In 2019, there were over 6.45 million successful crowdfunding campaigns around the globe. To be considered successful, a crowdfunding company has achieved their campaign goals on time. In last week’s article, we discussed what crowdfunding is and how to support these companies. If you are interested in crowdfunding, keep reading to check out our top tips for running a successful crowdfunding campaign. 

1. Be Prepared

This may seem like an obvious tip, but it is imperative that you prepare in advance before taking your campaign live. If you take your campaign live before you have done the necessary research and planning, it will be difficult to launch a successful campaign. You need to know:

  • What are you raising money for?
  • How will the funds help you achieve your goal? 
  • Why should investors support you?
  • When will your investors receive a reward (depends on crowdfunding type)?
  • Where will your campaign exist (there are several reputable online platforms to choose from)?

2. Create a Compelling Story and Objective

It’s important to decide on a clear objective of why you are launching this crowdfunding campaign. This will help you focus on your goals and let your investors know what they are supporting. Just like your objective, your campaign requires a compelling story. Let investors know why they should believe in your cause, team, and goals. Your story should include who your team is, your reason for starting your business, and your progress throughout the entire campaign. 

3. Show Your Plans for Growth

Once you’ve crafted a strong story, the next step is to show your plans for growth. Let your community of investors know how you will implement your plans based on your market, competition, and target audience. This plan should be well thought out and include realistic goals. 

4. Crunch the Numbers

Take the time to understand what it will take financially to reach your campaign goals. This step should not be rushed and should include everyone involved on your team. Determine a best possible estimate based on your business model, current market rates, and what your team is able to realistically invest before launch.

5. Choose a Crowdfunding Type

Among a sea of crowdfunding campaigns, it can be overwhelming to choose the best one for your business model. You and your team should research different platforms in advance, so you have time to find the site that aligns with your campaign the best. By setting yourself up for success from the start, this will increase the likelihood that things will go well with your campaign. Indeed, never rush into finding a platform quickly or choosing one that is cheapest. It’s better to find one that fits your goals, budget, and values best.

6. Build Your Campaign 

Once you choose a platform and have your business model, story, and objectives defined, you are ready to build your campaign. Most platforms offer helpful resources for what to include in a strong campaign and how to customize page content. If you have a content writer on your team, they can write effective, persuasive copy that creates an emotional connection with your target audience. Aside from copy, it’s recommended to include visuals like images, infographics, and videos to further connect with your audience. This helps break up the text and helps people better retain your story. They may not remember all the statistics, but they will be likely to remember a video with a strong message.

7. Create a FAQ for Investors

Want to go a step further with content? Provide a FAQ section for commonly asked questions that investors may have about your business model, goals, and specific products or services. By being transparent with investors, this shows that you are trustworthy, professional, and most importantly, a legitimate company. You can get an idea for how much information to include on your FAQ section by checking out similar crowdfunding campaigns.

8. Create Social Buzz

In today’s digital age, there are countless options to get the word out about your upcoming campaign. Reach out to people on social media, online forums, your website, emails, and local events. By connecting with others in-person and online, this will allow you to share your campaign with a lot of potential investors. To encourage people to come out to in-person meetings, consider offering free coffee or pizza and beer to anyone willing to listen to your campaign pitch. Since everyone loves free food, you can be sure that interested people will bring along friends and family. Use these meetings as an opportunity to share your story with people and how you plan to solve a real world problem with your products or services. 

We hope these tips help you prepare and launch a successful crowdfunding campaign. While it does take time, patience, and hard work to get started, once you launch your campaign and reach your funding goals, you will be ready for the next step, bringing your business visions to life. If you are launching a campaign, did you know Awesome Website Guys supports crowdfunding companies? Contact us today to learn more!