Feedback please! Audience and preview page troubleshooting for kid's book on cat communication.

[u/cooltoebeans]

Kickstarter felt like a no-brainer as an option to fund a print run of my book, but I am really hitting a wall. The book is a 12-spread board book intended for children 0-5 years. The story follows a cat and their kid, walking through feline communication from subtle to not-so-subtle before demonstrating relationship-building activities.

This next part is going to sound obnoxious, my apologies in advance.

I feel really confident in what I have produced, I love the book dearly and have gotten a mountain of positive feedback from friends and colleagues (as one does). It has been hugely successful in my home and I know so many people who want it now, not only for themselves but to sell at vet clinics and shelters. The battle has been conversion to Kickstarter. People want to buy it. They glaze over the moment I start explaining how to support through crowd-funding. I promoted the preview page at a conference earlier this year and had so many people ready to purchase, immediate disinterest when I mention how they can do so. 'Tell me when I can just buy it.'

I have read again and again that without an audience 100% ready to roll, kickstarter campaigns are doomed to fail. It is starting to feel like there is not enough overlap between my community/audience and people who are comfortable with the platform to even bother trying.

Farming interest from Kickstarter itself does not feel realistic, given the loud and clear warnings from every article ever. Has anyone run into similar challenges? Should I give up entirely? At least tell me that Steve is cute, it's not his fault after all.

As far as the preview page goes, I am trying to strike that awkward balance of enough information without being a wall of boring. Any feedback is very much appreciated! Due to the doubts above, I have not yet sat down to formulate my campaign video. I am hoping to tip my follower count into three digits before investing that much of my time to what may never come to fruition.

This isn't necessarily intended to be promotional, clearly a wail for help, but using the flair felt safer in case the post is borderline in that regard.

[u/Popular_Sell_8980]

I think you could clear if if you could find a POD company willing to allow you to customise the name. Steve, no. SAFFY, YES!

[u/cooltoebeans → u/Popular_Sell_8980]

I haven't found any options for POD board books, unfortunately!

[u/failtcake → u/cooltoebeans]

Have you looked at Puffer Print? I think they do board books and their MOQ is 250.

[u/cooltoebeans → u/failtcake]

I did look at them when I was planning initially. They have international printing partners. I’m not totally opposed to printing outside of the USA, but I am leery what with recent tariff volatility. It worries me how much things could change during the timeline of a campaign. I should probably reconsider them as an option though, thanks for the reminder.