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10 Tips for Launching a Successful Crowdfunding Project

Entrepreneurs: Learn why you should tap into the $4 billion U.S. crowdfunding market

and how to actually launch a successful crowdfunding project.

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How to raise capital via crowdfunding?

1. If your project is not interesting and solve problems, don’t bother starting a project

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Launching a crowdfunding project is just like launching any other kinds of business: If your

startup doesn’t stand out, you won’t likely to be successful in getting funding. It’s that

simple.

2. It’s all about the pitch, baby!

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You need to give funders reason why they should learn more about your project, let alone

pledging their money for your project. Just like any other great pitches, you need to do it

before you spill out the details about your projects. Craft one, cool pitch and woo your

potential funders.

3. Shoot a pitch video

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Related to number 2, you must shoot a cool video about your project. Explain about your

project – what you are going to achieve; what problems you are going to solve; and so on. If

you want your video to grab attention and go viral (d’uh – of course you want it to be

awesome!) make something interesting, creative and spice things up with a bit of humour

and quirkiness.

4. Develop funding giveaways, perks that cater the wide array of funders’ budget and

interest

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Thanks yous are mandatory, but you often need more than those to get your project

successfully funded.

When people are interested in funding your project, you need to give them something to

seal the deal. Some funders are supporting your projects because they love your ideas;

some others are interested in your products and want to be the early user of yours; even

some simply want to be a part of your project, and ready to send over thousands, even tens

of thousands of dollar for that purpose (e.g. have your name as the Executive Producer of a

movie project.)

The bottom line, you need to offer perks that cater everyone – from your $5 funders to your

$5,000 ones.

5. Actively communicate and engage your funders and future funders

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During the course of your project, be sure to communicate and engage your funders and

future funders actively. Respond to questions, updates with anything new with regard to the

project, and so on.

6. “Pre-sell” even before you launch your project.

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A good tactic adopted by world-class marketers, you should try to boost interest with your

viral videos, social media updates and so on – before you actually launch your project. Send

out emails to your contacts; “recruit” your friends and family to buzz the project launch

date, and so on.

Doing this will drive some buzz about your soon-to-be-launched project and will help you

securing backers’ funds early.

7. Launch social media and email marketing campaigns

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This has become a standard in promoting a crowdfunding project: Launch a social media

campaign and drive your social friends and followers to your project page – and “convert”

them into funders.

Also consider to “blast” emails to your email newsletter subscribers; consider other ways,

such as using solo ads to “rent” others’ e-mailing lists.

8. Set milestones and launch new perks a milestone is reached – make it urgent

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Updates like “Ok, guys… we have reached our goal – let’s shoot for the stars… Get X, Y and Z

to help us reach new milestone!” can attract new funders; it is also giving a sense of

urgency, helping you boost your funding – hopefully to pass your funding goal.

9. Choose the right crowdfunding platform.

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Not all platforms were created the same. Choose the right platform which will give you

better chance for success.

For example, if your projects involves with charitable causes, IndieGoGo is for you. If your

project is a revenue-generating business, Rock The Post is for you. For more comprehensive

coverage on this, go to this Time.com slide

10. Use your crowdfunding project as a marketing campaign

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Crowdfunding is not only for someone to launch a product/cause. There are actually

established organizations who use their crowdfunding projects as marketing and branding

tools. Either way, you need to make the most of your crowdfunding project by embedding

your marketing messages into it seamlessly.

Further reading:

10 Small Business Funding Ideas that Work

How Being Quirky can Get Your Tech Startup Funding

Inbound Marketing Lessons from Death Star Kickstarter Project

If you find this presentation useful, please kindly share with your network – many thanks in

advance!