Whether you’re using Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or another crowdfunding website, you need to find ways to get people interested in your project and giving out their hard-earned money. If you don’t, your campaign might fail and your project could fall on its face.
PR and social media can really help you get the results you want. There are some specific moves you can make to ensure you at least get the attention you’re looking for. Here are some to get you started:
1. Thank Everyone
It’s a very simple but tremendously effective tactic: just thank everyone who contributes. If you get a donation and they leave a name, find them on Facebook or Twitter and give them a shoutout. Not only does this make them feel good, it also give them incentive to tell their friends and family. Plus, when they click “Like” on the status or retweet it, they automatically expose your campaign to everyone they know.
2. Blog Updates
Don’t just give quick updates on Facebook like “We just reached this goal!” or “Our project is really coming along!” People want to SEE your progress, not just read a short blurb about it. Most of the crowdfunding platforms have places for you to blog, so you should utilize the space for your own good.
You can also use your own blog, but just be sure to link back to your campaign. While getting views for your blog is fine, keep your eyes on the prize – money for your project.
3. Cross Promotion
Speaking of cross linking, your crowdfunding campaign will benefit from cross promotion just as much as your “regular” campaigns. If you have a Twitter account, make sure to tweet out about the campaign page as well as your blog and Facebook. The same goes for your Facebook page; post about your blog and everything else.
The more exposure everything gets the better. If your fans constantly have you in mind, they’re more likely to contribute or tell everyone about you so they can contribute. Ignoring any avenue you have might be costly, especially if you miss your goal by a few bucks and don’t get any money raised.
4. Do NOT Rely on Friends and Family
I’ve had several friends go through crowdfunding campaigns. Some have been successful, others not. I’ve monitored them as they’ve progressed and asked them afterwards, and one thing has remained consistent: friends and family just do not care as much as they should.
You think your mom, best friend from high school, and long lost cousin will be the first to contribute and share your campaign everywhere. But that’s just not the truth. What IS the truth is you have to be as interesting to them as everyone else. If not, there’s no real reason why they’ll help you other than familial or friend obligation.
That’s why you must move out to the rest of the web and find people who actively want to help you. Depending on your industry, head out to web forums and other websites that might be interested in what you’re offering. These people will be more likely to be the advocates you need to boost your campaign.
Have you ran a successful crowdfunding campaign? What’s your #1 tip for aspiring crowdfunders?
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download Successful Crowdfunding – How to Drive Traffic to Your Crowdfunding Project here: https://www.ereleases.com/offer/crowdfunding.html