Top crowdfunding tip - launch with 10-20% pledged

0 pledges = 0% interest in your project

 

Have you had a look at recently launched crowdfunding campaigns? What do you think of those that have 0 pledges, $0 or £0 donated or invested, 0% raised?

Out of 45 recently launched Kickstarter projects 29 had 0 pledges, 14 had under 5% pledged, 1 had 9%, 1 had 14% and 1 23%.

Make sure you have friends, family or close allies have 10% ready to pledge on the first day your project goes live. When everyone else looks at your page your project will be credible and more appealing.

If the people closest to you won’t donate or invest - why should anyone else?

Gregory Vincent, CEO of crowdfunding site Sponsume, “If it’s close to zero funding when the general public – who don’t know the project or the people involved – first look at it, it has no credibility in their eyes.”  

It’s much easier to raise funds in the first few days so if no-one donates then - they probably won’t later. 

Platforms promote projects on their home page and this can help you reach your target - but they won’t promote you with 0 interest.

Comments
2 Responses to “Top crowdfunding tip - launch with 10-20% pledged”
  1. Definitely agree with this post. I’d add it’s also important to structure your reward tier so that family/friend can easily invest at a lower level even if they don’t want the product or at minium like or share your project with their social network.

    It’s also surprised me how many people say “bring your own crowd,” but at the same time (depending on the type of campaign), some project owners I’ve talked with have raised 70% from unknowns on the site from all over the world. Like you, I still think you shouldn’t expect that to happen. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

  2. Really agree this post Anne. I found your comment @CrowdCrux interesting - 70% from unknowns! I’m sure crowdfunders wish this happened more often.

    I really like the approach of @startsomegood who believe that early pledges are so important they have built it into their model. Unless a project receives three pledges (of any $ amount) within seven days it won’t be featured on their home page and list of live campaigns. I think this is an interesting way to ‘enforce’ this and it done because they know unless a project starts with momentum it is unlikely to reach either the tipping point or final goal. You can read more about it on this blog post on their site: http://startsomegood.tumblr.com/post/19775294997/introducing-the-start-strong-requirement

    Do you know of any other sites that use this?

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