Five Tips for Launching a Crowdfunding Campaign
Published in
2 min readApr 23, 2018
Last week Joy Dept. launched an Indeigogo campaign to help us fund the buildout of our interactive campsite installation. In this first week we’ve already raised about 20 percent of our goal. Several weeks of careful planning helped us achieve a successful launch; if you’re thinking of running your own crowdfunding campaign, here are some tips to help you reach your goal.
- Look at similar project campaigns on your platform of choice that have had success.
There’s no need to start from scratch when you’re planning content for your campaign. Look at campaigns with similar objectives that have already launched. A successful fundraiser for a nonprofit might need video appeals or other content sourced from the people the organization serves, while a product launch might focus on really appealing prizes or incentives. - Include a video.
This one is a must. People are more likely to watch a short, engaging video then to read through a page full of text. - Be transparent about how you will spend your funds.
People are more likely to support your project when they understand what their money is going toward. You should already know how much of your funds will be allocated to buying materials, prototyping, renting space, etc. Sharing this information will help backers trust you and also shows the amount of planning you’ve put into your project. - Recruit collaborators.
Once you have your campaign drafted but before you launch, send your draft link to people in your network and ask them for feedback. In addition to getting insight into parts of your campaign that need refining, you’ll also be recruiting a network of collaborators who can help you get the word out when you are ready to launch. - Don’t stop working after you hit the launch button!
This one might seem obvious, but your work doesn’t end after you hit launch. Make sure you add regular progress updates to your campaign, and keep sharing it with your network.
