Kickstarter reports 327,800+ projects have been posted on their platform, and about 117,000 of them have been funded. Yet, the difference between crowdfunding success and failure isn't just about getting funded—it is in exploring and implementing the steps that go into a campaign—and the value that comes out of that experience for a small business or entrepreneur is priceless.
A carefully thought out and well-executed crowdfunding plan – a “marketing plan” can mean all the difference. There have been a few notable examples of crazy things that got funded – remember the potato salad Kickstarter? Supporters really gave $55,492 for one man to make potato salad! But that is a rarity. Most campaigns that raise any significant money do so because
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Crowdfunding could draw thousands of new people to your product or cause – or not. You could have the best idea, or product, and still not make it big. That said, if you are able to find the right team, and put together a comprehensive, and creative plan, you will not only increase your chances of funding dramatically, you will undoubtedly gain something great, and that is the roadmap for marketing your product in any type of campaign, and that is because the skills gained from running a crowdfunding campaign are in large-part entirely transferable and …show more content…
Practice telling your closest friends/fans/followers/family about your project. Casual self-promotion (not bragging, not selling) ahead of time with serve a couple of purposes, 1) it will help you develop your story, which will be used through the campaign and 2) it will introduce the project/product to these people—your closest contacts prior to when you will need them.
Early Media Outreach. The media is swamped with pitches and pseudo-news, and so it will take a while to get their attention – so it is best to start early. Start with local, (and easier to connect with) media. PR is like snowballs, starting small and growing big, and the more you can get, the better. Grow your Sphere. As with almost any business endeavor, your success is directly related to your ability to motivate your network. With crowdfunding, a large (huge) part of your success is tied to the network you build – everything from social media to email marketing. Grow your network ahead of your launch by adding friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and connections on