This is the story of The Coolest. It has to be THE greatest invention of this century. (At least for me as a crazy hockey mom and Virginia Tech season-ticket holder who could hold a degree in tailgating.) This cooler has it all – battery powered blender, waterproof stereo system, LED light, USB charger, cutting board, bottle opener, storage for plates, gear tie downs and rugged wheels to go anywhere. They use the description “A Party Disguised as a Cooler.”
So where does perseverance come in? Ryan Grepper, the inventor of the Coolest, did a Kickstarter Project last winter. That’s how I met him. I funded the project right away (big surprise as I wanted to be the envy of everyone at our next tailgate). I reached out to him about how awesome The Coolest was. Turns out he has another business that helps inventors get their products to market so that coupled with my PR business, we saw a win-win. That’s how we became friends.
Regrettably, that initial Kickstarter campaign failed. He didn’t raise the $50,000 he needed to get started. Did Ryan give up? No! He went back, tweaked a few things, and then launched in summertime when everyone is thinking about coolers (at the beach, outdoor parties, camping, etc.).
His next Coolest Kickstarter Project launched a week ago with a goal of $50,000. As I’m writing this, it is over $4 million and will be the highest Kickstarter project to-date likely topping $30 million. How awesome is that?
The big lesson here is that Ryan didn’t quit when he didn’t get funded the first time. He knew he had a good thing. People DID fund initially. He kept at it, changed course a bit and tried again – this time to epic proportion!
The good news is that you can join me and take part in this historic project by pre-ordering your very own Coolest HERE. Mine arrives in early 2015 and I can’t wait!!!
What can we learn from Ryan and The Coolest in our quest for PR?
PR Lesson #1
Don’t give up if you don’t hear back right away. Your story idea might not be a fit right now but that doesn’t mean it won’t be later. Ryan’s Kickstarter didn’t resonate with people back in the winter. He tried again in summer and he has hottest product of the year.
PR Lesson #2
Seasonality is so important to pitching. Ryan originally pitched The Coolest in the winter. Not a time when people are thinking about coolers. Now, in summer, people can imagine how they’d be using The Coolest. Although it’s the same awesome product, people had a different mindset about it in winter versus summer.
Let Ryan’s story remind you that a little perseverance goes a long way! Don’t give up on your dreams.
To Your PR Success,
