Tips for Launching Your Crowdfunding Campaign

Launching a campaign to finance a big business idea or new invention is not an easy thing to do, whatever the platform. Things have definitely gotten a lot easier now that crowdfunding websites have become a prominent means of generating capital for startups and gadgets globally. People have even raised money for charities, major surgeries, and their education through these platforms. What makes the difference, though, between a successful campaign and a total failure? For starters, you need to give people something worth backing. Here are a few tips to help you launch a money-generating campaign.

Tell a Story

People are better persuaded through emotional messages and ones that directly affect them. So, if you are raising money for a cause, talk about the cause, the people involved, and how they will benefit. Put up real photographs. If your campaign is for an innovative product or service, tell people how they can personally benefit from it. Explain how you came up with the idea, along with a little background about yourself and your team. People need to be able to connect with you and view you as legitimate. A video can be extremely useful for this. Take note of local support. Use a website that is specific to crowd funding Australia if you live in Melbourne, for example. People will be more likely to support and help their fellow citizens.

Reach out Progressively

Very few campaigns can gain traction and go viral overnight. Usually even then, it’s only because of serendipitous timing. You can, however, pick up a momentum in successive stages. Start by building an e-mail list of people you know personally, plus any other contacts you have from networking and social media. The majority of your initial investments will come from known individuals, as these are the people most likely to donate. This way you will have something to show for your efforts when you place the campaign in the public eye. The unknown crowd is more likely to donate when they see that others have done so too. It’s a form of social proof, suggesting that your idea is worth supporting. After the initial donations, start posting your links on social media and other platforms, and get your friends and family to share it too.

Keep Updating

The best way to keep up the momentum is to regularly update people through social media and your campaign platform. Post videos, pictures, and other information relevant to how your campaign is progressing. This includes any developments with the product or service you are working on. Be sure to keep thanking people, especially big donors. If you can, individually thank people who donate or post with feedback and comments. This will show that you are seriously invested in your project and the people who are supporting you. There will be some negative feedback as well, but consider this constructive. See if you can improve, and thank people for their feedback.

Offer Perks

A great way to make sure that you hit your financial goal is to offer rewards and perks for big donations, or donations of a certain amount. For example, if you are creating a new app, you can have a limited offer for those who donate $15 or more by allowing them access to the beta version. If you are making a movie, offer merchandise for a donation of over $25. Many indie movie makers have given special thanks in the end credits of their finished film to their biggest donors. If you are creating a new product, you could offer free samples or early access for bigger donations.

Remember to always send out thank you e-mails or messages to donors. The more personal, the better. If you have time, record a video with your team by the end of the campaign and thank people. Be sure to show them the fruits of their support and your labours. The last thing to do is deliver on your promise! The tips above have helped many campaigners to significantly surpass their personal finance goals, and they can help you exceed yours too.