Guest Blog Post

Crowdfunding is an excellent way to circumvent investors, banks, and other money-lending schemes that could end up with you in debt if you are not careful. The top crowdfunding sites ensure that, unless you reach the requirement that you need to either help yourself out, or start your business, or create your product, you don’t receive the money they pledge. This means that you don’t have to worry about being accountable for their money until you have enough to turn your idea into a reality. It’s a great way to take charge of your own life, and it can even be how you can help others in their time of need.

Not every crowdfund, however, is successful. Thankfully there are many tips and tricks you can use to help you get your story out there, but here are the five that are commonly underused. Use them, and find that you connect with an audience who want to help you:

 

1. Be Genuine

Be real, be honest, be genuine. People have received money simply because they were honest about their intentions. Completely useless, silly items have been funded because they were strange, their creators were genuine, and, most of all, they were funny. Never underestimate the power of humor when it comes to any crowdfunding campaign. People will donate for good causes because you have pledged to do something ridiculous, like ride around on a unicycle in a reindeer outfit for charity.  People will donate, but try to be too fake or sound too insincere and they won’t trust you, or your idea.

 

2. Create a Story

Regardless of what you are trying to crowdfund, you need to provide a narrative. People care about stories, because it is stories that people relate to, not facts. That’s why even if you are crowdfunding for a good charitable cause like child hunger, you cannot just put world statistics. You need to put someone’s story.

You will always be more successful trying to crowdfund for a single person or a single family than for a global cause. People want to help, but they want to know they make a difference. They can see a difference if they help out one person, but they might feel like they put their money into a vacuum towards regular charities.

 

3. Professional Media

If your cause is just, or if your product is outstanding, try to get the word out there by sending your story to local news agents. Local media especially loves to include feel-good stories, and the extra exposure can bring you up to the amount you need.

 

4. Remembering the Global Aspect

Another way you can increase the reach of your crowdfunding campaign is to remember that the Internet is global. There are people around the world that, honestly, you could connect with. The best way to do this, however, is to learn the language. That is why if you use crowdfunding consistently, you should consider taking a course from Language Trainers. You’ll be able to expand your audience to the global community, and you’ll have a greater chance of success.

Crowdfunding can be great for charity, for entrepreneurs, or for inventors. Knowing how to get your story out there and how to connect with others will put you one step above everyone else.

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The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders across the country. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, and networking opportunities to over 1600+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada.  For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org