How To Write A Crowdfunding Campaign That Gets Funded

What Is Crowdfunding Campaign

At a basic level, crowdfunding is lots of people – the crowd – putting in money to support a project. It could be for something as diverse as a trip to a sports competition or to raise money for a medical emergency. In some cases, the funders do so as an altruistic donation, while in other cases, they get rewards, equity in the company who raised the money, and more.

In most crowdfunding campaigns on Social For Action, you will see a goal amount, which is how much money you want to raise, how much money has been raised so far (you will see a visual indication like a progress bar and a number in most cases), how many people backed the crowdfunding campaign and how much time is left for the campaign.

How to Write A Crowdfunding Campaign That Gets Funded

Want to succeed with your fundraising?! Then you need to pick the right ideas!

Doing charitable work is available to all, so don’t be put off by the fact that you are unable to do some of the suggestions on this list. Some of the biggest fundraising drives have been those that take very little effort (the ice bucket challenge is a great example) but are fun and can be done by anyone regardless of physical ability.

Online Donation Campaign (Crowdfunding):

• For most groups and causes this would be the first recommended fundraising idea.
• It is without a doubt the simplest and quickest method of raising funds!
• Signup and setup an Online Donation page on SFA Crowdfunding platform.
• Write a killer fundraising request pitch. That connects readers emotionally to your cause.
• They must feel MOVED by your cause and trust that they’ll be making a difference by donating.
• Include a Video (and some great images). Stats have shown that videos greatly increase your crowdfunding success.

Make sure that it’s short, sharp, and once again connects emotionally.

And then you must PROMOTE effectively. The more eyeballs on your fundraising page, the more donations you shall receive!           

What Are Rules For A Successful Crowdfunding Campaign?

If you want your crowdfunding campaign to avoid a similar fate, these 12 keys can help you establish and market your new personal project or business venture.

1. Do Your Research

Before you even start your crowdfunding campaign,do your research. This doesn’t mean exploring your product or idea (that should already have been done!): It means researching everything you need to know about crowdfunding, to mine for more success strategies. Not only should you know how to run a successful campaign, you should be aware of all the rules and regulations surrounding this funding source.

2. Choose The Right Platform

There are a lot of different crowdfunding platforms out there. While some are general, others are specific to particular industries and niches. Consider your project parameters and do your research to find the platform best suited to what you’re offering. Remember that the right platform will help you connect to your target market and potential investors.

3. Offer More Than Just An Idea

When you’re ready to start your campaign, have more than just an idea in hand. Some projects don’t involve a physical product; if yours does, have a working prototype you can show off as an example to potential investors. Even the famed Star Citizen video game, which broke crowdfunding records despite not having even been coded yet, had more to show than just the promise of the world’s most anticipated, cutting-edge video game.

4. Know Your Target Audience

Before you create any marketing materials or post your campaign live, do the research necessary to become familiar with your target audience. Sit down and write out what it is that that audience wants. You can’t just assume you know what that is; you need to do actual research and gather real data to help you become more familiar with those you are targeting.

5. Create Marketing Materials

Once you know who your target audience is and what they want, create high-quality print and web marketing materials. You don’t need to copy the videos or fliers of another company — you should personalize materials to yourself and your message. But avoid tacky, cheesy pieces unless they what truly fit with your project.

6. Set Goals

When starting a crowdfunding campaign, set goals. Not only should you decide beforehand what your total fund-raising goal is, you should also specify time line goals, production goals and any other ones needed to keep your project moving forward.

7. Make The Reward Worthwhile

While you’re not required to reward your investors, offering something in return for their support makes for a more successful campaign. Make sure that any reward you offer is worthwhile, as well. A hand-written thank-you note is nice, but it won’t likely motivate people to invest.

8. Get Personal

Whether your project is personal or is a new business venture, get personal in your message to investors. When people feel that they know you, they’ll feel more comfortable with, and trust in, your goals. Opening up about yourself and your situation is a great way to help your campaign see more success. Keep in mind that it is possible to overshare, though.

9. Spread The Word

Once you’ve published your crowdfunding campaign, start spreading the word. Share your campaign on social media, with family and friends, on blogs and anywhere else where you can get it out there. The wider your reach, the more potential you have for investors to see it.

10. Communicate Openly

Communicate with your investors throughout the entire process. This also helps to build trust. While you don’t need to tell them every detail, be as open and transparent as possible. Don’t just pitch them or try to sell to them, either; people know when they’re hearing hot air.

11. Accept Feedback

Feedback, although frustrating at times, is extremely important for you to make progress — especially if you’re working on a product. The more feedback you receive, the better you’ll be able to tell where your pain points are and make a plan to improve the final product so it’s ready to go into production.

12. Follow Through On Your Promises

Don’t forget any of the promises you’ve made during your campaign, whether they were to your entire investor group or certain individuals. If you follow through on your promises, you’ll not only build credibility for any future projects, you’ll also avoid disappointing your investors.

What Is An Example Of Successful Crowdfunding?

​Crowdfunding is about storytelling, communication, technology and consumer behaviour coming together. It’s not the amount of money raised that’s important but the impact that it creates. India has several success stories of crowdfunding. We bring to you some of the most unique ones.

For Mark Dharmai, an international para badminton player and World No. 3 in Men’s doubles and Mixed doubles category, it was a dream to win a gold for his country. But being a fisherman’s son, he had limited resources to fund his coaching, travel, etc. A campaign on crowdfunding platform Fuel A Dream helped him raise close to Rs 8 lakh. It also increased his popularity and got him a chance to do a TV commercial for Brooke bond. Plus, he was selected for ASIAD and invited for TED Talk.

One of the early success stories of modern day crowdfunding in India is of Adhitya Iyer, author of The Great Indian Obsession: The Untold Story of India’s Engineers. Back in 2014, Iyer started a campaign on Kickstarter to fund the book he wished to write on India’s obsession with engineers. Himself an engineer, Iyer had realised there were many more like him, working in a field that wasn’t their true calling. “Crowdfunding was unheard of in India back then. Yet, my campaign received $14,000 as funds. The biggest advantage of crowdfunding is that it’s a great marketing tool. Even before my book was published, there were people who knew about it and wanted to buy it,” says Iyer.

The Bottom Line

Public donations are one of the most important avenues of fundraising for an NGO/Individual. Once they are mobilised, the masses have the capability to support a social cause with all the wherewithal necessary to achieve social transformation. However, today’s busy lifestyles make it difficult for people to find the time, the opportunity, or the inclination to give back to society. Therefore, as a public spirited citizen, you must not only donate to NGO fundraising on your own, but also initiate fundraising activities for NGOs in India.

The internet is the easiest and most accessible means of raising funds and attention for a cause. To start, talk about initiatives with friends and family, to let them know about causes, social issues, and outreach programs. This can be the stepping stone for contributions in terms of cash and other resources. Use their social network to expand the message to new horizons. With persistence, every persona can reach hundreds of like-minded individuals on the internet, due to the massive reach of social media platforms. Use online assets such as your Facebook/Twitter profile, local websites, and video shot during campaign programs to demonstrate change. Crowdsourcing websites such as SocialForAction.com allow small, incremental donations that can go a long way in funding a school, a hospital, or access to any other essential.

Raise Money For Any Cause

Social For Aaction believes in the power to make someone smile, to save someone’s life, to foster brilliant ideas, to make a social change and to be the impact you want to make in the world.

Social For Aaction has built an easy-to-use platform to transform individuals and non-profit giving sector. We offer the best online tools to mobilize the crowd towards great ideas and projects and get good things done fast.

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