Planning a Kickstarter project? Looking for ideas to create higher level rewards or stretch goals or other bonuses? Here is a list of things to consider adding on to your core project:

Bonus material: Add an extra chapter, adventure, music track, etc. to backers at a higher level or if the project reaches a stretch goal. Make the existing core rewards better: Print more of it in color, offer it in more formats, etc. Reach out to others: Add a reward where another author writes a short story/adventure related to your main project, another artist or musician collaborates with you, etc. This can bring in another audience and get the other collaborator(s) mentioning your project! Signed copies: If you and/or your collaborators have some following, offer signed copies. Include the backer’s likeness or their name in the project. Let the backer name something in the project. (Subject to editorial control of course.) T-Shirt or other wearable item: Use the main art (or best pieces of art) from your project and your logo. It may be even better if you can put something witty on it so it is more than just an ad for your project. Cost $8-32, depending on volume from Zazzle, CafePress, etc. Mugs/Glasses: Ditto to the T-shirts. Cost $10-$22, depending on volume from Zazzle, CafePress, etc. Office products: From paper notebooks to custom binders to laptop or iPhone cases you can get a few or many made. Also from Zazzle, CafePress, etc. Price varies greatly. Art prints/Posters: Again, use the main art from your project and your logo and maybe a witty phrase. These can be made for $1-$25 depending on the size (8″x10″ to 2’x3′) and quantity from psprint and uprinting. You can even start with a smaller size and tell backers that as more people select the reward the size will increase. Calendar: Similar to a poster or art print, but depending on your subject matter and the time of the year this reward can do very well. $10-25 from Zazzle, CafePress, etc. Map: A map is a great extra reward (or part of a higher tier package) for a game or story project. You can get them as a simple print, or look into getting it printed on cloth. Custom trading cards: Make a limited edition set of cards of each member of the band, the characters of the story, the creatures in the adventure, etc. For quantities of 500 or more look for a bulk trading card printing company. For short runs, look for “The Game Crafter” or “DriveThruCards.” Poker cards: Similar to trading cards, but if you want the backs to all be the same you can have Bicycle brand playing cards printed. Small orders are done through Zazzle. Larger orders are through Bicycle itself. Custom dice: Get one or all sides of a die customized. Cost varies but is typically between $1-$5 depending on size, number of custom sides and quantity. Custom dice bags or plushies: These aren’t hard if you know someone who can sew… or perhaps contact one of the small custom dice bag makers. Custom figure: Sticking with gaming things, perhaps your game or story has a special character or creature. Check into getting a custom figure made. Custom sketch: If you are an artist or you have them on your team, see if it is cost effective for them to do sketches. Wallpaper, ringtones, etc. If your project has art or music consider including these rewards as part of an upgraded package. Custom web application or computer program: Depending on your project, an interactive application of one sort or another can add a lot of value. Probably best as a stretch goal, and be sure to price it out with a competent programmer. Alternate covers/enhanced covers: Well, they sort of worked for comic books in the early-mid 1990s. (Even if they were sometimes derided as a scheme to make extra cash on collectors.) Anyway, you may get some backers who want an extra copy if you offer different covers. Or have a package to get the alternate covers as prints. Maybe investigate a hologram or foil cover as part of an upgraded package. Allow others to take advantage of your work: At special tiers, backers can pledge to use the art or sample the music, etc. in their own projects. Perhaps as a stretch reward offer to place some or all of the work under a creative commons license. Early access to give feedback: Personally, I think all backers should see works in progress and be able to provide feedback. But your preference may be different or your project may be much larger in scope so you need to limit feedback. In any case, special access is another possible reward. Meet you/your team: Play a game with you, be invited to a meet & greet, or be part of a private reading or recording. You’ll want to be clear on the travel arrangements. Consultation: Offer to work with a few backers individually on something related to your expertise/project. Maybe they want a 2-hour music lesson or to know how to play a particular riff… Maybe you can offer to read a story (with a word count limit) and provide feedback…

Caveats:

Not all of the above are interesting to me personally as a backer and many don’t apply to my projects, but maybe they work for you & your projects!

The cost estimates span getting just a couple of the upscale styles of a product to a few hundred of the cheaper versions.

I’ve tried to add price information where I know it from prior research on my own.

Of course, don’t add rewards that will prevent you from fulfilling the main project! (Cost & time.)

Hopefully that gives you a great start and gets your creativity going. Do you have another idea? Post it here!