Top tip from successful crowdfunding project creators
Before you launch your campaign - research others - and take your time
Slava Menn, co-founder of the Kickstarter project Gotham Bicycle Defense Industries which hit its goal of $18,000 in one day and finished at $84,728 spent six months researching storytelling methods, video production techniques and interviewed Kickstarter entrepreneurs from the top 10 most-funded list.
Joshua Harker’s scuplture project on Kickstarter raised $77,271 of a $500 goal making it one of the three most funded arts projects.
He says “Do your homework! There is a lot of information available on various crowdfunding platforms that will put you on the right track. Look at a lot of other projects as well and not only ones that are similar to yours. There is a lot to be gleaned from all kinds of projects. Find the common threads that make successful projects work”.
Zach Crain’s Freaker project raised $62,770 of a $48,500 goal for his invention to keep drinks cool.
To make a well-received video he researched Kickstarter videos for a couple of weeks and took a manifesto of notes on what seemed to work and what didn’t. He compiled all of these and wrote 7,000 drafts of what our pitch video would look like before producing his own.
So
- spend time
- research similar projects but those that are very different
- find common success criteria
BUT
- make an original pitch and deliver with passion