The New Year is coming fast. Are you thinking of launching a crowdfunding campaign in 2015? Did you run a failed campaign in 2014? If you said yes to either of these questions I have a comprehensive set of tips to help you make 2015 the year you launched a successful crowdfunding project:
1. Research
Research is key for any crowdfunding endeavor. Going into a campaign blind without knowing what works in your category can lead to disappointment and time wasted. Look at past projects, successful and not. Ask friends, family, and your target audience what they think about your project and make sure to include their feedback. For a full outline of things to research before launching check out this CrowdfundingPR post. You can also reach out to other creators on Crowdfunding Forum or Kickstarter Forum.
2. Make a great video
Filming and editing a crowdfunding video might be the most time consuming part of putting your page together, but it is important. Crowdfunding campaigns without a video can be disappointing because most people have come to expect them. Your video should be short, to the point, and show your personality. Take a look at a list of common video mistakes to avoid on CrowdCrux!
3. Communicate with backers often
Crowdfunding projects with more updates and comments often have more funding. This could be for several reasons – it gives the impression of increased trustworthiness when a creator keeps fans up to date, it attracts more shares and articles, and gives backers a reason to keep coming back and talking about your project to friends. A recent CrowdfundingPR post on popular Kickstarter campaigns over Christmas shows that projects who did well on that day updated backers frequently.
4. Write a clear project description
People won’t want to pledge to your campaign if they aren’t exactly sure what it is you are doing. Most campaigns get their point across, but some tend to be confusing and leave people wondering, “What exactly is this campaign supposed to be?” Focus on the main project that you want to finish with your campaign. Explain why it is important, new, or exciting, and what it will do for backers. Tell backers why you need help, the experience you have that makes you capable of doing it, what they will get, and where their money will go.
5. Have a compelling story
Human interest is one big factor that attracts people to crowdfunding. It’s like going back to old marketplaces where you know who makes what you buy in the community, rather than shopping at a discount store that is much more anonymous and impersonal. People want to know who you are. They want to like who they’re donating to. For help with telling a story that will catch people’s attention read this article on CrowdfundingPR.
6. Decide on a realistic goal
Even small things like your funding goal can make a difference between success and failure. Many projects have launched with high goals and failed. Some return with a much lower goal and often succeed, sometimes even more so than expected! It has to do with how realistic your goal seems – if potential backers think your goal is unnecessarily high they may be suspicious. Explain why your goal is what it is.
7. Offer awesome rewards
Crowdfunding is great because it gives people a chance to get things that are unique and can’t be found just anywhere. To be the first to get new products that are not yet offered to the general public, often at a discounted price. Another awesome thing about rewards is the endless possibilities they offer. Not only can you offer products, you can also offer experiences. Make sure to have fun deciding on your rewards. Set fair prices and be open to making adjustments if you see some tiers do better than others. Take a look at this Crowdfunding Forum post for more tips on planning rewards!
8. Get covered by media and bloggers
This step is important but also one that causes problems for creators who don’t know how journalists and bloggers work. It is important to approach writers whose usual content relates to your project. Give them interesting news to share, not just that you are running a crowdfunding campaign. What sets yours apart? Choosing the right publications is also important. Check out this CrowdCrux post on how to get bloggers to write about your campaign.
9. Become social media savvy
Choose a few social media platforms (like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) and set up professional and informative profiles. Share content about your industry and project, add people you know and ask them to share you on their networks so yours can grow. Know which platforms do what, and how you can leverage them to get more exposure (like joining LinkedIn groups or using hashtags on Twitter). Read this CrowdCrux article for advice on automating your social media, which can save a lot of time!
10. Stay organized
Keeping organized is a good way to not get overwhelmed through your crowdfunding campaign. Making use of different tools offered online can help your campaign run smoothly and help stay connected with team members and fans. Check out this CrowdfundingPR post for some affordable resources.
11. Have a visually appealing campaign page
Taking time to make your page look nice, neat, and organized can impress backers and make them stay on your page longer (and maybe contribute!). For some useful crowdfunding design tools to make an appealing page on any budget see this post on CrowdfundingPR!
12. Launch at the right time for you
In some cases the time of year can mean the difference between a project that fails and one that does very well. For example, if you are launching a product that would make a great Christmas present, try to launch it early enough that you can reasonable ship rewards to backers by then, and close enough to the holidays for that connection to be made. The same goes for products that people would use in the summer, like Bunch-O-Balloons.
Conclusion
If you have some serious crowdfunding goals for 2015, keeping these tips in mind plus using the information and resources available to you will help you turn that possibility into a reality.
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