects can be, I’ve learned just as much from doing the little ones,” Lhermitte said in a post about the new initiative.
“Kickstarter is a great tool to test out experimental ideas — things that don’t follow traditional models — and working on a small scale can give you the freedom to experiment and explore new things without putting too much on the line.”
The designer points out how a Quickstarter project could work out perfectly for people looking to launch their very first crowdfunding project, in other words, those who might not have the time or money to “hire a videographer, spend months doing PR, or figure out a complex manufacturing process.”
But Lhermitte also points out that a Quickstarter project might also suit more experienced creators who’ve already crowdfunded projects but are feeling the need to “shake things up and try something new.”
According to Lhermitte, a Quickstarter project should not turn into something that takes over your life, or be seen as a job. In a nutshell, it’s about thinking small and having fun.
To help you to focus on a Quickstarter idea, he’s created some rules you might want to follow:
1. The development process — from sketching an idea to launching it on Kickstarter — should take no more than three months.
2. Keep the campaign under 20 days.
3. The funding goal should be below $1,000 (or thereabouts in your local currency).
4. The main reward should be under $50.
5. The video should be shot over one day with whatever camera you have (smartphone highly recommended).
6. Don’t do any PR and media outreach (unless you get contacted).
7. Don’t run any paid ads on social media.
8. No stretch goals.
9. Include “Quickstarter” in your campaign name.
Interested in starting your own Quickstarter project? To see what’s already out there, check out Kickstarter’s dedicated webpage for Quickstarter projects, which currently includes ideas for everything from webcam covers and “envelope bags” to “lazy postcards” and tape stickers. That last one happens to be Lhermitte’s own project.