6 Things To Consider For A Noteworthy Crowdfunding Campaign

The history of crowdfunding goes back centuries, but the rise of the internet has changed how we understand it forever. Today, while the main aim of crowdfunding remains the same, the scale of crowdfunding campaigns and the methods used to achieve the final goal have changed beyond measure. The internet has erased all the physical, cultural, and language barriers, becoming a powerful tool to reach millions of people who will feel passionate about your idea. 

That being said, launching and implementing a crowdfunding campaign that achieves its final goal is not the easiest of tasks. It requires a lot of strategic planning and hard work. Below are six things you will need to consider for your campaign to be successful. 

Consider the Stages of a Crowdfunding Campaign

One thing to always keep in mind when it comes to crowdfunding campaigns is that they require constant planning and management. Your campaign starts long before it goes live and doesn’t end once you’ve reached your goal. To manage your campaign effectively, we recommend you break it down to the following stages:

• Pre-campaign - Your campaign should be well-thought-out and pre-planned in every detail before it goes live. At this stage, you should plan out your marketing and communication strategy, crisis management plan, and craft the messages you will share.
• Live-campaign - This is the stage when your crowdfunding campaign is live and pledges begin to roll in. At this stage, you should work on the campaign promotion using the pre-planned marketing strategy. Make sure your whole team stays on track in terms of where the campaign is. Organize regular meetings and employee training sessions so that everyone is always on the same page.
• Post-campaign - Whether you’ve reached your goal or not, once your campaign is over you should thank your supporters. If you’ve reached your goal, show them the progress you’ve achieved so far and how their support helped you get there.

Choose the Right Platform

Choosing the right platform for your campaign may seem overwhelming at first. It’s important to identify your campaign's needs to help narrow down your choices. Platforms like Indiegogo and Kickstarter are great for tech products, while GoFundMe is one of the best options for personal projects or charitable causes. Don't overlook less obvious options as well, there is a large number of less popular crowdfunding platforms that offer wonderful tools and specifications. The key is to find the platform that is best for you.

Pay Attention to the Branding 

While it may be hard to find resources for professional branding at the initial stages of your idea development, it is also important to look professional. Fortunately, you no longer need to spend a fortune to have top-tier branding. A variety of design tools, such as logo makers, flyer makers, color scheme generators, and shape generators are available online and can offer you everything you need to create effective, professional, and memorable branding without breaking the bank.

Leverage the Power of Social Media

Launching a crowdfunding campaign and hoping it somehow reaches its goal will not work: you need to spread the word. This is where social media comes into play, it's the perfect tool to reach new audiences and tell your story in an engaging way. It’s important to have your social media marketing strategy planned well before your campaign even goes live. Use creative and captivating posts to build a relationship with your audience and engage them in your campaign. Have a clearly defined posting and communications schedule and try to test different types of posts and ads. This strategy is especially useful in the initial stages of your campaign, as it will both help you manage your marketing budget and give you a better understanding of your backers and what they expect from you.

Increase Your Direct Outreach Efforts

While social media is a wonderful way to promote your crowdfunding campaign, direct outreach is another tool in your promotional toolbox you don’t want to forget. If you have a mailing list from another project or your website, don’t hesitate to use it – the people who are willing to share their emails with you are the same people who will want to learn about your new project. The more people you can reach out to directly, the better your campaign results will be.

Have a Killer Video

While statistics on this differ, one thing is certain – campaigns with videos perform better. Most crowdfunding platforms require you to have a video, as it will help backers get a better idea of exactly what they’ll be pledging toward, how they will benefit, and why they should get involved. When working on your video, make sure that it is engaging, informative, and shows not only your product but also the team working behind it. An ideal length of a crowdfunding campaign video is 2-3 minutes. 

Final Thoughts

These are just a few things to take into consideration when running a crowdfunding campaign. It’s important to understand that crowdfunding requires dedication, patience, planning, and a lot of work. However, if done correctly the results are worth it. Think of crowdfunding not only as a way to raise funds but also as an effort to build your future customer base. The people who invest in your product during the crowdfunding stage are people who are most likely to become your first and most loyal customers later on.