ABCs of Crowdfunding: V is for Video

Everyone knows you need a campaign video to tell your initial story in a crowdfunding campaign. And most people know that many different kinds of videos can work – they can be very simple, or elaborate. They can cost next to nothing, or thousands. It all depends on your purpose, branding, project, resources and what is needed.

Read More

Everyone knows you need a campaign video to tell your initial story in a crowdfunding campaign. And most people know that many different kinds of videos can work – they can be very simple, or elaborate. They can cost next to nothing, or thousands. It all depends on your purpose, branding, project, resources and what is needed.

Read More

The ABCs of Crowdfunding: P is for The Patron-Age

So Michelangelo says to the Prince: “Whattup, Prince. It’s cool that you dig my sculptures and commission me to do one every five years or so, but I still gotta pay rent, go for brunch and pick up my art supplies in between commissions. That’s a lotta chedda’, and I need to make it rain!”

If only Michelangelo had a DeLorean, he could’ve taken advantage of a new philosophy of independent cultural enterprise that relies on the direct, regular and ongoing relationship between artists and their paying fans (or, as Michelangelo would’ve referred to them, patrons).

Read More

Crowdfunding ABCs: G is for Goal Setting

We all know that proper goal-setting is a critical part of your crowdfunding campaign success strategy. There are a ton of great posts (like this one) on how to set goals, so I’m not going to belabor those basics.

On this subject, however, there are two concepts I’d like you to ponder in a bigger sense when you’re strategizing for your campaign.

Read More

ABCs of Crowdfunding: F is for Finance First

We love to jump into new things, especially when it comes to MAKING MONEY, and crowdfunding is no exception. I’m guilty of it myself.

You can be successful (and 142,647 Kickstarter projects as of today have been to the tune of $3.6 billion!), but it isn’t a slam dunk. On average, 36% of Kickstarter campaigns succeeded, and Indiegogo’s success rate is even lower: about 34%. The reasons for campaign failures vary, but one thing you CAN bet on is that if you don’t prioritize careful financial planning in advance of your campaign, you run a high risk of not achieving your campaign goal.

Read More

ABCs of Crowdfunding: A is for Ambassadors

The strength of your body is your core: a group of muscles in the center of your body that keep you healthy and moving forward. Your campaign’s “core” is your inner circle: Your family, friends, colleagues/co-workers, and anyone else to whom you are close enough to ask them to help advocate for you and your campaign (in addition to contributing, of course!)

 Here are some ways to engage your core, turning them into social media and marketing ambassadors:

Read More

ABCs of Crowdfunding: O is for Outreach

Soooo…You’ve launched your campaign and now have 30 days or more to reach your goal. How well you use social media and, most importantly, your email list, during the campaign will correlate directly to your results: The better you use your communication tools, the higher your contribution total will be.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind for fueling campaign interest (and contributions) through the campaign:

Read More

ABCs of Crowdfunding: S is for Story

Developing and then articulating a clear vision for your campaign is essential. You may already have a specific project in mind, like the development of a book trailer, or travel to do research for your historical project. Perhaps your goal is more general, such as paying for production costs for your book.

No matter what is your goal, it will be unique, and it will have a story. Your job is to identify and tell that story.   There are four traits your story should have to help convince your communities of interest to support your campaign goals. Think of these four Cs when you’re writing your campaign story. I’ve used some examples from one of my favorite recent (and wildly successful) campaigns to which I contributed, Thin Ice and Physiclo.

Read More

ABCs of Crowdfunding: C is for Contributors

originally written for the Saskatchewan Community Futures Development Corporation

In a nutshell, as many people now know, crowdfunding is the internet-based financing approach to acquire “pennies from many” to support all kinds of people, projects, ideas, initiatives, causes, companies, communities, creations and inventions.

I’ve been both a campaigner and a contributor to crowdfunding campaigns for a few years now, so it often surprises me that people still ask the question, “Why should I contribute to a campaign?”
Read More

ABCs of Crowdfunding: L is for Launch

Everyone knows (or should know by now) that a minimum of 30% of your crowdfunding goal comes from those closest to you. From your peeps (ie. friends and family, the soccer team, the fellowship group, the gang at work).

The most successful campaigns have that in the can before they ever go live. Those savvy campaigners view the launch as something that happens in stages — a piece of the crowdfunding puzzle — definitely not just on campaign opening day.

Saturn V

You might define the launch period as having three distinct stages, just like the famous Saturn V rocket that launched all Apollo space missions in the US between 1966-73.

Stage I – Lift-Off: The Key Allies Launch

Think of anyone/everyone who might answer the call to do at least one of three things for you: (1) be a campaign gossiper (by that, I mean, everything you tell them about the campaign from now on, they promise to tell everyone they know); (2) be a campaign contributor; (3) be a campaign volunteer. Read More