In 2022, a married couple decided to bring their passion for fantasy to the table – literally.
They set out to create playing cards that weren’t just for games, but told stories of epic dragon battles.
12 months later, they made $68,248.
Here’s how they did it.
Meet Michael and Kimberly Walker – the founders of Soltera.
Michael and Kimberly weren’t just casual gamers. With over 40 years of combined gaming experience and Michael’s background as a published author, they were primed to create something extraordinary in the tabletop world.
Their shared love for fantasy and dragons sparked an idea: what if they could create playing cards that weren’t just for play, but also told a story? They envisioned decks where metallic and chromatic dragons clashed, and each suit represented a unique fantasy race.
But they didn’t just dream – they acted.
Drawing on Michael’s graphic design skills and Kimberly’s eye for detail, they began crafting their vision. After months of refining designs and perfecting every detail down to the gold-gilded edges, they had created something truly special.
However, having a great product is only half the battle. They needed a way to bring it to market.
That’s when they joined forces with my team at LaunchBoom.
On October 11, 2023, they launched on Kickstarter with a BOOM!
They raised $19,630 in just 24 hours. By the end of the 30-day campaign, they had made $68,248 from 883 new customers.
This wouldn’t have been possible without a well-executed pre-launch marketing strategy.
Let’s dive into what that was.
Soltera’s pre-launch marketing strategy
Making $68,248 in 30 days is no easy task. It requires a combination of different marketing tactics, with the most important one being the pre-launch. More specifically, building an email list of Superfans before you launch your campaign.
Here’s how Michael and Kimberly did that.
1. Soltera drove traffic with Meta Ads
Meta ads are the first step to build a pre-launch email list. This is how Soltera drove traffic. They tested many different variations of copy and imagery, but here was their best performing ad.
2. Soltera collected email addresses on a landing page
The landing page is where they explained their product and collected email addresses. The landing page looked like this:
By the way, this is a screenshot from our LaunchKit software that all LaunchBoom Creators get access to.
3. Soltera collected $1 reservations
This is an optional step that creators can take if they want to understand who on their email list is most likely to buy. It requires creating a “VIP Offer” where you give something valuable to the backer in exchange for $1 in the pre-launch.
Here was Soltera’s VIP offer:
- A guaranteed 37% discount
- A Collector’s Coin
- A Collector’s Bonus Card
The most important thing to know is that people who put down the reservation were way more likely to buy.
Soltera got funded on day one
Leading into the launch, they had 278 people who had put down a $1 reservation deposit. We’ve found that “number of reservations” is one of the best predictors of how successful a launch will be. And just as predicted, the campaign took off.
On the first day, they made $19,630.
By the end of the campaign, they had driven $68,248 in revenue from 883 new customers.
This was all possible because they followed the LaunchBoom system, which is laser focused on getting creators the highest return on their investment.
Because at LaunchBoom, our goal is not to launch a successful product, but to launch a successful business.
Do you have an new game like Michael and Kimberly?
We can help you turn it into a real business (or dramatically grow your existing business).
We’ve worked with over a thousand product creators.
If you want to be the next one…
Click here to talk with a LaunchBoom expert.
