How to use crowdfunding platforms in the best possible ways?

Aysha Saifi
The Dark Side
Published in
9 min readAug 6, 2022
Image is by Cynthzl from Getty Images

Crowdfunding has become a method to amplify the voice of those seeking funding for their projects or ideas from a group of people who have contributed. In other words, it is a very popular way for those looking to fund their own projects to raise large amounts of money through small contributions via the internet. The crowdfunding platform involves a system that connects crowdfunders and project owners, allowing them to make donations or investments. At the same time, it is essential to utilize the best strategies in order to attain great results when crowdfunding. It takes a considerable amount of planning and organization to run a successful campaign. This article gives you information about some of the most used strategies for running a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Crowdfunding platforms

In brief, you can consider crowdfunding platforms to raise money for your project. The concept of crowdfunding has been popular since the early years of the internet, and it was popularized with the rise of funding platforms. Currently, crowdfunding platforms allow anyone with an idea or a product to connect with potential investors and share their goals for promoting their particular products or ideas through various methods. The use of crowdfunding platforms is growing rapidly, and in the future, it is expected to be an even more powerful and influential means of fundraising. Thus, it is important to learn how to use the best strategies for your campaign in order to stand out from the crowd and attract more potential investors.

Understand crowdfunding and its platforms

With the rise in popularity of crowdfunding platforms, there is an increasing number of projects and ideas that are being supported by crowdfunders. The amount of money that potential investors are willing to donate to a project depends largely on the campaign’s quality and intensity. When creating a brand new project or idea, it is crucial to know how to use the best strategies for your campaign. It is essential to create pitch decks that are as detailed as possible in order to provide the best possible information about your project. The pitch deck is the main tool used to present your project, and it allows potential investors to understand the activities you intend to conduct with their funding. Therefore, it is essential for you to understand how crowdfunding works and how the best crowdfunding platforms work in order for you to create a powerful and interesting campaign that will be able to satisfy potential backers.

Types of crowdfunding and how do they work?

If you are starting a project or an idea, it is important to learn about the types of crowdfunding platforms for startup fundraising. Following are some of the most common types of crowdfunding:

1. Reward-based

Reward-based crowdfunding platforms usually require investors to provide funds in exchange for non-monetary rewards. This type of fundraising is common among crowdfunders who are looking to fund a creative campaign, such as an art exhibition or a music album. Investors can contribute to the project in order to obtain rewards, such as credits, tickets to an event, and free gifts. The idea is to get potential investors excited about viewing or participating in your project while they help you fund it as well.

2. Donation-based

A donation-based crowdfunding campaign is a fundraising method that requires potential investors to provide funds in exchange for donations. Your project is usually presented as a non-profit organization, and you can expect your campaign to be funded when it reaches a certain amount of donations. The non-profit motive of donation-based crowdfunding campaigns makes them a popular and effective tool for crowdfunders who have good intentions in mind.

3. Equity-based

Equity-based crowdfunding campaigns provide funds in exchange for shares in a company. Investors can contribute to your campaign with the hope of gaining profits from their investments. The idea behind equity-based campaigns is to get individuals who are interested in your project to invest in it while they receive compensation if the project becomes popular or is successful. As a result, the success of equity-based crowdfunding campaigns depends on the attractiveness of your project and the number of investors that are willing to provide funding.

4. Litigation-based

Crowdfunding for litigation is a provision of funds to claimants which they require to litigate or arbitrate a claim. This is a type of crowdfunding for which the crowd can be used as a resource to fund a lawsuit. The purpose of the campaign is to raise funds for the claimant, and in exchange, they will agree to be bound by the outcome of their lawsuit. It is important to note that when a crowdfunding campaign is conducted for litigation, the crowd is not responsible for the outcome of the case.

5. Digital security-based

The initial coin offering (ICO) is a type of fundraising campaign that collects funds for projects in which digital security is issued to potential investors. In theory, digital securities are similar to shares in companies, and digital security allows investors to participate in the development of a project. In many ICO campaigns, rewards are offered to investors who provide funding for projects conducted on a blockchain-based platform.

6. Debt-based

A debt-based crowdfunding campaign is a type of fundraising campaign that allows investors to invest in a company by providing funds in exchange for debt. The idea behind the campaign is to collect funds in the form of debt, and in return, investors are given interest payments. The key to the success of debt-based crowdfunding is the interest rates that investors can receive on their investments.

Why should startups raise money through crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding platforms provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to attract investors for their projects. There are multiple benefits involved in gathering support through crowdfunding, such as the creation of a community of many people interested in your idea, which in turn provides you with a large audience that can be reached through promotional activities. Indeed, crowdfunding campaigns allow you to work on your project while getting feedback from potential customers and supporters. Combining creative ideas with crowdfunding makes it possible to come up with a winning combination that can increase the chances of obtaining money from investors. A well-designed and executed crowdfunding campaign will surely attract potential investors’ attention, which can help you achieve the goals that you have set out to achieve. However, before you decide to use crowdfunding as a tool for funding your project, it is important for you to consider your potential audience and the target market that you are trying to reach. But how do crowdfunding platforms work?

How to use crowdfunding platforms?

A crowdfunding platform is a website that can be used to raise money for a project by collecting funds from interested investors. The platform itself is an internet-based business that collects money from investors and then redirects it to the project’s creator when the predetermined funding goal is reached. Following are the steps involved in crowdfunding:

A creator of a project posts an idea and begins to gather support for it. This can be done through a fundraising campaign, including marketing techniques and promotion on social media networks.

The crowd, consisting of potential investors, will see this campaign through their friends who are also interested in backing the idea and supporting the product or service that the creator is launching.

When the funding goal is reached, the creator collects the funds that potential investors have pledged. This can be done through an electronic payment system that is set up on the crowdfunding platform.

After the project is successfully funded, investors receive a reward for their investment based on the type of crowdfunding campaign that they have chosen to invest in.

Top 10 strategies to use crowdfunding platforms to raise money

There are some proven strategies that can help you to raise funds through crowdfunding platforms. The best ways to use crowdfunding platforms are:

1. Set a goal to stick with — When you are looking to raise funds through a crowdfunding campaign, it is important for you to set a goal or a target that your business needs to achieve in order to fund your project. It is essential to keep the goal realistic in order to ensure that the campaign is being conducted in a way that will attract potential investors.

2. Research with the best preparation — When looking for ways of raising funds through crowdfunding, you should conduct thorough research to understand the best strategy to use when raising funds. It is important to look into the potential audience that you are trying to reach and pay attention to the types of projects that are being offered on different crowdfunding platforms.

3. Get expert help at an early stage — It is essential for entrepreneurs to seek expert help when managing their crowdfunding campaigns. You should take advantage of the professional expertise of crowdfunding experts in order to increase your chances of success. As a result, you will be able to raise enough funds to implement your business idea and make it a reality.

4. Choose the right crowdfunding platform — It is important to choose a crowdfunding platform that provides the right solution to your specific funding goals. It is essential to look at the different platforms available and select one that provides all the features that you need when raising funds, as well as its easy-to-use interface and customer support services.

5. Research your target audience — When trying to raise funds through a crowdfunding campaign, it is essential to conduct research on your potential backers so that you can understand how they think and what motivates them. As such, it is important to conduct research on the different types of projects that are being offered and determine which one will attract more interest from potential customers.

6. Pitch your business idea or story — When it comes to having success in raising funds through crowdfunding, it is important for entrepreneurs to pitch their business idea or story in a clear and concise manner. By determining the type of platform that you wish to use for fundraising, you should ensure that you are able to create a compelling story that will convince potential investors to back your project.

7. Clearly pitch where the money is going — It is essential to explain how the funds you are raising will be used so that you can build trust with potential investors. By creating transparency with your backers, they will feel more comfortable giving their money to your business, and they will also give you valuable feedback, which will help you improve your product or service.

8. Offer an incentive — To attract more investors, it is important for entrepreneurs to offer incentives that are associated with their projects. These incentives should be attractive enough for potential backers of the project to be interested in pledging money towards its success. As a result, you will see that many potential investors will be interested in backing your project.

9. Prepare compelling copy for the crowdfunding page — When pitching your business idea, it is essential to create a compelling copy that will help potential investors to become interested in backing your campaign. You should ensure that your copy is well-written, engaging, and convincing so that you can attract the attention of your audience. The copy should explain the necessity of your project as well as demonstrate how it can solve any problems that come with it.

10. Have transparency and accept feedback — When conducting a crowdfunding campaign, it is essential for you to have transparency so that you can maintain the integrity of your business. Potential investors should know that you accept feedback and that you are willing to listen to their concerns and answer their questions. As a result, they will be more comfortable investing in your business idea.

Therefore, the above suggestions can help you increase your chances of successfully raising funds through a crowdfunding platform. It is important to look into all the options that are available so that you can choose the one that will be best for your business and meet your funding goals.

Conclusion

Summing up, crowdfunding is a new way to raise money for your business and get your project or idea off the ground. There are some proven strategies that you can use to attract potential backers and successfully raise funds. The crowdfunding platforms available today can provide all the features you need to raise funds through your crowdfunding campaign successfully. In this modern era, crowdfunding platforms have been widely accepted as a source of funding for new and innovative projects. By looking at the various ways that you can utilize the power of crowdfunding to raise funds for your business, you will be able to realize your goal of becoming an entrepreneur.

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Aysha Saifi
The Dark Side

I am an SEO, Content Specialist, and Writer worked with many brands and startups with specialization and experience in several parts of marketing and growth.