The Key to Getting Your Project into Production

 

For creators like us, generating content comes pretty naturally
(excluding the occasional writers block of course).

That’s why we do what we do.

But as you probably have experienced first hand, writing and conceptualizing isn’t always the hard part; it’s money. Finding investors who are interested in funding your project can be incredibly difficult.

It’s the ultimate catch 22 in a creator’s life—investors want to give money to projects that are well known and bound for success, but a project can’t become well known and successful without money from investors.

If you don’t have a very generous great uncle waiting in the wings to donate to your creative project, I have the perfect solution to help you out with this age-old dilemma…

***Crowdfunding***

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet (google.com).

Whether or not you’ve heard of crowdfunding before, I’m here to tell you that it should absolutely be on your radar as a tool to finance part (or all) of your project.

Websites like Kickstarter.com and Indiegogo.com give you the chance to get your project or ideas off the ground without having to go out and solicit investors the traditional way.

These crowdfunding platforms by nature create a reciprocal relationship between investors (who pledge money) and creators (who offer various perks to backers who donate). And it works because everyone is benefiting from the partnership, and the momentum that comes with having so many supporters is exactly what you need to attract attention to your project. You’re raising money and building an audience at the same time!

Here are 3 things you MUST do well in order to crowdfund successfully:

 

1. DESIGN A SUPER EFFECTIVE LANDING PAGE

 

All Kickstarter pages include a video, a rewards area where your perks are explained, and an “about this project” section where creators can upload photos and describe their projects.

Each of these elements of the page should work together to tell potential buyers why they should click the “Back This Project” button and give you their money.

If your Kickstarter page looks unprofessional, YOU will look unprofessional.

But in all seriousness, before potential backers even read one word about your project, the design of your page is the first thing they will notice.

Investors are looking for eye-catching, provocative and innovative projects—the design of your page should mirror that.

Don’t forget to make your message clear and your call to action obvious!

 

2. ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY

 

You need to make it clear who you are, what you’ve done in the past, and why you are the right person to drive this project to completion.

This is your chance to give the audience something of value and motivate them to want to help you. Create an emotional connection by conveying your story and goals in a way that will resonate with your audience and make them want to support you.

Whatever this means for you and your project, be heartfelt and authentic, and most importantly, BE YOURSELF (and make sure you smile!).

 

3. ACTIVE OUTREACH

 

Outreach is all about how you get your project in front of people (which is obviously extremely important when crowdfunding).

I recently attended an event where a panel of Kickstarter experts spoke about crowdfunding.

Guess what their #1 tip for people who are serious about funding their projects was…?

Use outreach early and often as a vehicle for their message.

You may have the coolest project ever, but unless people see it and know where to find it, you won’t raise any funds.

Outreach can take on many forms.

It can mean pitching popular bloggers in your market to post about your project, or getting your project on the local news. Another idea is to set up a pre-campaign with a teaser of your video on a separate website before you begin your crowdfunding launch.

Social media is the perfect outlet for outreach, so use it!

It’s important to note…

Kickstarter and most other crowdfunding sites take on an “all or nothing” mantra. This means that if you do not raise the amount of money you set as your goal, you won’t get to keep ANY of the money that people pledged for your project.

That’s why it’s a great idea to set your goal as the very MINIMUM amount of money you need to make your project happen. If you end up raising more than your goal amount, then that’s awesome and you get to keep it all to put towards your project!

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Here’s how to get started:

The best advice I have for you is to go to Kickstarter.com and browse the projects. Pick out the ones you were first drawn to and ask yourself what it was that first attracted you to that page.

You should also pay attention to the most successful projects and note why they were funded.

Do they have an awesome video?
Are their gifts/perks especially cool?
Is their page design attractive?

After you do some research, I want you to define what a successful Kickstarter campaign means to you. Define your goal.

Do you want to get fully funded?
Are you looking for validation and support for your project?
Do you want to form connections?

Once you have this foundation of ideas and information, you will be ready to tackle your own crowdfunding project.

Crowdfunding is a growing medium. Even major filmmakers like Zach Braff, David Fincher, and Spike Lee have used this platform to raise money for their very own movies.

And now it’s your turn!

So go out there and GET FUNDED!

 

For some great training on how to crack the crowdfunding code, click here…