How to Create a Prototype for Kickstarter (or Indiegogo)

You have a project in mind and finally it's time to make it come alive!

But to make it real and functioning, you got to make a prototype first, this is a vital part of inventing and designing, and you will need it before you get to the production of your final version.

This phase is for sure a complicated one, but also fun and creative if you really love your project. There are a lot of things to take care of before the creation of your first prototype, ans there are a lot of steps to follow in order to create it.

In this article we will talk about the advantages of prototyping and give you an easy guide on how to make your first prototype!

Before reading the article...

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1. WHY PROTOTYPES ARE IMPORTANT?

What's a prototype? to make it simple, it is an early model of your product, and whether you are creating a brand new project or improving an existing one, you’re going to need it absolutely, also to show something tangible on your crowdfunding page.

Having a physical product with the actual features developed during design will make it easier to adjust and fix what you don't like. First, you’ll be testing how your product can actually be made, and second, it will be essential for its improvement. The most important thing is that you can learn from it, see how it performs, and perfect it until you get your final version (after many, many tries!)

Showing an early version of your product has become a standard and even a mandatory process, there are a LOT of advantages in creating a prototype, for example:

1) Test and Improve your product
Having your prototype example in your hand will help you really see its flaws and study how to fix them. Then, you will be able to use it and see if it reflects your vision. Step by step, you’ll perfect it and reach the final version.

2) Motivation Boost
After planning and designing, having your dream project in your hands will remind you why you started it all in the first place. That milestone will surely excite you and motivate you to aspire for your final version and start the production.

3) Show People Something
Whether you’re setting up your crowdfunding page or getting a patent, having a prototype will give you a big boost of credibility. You’ll be able to showcase your product and prove its usefulness. In addition, it’ll be easier to sell your idea when you have something to show. You will also learn about what your users think about the physical features, as well as its usability and improvements.

2. WHAT TO DO BEFORE CREATING A PROTOTYPE?

Creating a prototype is a milestone in your career, but before getting to action is better to fill out this ''to-do-list'' this will help you protect your project from fraud and stealing since it will be published on the internet. It's fundamental to have some professionals follow these steps with you.

1) Find an Intellectual Property Lawyer
If you are sure about publishing your product then you will need to protect it and make sure you’re the only manufacturer. At this point, you will absolutely need a patent, and an intellectual property lawyer to take care of the process.

2) Sign Non-Disclosure Agreements
Anyone involved in the design, sketching, or prototyping processes should be legally responsible for not leaking any sensitive information. This information can cause you financial damages, and you have to make sure you will be fairly compensated.

3) Be Money-Wise with the Manufacturing
Depending on your invention, there are a couple of ways to get your prototype made. You can create it yourself if you're skilled enough, collaborate with prototyping companies, or outsource the prototype manufacturing process to speed up the process and cut initial costs.

3. HOW TO PREPARE YOUR PROTOTYPE?

After taking the necessary steps before putting up your prototype, now it's time to see what are the steps to take to create a prototype.

1) Analyze Your Market
You need to study your market before launching your product prototype: who are your competitors, what are their competitive advantages, how can you make a better version, etc. Study your competitors and if you like something they do you could re-elaborate and include it in your prototype, or either stay away from things you don't like from your competitors!
Before starting creating your prototype, make sure to get feedback from actual customers. Conduct surveys, analyze your results and in the end, create what your users really want.

2) Make a Sketch
The physical attribute of your product is its main selling point. You want to create an aesthetically pleasing and functional product. Before doing that, remember to gather feedback, listen to multiple perspectives, and fix it accordingly. So put your ideas down on paper and give a good idea of what you want to create.

3) Make it Digital
Once you have your initial sketch, it’s time to turn it into a digital sketch. There are many tools you can use to make 2D and 3D renders of your product. But if you are not skilled in such programs, you can always get the help of a graphic designer. Another option is to work with prototype manufacturing companies, it will be a little more costly but you can skip learning about the specifics of a 3D prototype.

4. BUILD YOUR PROTOTYPE

After designing the product and being satisfied with it, it's time to build it and there are several ways to build a prototype, let's see.

1) Do It Yourself

If you're skilled enough and you're a pro in the field, building it yourself is not impossible, for example, a 3D printer just might do the trick. You will be the only one who masters the manufacturing process, and you could even come up with better solutions. Plus, you’ll save your funds for the future.

2) Let a Professional Designer do the work

With a professional doing the work the mistake margin is really low because they know what they're doing and have more efficient ways of bringing your idea to life. For sure it will cost more than a DIY but you will probably get some amazing improvement and better suggestions along the way.

3) Rely on an Industrial Design University

In University the students are always looking for projects to add to their portfolio, and they will require a smaller budget than a professional. This option is the most efficient one when you’re building an initial prototype.

Of course, your initial prototype will not be the final one, don't expect it to build it and that it works perfectly. Be prepared to go through trial and error. You should think about what you like about it, what you want to change and if it's the best choice in the market. This will help you organize and manage your solutions. In the end, you’ll have a product that you’re proud of and that your customers will love.

Other than that, the most important thing is to take in mind what are the costs to build your prototype, which can be very expensive, but necessary to the credibility of your project. It is not an easy process, it’s especially costly since you won’t be making it in bulk. So, each individual prototype will have a much higher cost than your future cost per unit.

Costs depend on what is your product and its prototyping stage, for example, the prototype of a board game will be less costly than a tech product.

Some prototyping costs for soft goods to keep in mind:
Initial concept and design near $1000
Technical drawings near $2000
Around 3 tryings of prototypes near $1000 per round
Production tooling near $5000
Of course, these are just indicative and you may check on different sources to find the right costs.

WRAPPING IT UP

This is it for today, creators, prototypes have an essential role to increase the popularity of your campaign on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, they can help you raise credibility around your project and incentive people into backing your campaign, so make sure to create them really well and think about the target for your product, a good prototype is mandatory to stand out on crowdfunding platforms!

A crowdfunding launch requires a lot of hard work and sacrifices, but I'm sure that it will be worth it in order to start making your dream project come true.

Always remember that before launching your project you will need to analyze and prepare your pre-launch phase to launch your first product, I’ve got you covered with my crowdfunding pre-launch free e-book called ''3 steps to success on Kickstarter and Indiegogo''. 

As always make sure to subscribe to my channel to stay updated on fresh new content that I’m gonna drop there.

Ciao ciao! 

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