When I got into the crowdfunding game, I did so as a backer first
The first (successful) project I ever backed was the Veronica Mars Movie.
I’d been a massive fan of the show. I was excited to be part of bringing back the characters I loved to solve another mystery.
What I didn’t quite expect was the level of community that came with it. To this day, it is one of the best projects I’ve ever backed.
After that first project, I backed dozens more
Everything from albums, to gadgets, to world-changing inventions, to art projects.
I bought gifts, I bought toys, sometimes I just gave my support.
I trawled Kickstarter and PledgeMe and Indiegogo looking for awesome projects I could be a small part of.
But while I saw a lot of excellent projects, I also saw many that… had room for improvement
Sometimes having a great idea isn’t good enough. If you can’t communicate effectively with your audience, you’re going to fail.
As a backer, I knew what I wanted to see before I had the confidence in a creator to give them my funds.
I wanted a video that explained what was going on, and caught my attention. I wanted to know what the money was for. And I wanted rewards that offered me value – and ideally a chance to participate somehow.
I found myself wanting to offer creators advice on how to sell me as a backer.
I’ve had a lot of experience as a crowdfunder since, but initially, all my experience was as a backer
I did a lot of learning and research before I became a crowdfunding professional. I knew more than the average backer – but if you’re on this page then there is a high chance you do too.
But I still use the point of view of a backer on every project I run. I still ask myself “would I back this?”
The ultimate goal of this exercise is to convert dozens – if not hundreds or thousands – of backers to answer “yes, I’m going to back this”.
Therefore, the most valuable investment you could make in your campaign (yes, even more important than talking to me) is to become a backer yourself.
You need to become part of this community to understand it
I don’t mean you should just go back a few projects willy-nilly. You don’t even need to be putting in large amounts of money.
I mean go out into the big wide world of crowdfunding and back projects that excite you. Even if they’re not even remotely related to your own campaign.
Be a real backer. Put some money into causes and projects that you believe in.
There’s nothing quite like being a backer to help you understand the principles of crowdfunding. You’ll witness the good and the bad first-hand.
It’s the only way you can run a project that puts your backers first
It means you’ll empathise with your backers. You’ll be able to understand your platform from their point of view.
It will help you to provide tech support, write better updates, and plan a better campaign.
What you should pay attention to
You’ll learn a lot just by backing a project, but some focus questions will help you get the most out of your investment.
When you view the project for the first time
What questions do you have about the project? Have they been answered in the description or video? How easy was it to locate this information?
If you back the project: Why? What was it that sealed the deal for you?
If you don’t back the project: Why not? What put you off?
When interacting with the creator
Does the creator reach out personally to say thanks? Are you an amazing person who is treated as such, or are you mostly ignored?
Check the comment section: is the creator active there?
Do you like the way the creator interacts with their backers? Why, or why not?
If you send the creator a message, do they respond? Are you happy with the time it takes?
Project delivery
Do you get regular updates?
Do you get the promised rewards?
Does the project stick to the timeline?
As time goes on…
Often the place backers end up most unhappy is in the project delivery. Timelines get blown, communication can be sketchy (or overly-detailed), rewards can be disappointing…
If you are taking a long-term marketing approach, this is the last thing you want. You want a crowd who adores you and who enjoys being a member of your crowd for the entire campaign, right through to delivery.
So really pay attention to this one. Reflect on the project every now and then. Ask yourself:
How do I feel about the project now?
What started as a wave of joy and excitement could become a nightmare. Or you could ride that wave and become a ‘Forever Fan’ of the creator and their project.
Nothing will quite set you up for a successful project like studying other projects in depth. When it comes to your own project, hundreds of happy backers will be the ultimate sign of success. The best way to learn how to do this is to be a backer yourself.
So get out that credit or debit card, jump on some crowdfunding platforms, and go back some stuff!
