Every week, there are literally thousands of new crowdfunding projects launched across crowdfunding sites that now number in the hundreds. But whether you use Kickstarter, Indiegogo, GoFundMe or one of the specialty sites (I use Patreon and recommend it to other creative professionals like me, who have long term goals like growing a dedicated fan base), there’s one tip you need to know that will substantially increase your crowdfunding campaign’s success.
This is critical information that you need to know, and it will make the biggest difference in how you carry out your campaign. I’ve used the following tip for every crowdfunding campaign I’ve ever run, including my current Patreon crowdfunding video feed, and I have not been disappointed.
What’s the tip?
YOU NEED A PRE-LAUNCH STRATEGY
The fact of the matter is that you can’t just launch a crowdfunding campaign and expect it to succeed. You need to create buzz around your campaign, and you need stakeholders who are just as invested in your campaign as you are.
What should your pre-launch strategy look like? While some details of your pre-launch will vary depending on your product or project. There are three steps to a pre-launch strategy that you should follow every time.
1. GET YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE READY
Don’t just spring your campaign on your virtual audience. Let your Facebook friends know it’s coming Get your Twitter followers used to seeing the hashtags you’re associating with your campaign. Put out Snapchat stories about what you’re doing to get your campaign ready. Create a bank of pictures that you can stagger-publish on Instagram. By the time launch day arrives, your audience will be ready to move.
2. GET YOUR REAL-WORLD TEAM READY
In all likelihood, you are not the only person impacted by your campaign. If you’re making a film, your crew needs this campaign to succeed as much as you do. If you’re launching a new product, you have an entire team of designers, engineers and marketers who are invested in success. Your band is all in this together. Everyone needs their marching orders, and they all have their networks. They need to be ready to jump on day one. Or really, before day one. And that’s why…
3 YOU NEED A LAUNCH PARTY
This is the key element in this success strategy. Think of it as the Empty Restaurant Syndrome. You pass an empty restaurant, you’re probably not going in. You pass a busy restaurant… you’re kind of interested in what they’re serving, aren’t you? You need a pre-launch party, because you need to jump start your crowdfunding campaign with a crowd. A lot of backers at the moment your crowdfunding campaign goes live. A crowdfunding campaign with zero backers at zero hour (ie, the moment you launch) is the kiss of death. I launched a crowdfunding campaign for one of my documentaries and had 100 backers in the first hour. Every crowdfunding campaign I’ve run has included a launch party. There were laptops along the wall, banners with the shortlink to the website, and I made sure that everyone in the room could connect to the crowdfunding page with a rock solid wifi connection. My crowdfunding campaigns all went live in the middle of the party, and we always do a New Year’s Eve style countdown. It sounds hokey, but when a room full of people, all of them with their phones already connected to the site, pledge at moment the crowdfunding page goes live, you have your full restaurant right from the start. That lets you build on your success with your real-world and virtual social media audiences.
Yes, you have a lot of work to do during the campaign itself, and I’ll be talking about that in the future, but this #1 tip is the best possible advice to increase your chances of crowdfunding success. Now get out there, plan your pre-launch, and raise a glass to your improved crowdfunding success!
Cheers!
I’m a filmmaker who travels the world in search of good stories. What drives me every day? Check out my premium content feed on Patreon and be a part of the most amazing stories yoiu’ve never seen… until now!
