7 Must Crowdfunding Tips

Here is my 7 tips you must have down pact if you plan on using Crowdfunding as your method of getting the cash you need to start or grow your business.

• Have a Catchy Headline.  The most important thing on selling anything is that first impression.  In the case of a crowdfunding campaign it will be that headline when he first opens up your project page..  A good one-liner that will interest people enough to want to read more.
• Your Need A Good Story.  Everyone loves a good story, and if you want them to support your campaign then you’ve got to tell one.  A little background about your dream, why you want or need this, what you’ve gone through to get to this point.  If you’ve sacrificed a lot for this dream then let people know, then tell them all the great things that reaching your goal will bring.  Get them to feel the way that you do about this.
• Make A Video.  The success rate of campaigns without a video is 30%, while those with a video is 50%.  It really is the best way to articulate what you want people to hear.
• Create Your Case.  You must educate the public about your cause and goals, build the case behind your bid and make it impossible for them to see it any other way.  Like a lawyer at a trial, you must present evidence, statistics, and arguments that point to the inevitable conclusion of, “Hey, this project of mine really is the best thing of its type.”  People want to know why they’re donating and what good will come of it.
• Engaging Promises And Gifts.  When you list those rewards you plan on giving out to backers, remember to make them something that will catch their attention, something compelling and interesting.  It needn’t even be over the top in the way of expense but merely attention-getting, something to make them grin and not forget whom it is that they’re supporting.
• Promote And Update Your Project.  Merely posting your campaign then leaving it alone until the time runs out just won’t do it.  Tell your friends, make regular updates the project site and every other outlet, and keep spreading the words.  This is work, so get to it.
• Make use of Social Media.  Facebook, MySpace, and all the rest are great resources for promoting your crowdfunding campaign.  Use them on a daily basis through the life of your project, ask your contacts to spread to word to their contacts, and so on.  Your goal is to make this thing go viral, and social media is the only way to do it.  Then once things are done you can use these sites to thank your supporters, win or lose; you might need them for another project in the future.

In the end, success depends on one basic quality in yourself:  Commitment.  How committed are you to making this work, to doing the emailing campaign, taking pictures, making that video, organizing the web site and project?  How much work are you willing to put into the project?

You need to get the word out and that means doing everything that you can.  Email, tweet, Facebook, send out press releases, write articles, get other people to help out with some of the work, look for groups online to tell, and find like-minded people that will follow you along.