With more than 200 different crowdfunding platforms available, it can seem a little overwhelming at first to decide where to raise the money that needs to be raised. Before settling on Kickstarter as the old standby or signing up for a niche platform that makes sense, you’ll want to make sure you know about these 8 proven ways that can help your campaign stand out anywhere.
1. Make Sure You Have Solid Plans That Are Transparent
Constant updates on Facebook aren’t going to raise a lot of cash. It’s a marketing effort. You’ve got to treat it as such. If you don’t have a plan to implement when your crowdfunding campaign starts, then you’re going to fail before you even begin.
2. Get Started With Your Fundraising Before You Launch Your Campaign
Reach out to potential backers up to a month before you get your crowdfunding campaign to go live. Most of the time, a business needs about 30% of the fundraising goal before their campaign goes live, no matter what platform has been chosen, to find success.
3. Tell Your Story
For a campaign to truly stand out, you’ve got to make it personal. Crowdfunding isn’t just about ideas. It’s also about people. Those who are passionate and knowledgeable about their ideas and niche tend to go a lot further than those who just put out the facts. When you show value, you get value in return.
4. Feedback is Always Important
There will always be a few trolls out there that are just trying to get under your skin. Most of the time, however, the feedback you receive will be a critical component to your success. It will be a fatal error to ignore feedback you don’t like.
5. Lower the Bar if You Can Do It
People are more willing to back a campaign that has already been fully funded. By lowering the bar, you can actually raise the amount of money that can be brought in on your next campaign. By seeing 100%, the average supporter feels validated.
6. Traditional Methods Still Work
Crowdfunding helps to bring in online support, but the reality is that traditional marketing techniques still bring in a lot of support. Submit press releases to local outlets. Sponsor local events. Get your name out with a link to your campaign and you’ll get a tremendous amount of exposure.
7. Always, Always Follow Through
Crowdfunding is all about value: perceived and real value. Your campaign gets support because of the perceived value that you can provide. Your reputation get support when you provide or exceed the promised value.
8. Don’t Stop With One Campaign
When you can build up a reputation of providing products on time and responding to questions, you’ll create a tempting investment proposition on a follow-up campaign. Take your next idea and start crowdfunding. You might just be surprised at how much money you might be able to raise.
Strong proponent of individual liberty and free speech. My goal is to present information that expands our awareness of crucial issues and exposes the manufactured illusion of freedom that we are sold in America. Question everything because nothing is what it seems.
