Magnus MacDonald is doing something right. Since September 2013, he’s managed to generate over NZ$72,000 (and counting) from his magnificent titanium gadgets using Kickstarter.
The self-confessed “King of Crowdfund” is a guy who gets it. He knows how to build a crowd, and keep them coming back for more. He knows who his customer is, and he builds quality products that they actually want – a fact well-illustrated when you see how his backers are increasing over each consecutive project.
His first project – The Viperfish – was a titanium multitool that raised £8,471 (NZ$16,500) from 154 backers. As well as a great product with a lifetime guarantee, backers were promised an experience. They got sneak-peaks of MacDonald’s other inventions and behind-the-scenes content. In all, this project posted a whopping 54 updates and led to the release of his second project, The Rabbit.
Perhaps it was the updates, or the fact that Magnus prides himself on the quality of his products. Maybe it was that 95% of his backers got their products on time – a feat almost unheard of on Kickstarter. Whatever it was, The Rabbit was even bigger than The Viperfish, gaining £11,243 (NZ$22,000) and doubling his previous backercount to 317.
So it’s unsurprising that his latest project, The Hookup, funded on its first day, and is currently sitting at 850% of its initial funding goal with two weeks to go.
It’s pretty rare for me to do my regular checkup of Kickstarter and find a Kiwi project that’s managed to fund on Day 1. In the case of The Hookup, I had to meet the genius behind these very successful projects.
So I got in contact and sat down with Magnus for a chat in a cafe where everyone knew his name. His approach is simple: know who your customer is, know what they want. Then deliver a product – and an experience – that blows them away and keeps them coming back for more.
With The Hookup, Magnus is providing a product that works for all his other products – it’s a way to keep all the titanium doodads easily organised and safe. Kinda like those magazine subscriptions that give away a folder to keep each issue as you bought it.
If you’ve bought his products and loved them, you want The Hookup. If you have lots of other people’s doodads, you want The Hookup. If you missed out on his last projects but think his products might be for you, you want The Hookup. The Hookup is the folder. All the doodads are the magazine issue. For every one you buy, you want the awesome thing that keeps them all together. Simple, genius. Magnus is creating something that not only speaks to his customers, but also speaks to everyone elses’ customers as well.
I love talking to creators that “get it”. They inspire me to keep doing what I’m doing. If you’re looking to build a business through crowdfunding, his ever-expanding portfolio is a great place to start your research.
And if you want a cool little doodad which will keep all your keys and other doodads ordered and safe, you’ve got until July 16, 2014 to get your mits on a Hookup.
