Ensure your crowdfunding campaign amount target and duration (end date) are reasonable. Choose a realistic goal to start with and you can always increase it later. If you gain traction quickly and you have successfully reached the half way mark to your set goal in a short space of time; then you can increase your target amount.
The most successful crowdfund raisers have a deadline that conveys a sense of urgency. A duration of between 60 – 90 days is sensible. When you see you are far from your goal at 60days, it’s always ideal to increase by another 30days to achieve a 90 days duration.
To have a successful crowdfunded project/cause or campaign, you have to be honest. Ensure your project/cause description field carries an honest, accurate and true stories. For example, visibly describe your goal, duration and paint a picture that would be compelling without fabricating stories. Include good pictures without the help of a picture editor. When your project/cause is completed, broadcast before and after photos of the project/cause that was completed. Next time when you embark on another project/cause, you would be taken very seriously.
Use headlines and bold to emphasis important information that you would like to pass across especially information you think potential donors can verify quickly so you can gain their trust.
It’s also best practice to include breakdown of cost
Crowdfunding is not for the feeble hearted. You must trust and believe in the project/cause or campaign you are raising funds for; hence you have to be ACTIVE and ALIVE by starting your campaign early and contacting everyone you can.
The sooner you start asking for donations, the more money you will raise. As soon as you complete your registration and your project/cause is published, get ready to contact everyone. Do not create your project/cause on the portal and assume it would fund itself or people would automatically get to see it. Start with your phone and email contacts. Do a broadcast on your social media platforms, for example Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin. Etc. Your community; church, mosque, club, school, office. You would be surprised people are ready to support you cause.
People can only make a donation if you give them the opportunity. Do not be shy, do not be afraid, ask people as much as you can, some people need to be pushed to when it comes to donating or support a just cause.
Another way to be active is by updating your project/cause on the portal regularly.
Always consider that a lot of people wait for the first person to take the leap. Make sure you have someone that believes in you that can make the first Donation to encourage others.
Some Campaign my require you to be creative and proactive. A good example is create an action that would encourage people to give i.e. you may do something or give something. A good example would be home bake Cake, free car wash service for colleagues, free haircut for friends etc.
Ensure you get the relevant authority permission before using a facility for charitable acts.
You can create a social media community. For example a Facebook page or twitter handle and run social media campaigns for the project/cause. When running your campaign on social media, encourage your donors to leave a comment and you can also use the update section to update everyone how the project/cause is doing.
This can be very tricky due to Fraud messages circulating the internet by email and sometimes by SMS, however SMS/Email broadcasting has proven over the years to be a very useful tool for campaigns.
If SMS/Email broadcast would be used, it’s advisable to brand your sender id, include declaimer and customize your message contain to ensure it one and same including every necessary details to donate-ng portal.
Be appreciative of every donation no matter how small. After you have completed your campaign use all outlets possible to thank your donors. You might need them again for another project/cause.
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