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Cooperative
Crowdfund
Our guide to building a better project
Got a fantastic idea for a crowdfunding project?
Follow our handy tips for setting it up and making it a success.
Be the driving force behind your project.
The founders need to be the face of the campaign: They need to think of themselves as the engine behind their projects. Being at the centre, they should have a say over every aspect, from promotional buttons to television interviews. Backers are more willing to contribute to a project if they know that the creators are genuine and passionate about it.
Give people a reason to help.
When you are launching a crowdfunding campaign, you aren't just selling a product. You are also selling yourself, your story and the excitement of being part of a new endeavour. Some people are more interested in helping to launch something great than actually receiving a cool product. Remember this, and capitalize on telling a compelling story and offering up reasons to support your venture.
Engage your community.
Your community is your greatest resource, so it’s important to create a good relationship with them. Be honest and upfront about everything. Show your trust by sharing details about the project, what it is you are doing and why. Engage them with frequent updates and responding to comments and messages.
Utilize newsletters.
Take advantage of word-of-mouth marketing tactics. One reason for a successful campaign could be focusing your efforts on email marketing by sending newsletters to your subscribers.
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
Leave your comfort zone in the dust. Asking family, friends and strangers for help, making a video and repeatedly reminding people how much of a difference this could make can be intimidating. Once people understand what crowdfunding is all about, they should be happy to help. Having worthwhile rewards is crucial but having that level of transparency and putting yourself out there is what connects people to your project. You quickly find how much people want you to succeed when you declare you're passionate about a venture.
Create enticing rewards for donors.
Remember when you do a crowdfunding campaign, you aren't always just asking for donations. You could be asking them to invest in a cooperative business with shares on offer etc. Designing a crowdfunding project with rewards might be more enticing to some and help you reach your target.
Quality matters.
The majority of people don't like to part with their money and don't do so for any campaign. Quality matters. The presentation has to have a certain level of professionalism associated with it, so potential supporters have confidence you will achieve your goals.
Get organized!
You can't run a campaign in your head, so make sure you are organized. Have everything written down and accounted for. Store this information in one place, be it a folder on your desk or a file on your computer. Also, organize campaign emails so you can keep track of information going back and forth, as you want to stay up-to-date on correspondences.
Cooperative Crowdfund
Making projects happen
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