Over $5 billion is raised each year via online sites catered to crowdfunding. People seeking financial help with worthy causes such as medical bills, small business start-ups, and college tuition are the type of situations that rely on crowdfunding. On the flip side, there are individuals who use crowdfunding for unworthy, short-term “come up” causes like trips to Vegas, porcelain veneers, etc. No matter what, it is important to know the right way to go about asking for money. Some people think crowdfunding is easy. It’s not. From the bio to the amount you’re asking for, all it takes is one small mishap for your Indiegogo, KickStarter, or GoFundMe account goes unnoticed (or receives little traction). To help you create the perfect, money-generating crowdfunding account, here are 4 Steps To A Successful Crowdfunding Campaign: 1. Be realistic with your goal… Avoid jumping all the way out there with how much you ask for. Stick to what you really need. If you know that $15,000 is all you need in order to get your small business started, don’t ask for $50,000. Some dollar amounts will scare people away, especially if they know a little bit about the business you’re going into and capital that is required. So, be realistic with your goal and don’t go overboard just to have some extra spending money in your pocket. 2. Write the right plea… The second most important aspect of your fundraising campaign is your bio or plea. Crowdfunding accounts that are successful, nines time out of ten, are written with correct grammar and in several small paragraphs. Avoid writing your plea in one long drawn out paragraph. Visually, you need to break the eye sight. This keeps the reader engaged longer. Also, make sure you understand what it is you need money for and how to translate it into words. This way, when you write your bio, it will appeal to the people that will most likely give you a donation. 3. Plan your begging time wisely… If you are giving yourself 30 days to raise $3000, that means you must raise $100 per day. How much time do you have each day to share your crowdfunding announcement? Do you have an established network of people you can ask on social media? These are questions you should ask yourself before starting your fundraising campaign. For many, $100 per day may not seem that difficult to raise. However, for others, this may be a daunting task. Plan accordingly based your schedule because you will have to put in a great deal of time. (Remember, crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter.com will not grant you any of the money earned if you didn’t reach your goal. Any donations received for your fundraiser are automatically forfeited and credited back to that persons credit card. On this platform, time is of the essence.) 4. Ignore the negativity… Not everyone will be supportive of your fundraiser. People are going to leave bad comments and have something to say. It doesn’t matter what you are raising money for, there are idiots who exist online that spend their entire day being negative. So, your best bet is to ignore the haters. Don’t allow a stranger talk you out of your goal. Follow these simple steps when creating a fundraising campaign. If you can avoid making the same mistakes others have made, go for it and see how successful you can be at crowdfunding. Why not do it right the first time?! One Response
