13 – Why Are Newsletters So Important for Crowdfunding Projects?

When I looked into marketing for crowdfunding campaigns—at least in the board game world—the most common question I heard was: “How big is your email list? You need newsletter subscribers.”

There are several reasons for this. I’ve already mentioned that it’s good to start marketing early. But the earlier I begin, the longer interested people have to wait for the game. A newsletter gives me a way to stay in touch with very little interaction. You only have to sign up once, and from then on, you’ll stay updated with almost no effort. You can read the email and catch up when you have time—unlike social media posts, which quickly disappear into the feed.

That said, it’s really important that the newsletter is well-crafted. I want my readers to benefit from it—not feel annoyed. That starts with the subject line: it shouldn’t feel like spam. After all, the recipient signed up and showed interest in the game. So it should be clear that it’s about the game, and it shouldn’t sound like a sales pitch.

I now divide my newsletters into 4 to 5 short sections on different topics. They’re not long and are usually illustrated with images. I make sure the newsletter is concise yet informative—so readers learn something new or get a glimpse of the game. I vary the content too:

• Information about the game mechanics for those who just want to understand how it plays

• Insights about the team to build trust with the creator

• Artwork to capture the game’s atmosphere

• What’s coming next—so readers have something to look forward to

• Occasional updates on special events

With this mix, I hope to cover at least two areas of interest for each subscriber, keeping the excitement alive. I also ask questions to spark conversations with my readers—these interactions are incredibly valuable. Even later on, they help gather key feedback or rally support for your Kickstarter.

To grow your email list, mention the newsletter subscription at every opportunity. Ask people if they’d like to be added. Be transparent about how their email will be used. And definitely set up a landing page—a simple site focused on getting people to subscribe. That’s what I did for Magical Friends.

I used Mailchimp.com to send my newsletters. I'm happy with how easy it was to create and distribute them, and the site also offers great analytics tools. It even lets you create a landing page—though I’m not fully sold on those options yet. The Landing Page is still there, but now I got the Publishers site for new things to come.

Overall, I found marketing pretty challenging. I wasn’t able to grow my subscriber list as much as I’d hoped. It really takes a lot of time and persistence!