I see a lot of crowdfunding videos
Some are made by amateurs on their smartphones. Others are made by pros.
Some are funny and creative, some are serious and straight forward.
But there’s one thing nearly every crowdfunding video forgets to do
They forget to invite viewers to make a pledge. I call this “The Ask”.
“The Ask” is the single most important part of your video.
If you don’t ask, people won’t give.
On the internet, you need to tell people what to do
It’s not about treating them like idiots, it’s about making their lives easier and giving them the next step.
In Online Marketing circles, this is called a “Call To Action”.
Many backers won’t know how crowdfunding works. Inviting them to make a pledge is a kind way to show them the next step.
But you can’t overload a person with actions
Most crowdfunding videos ask for a viewer to share the project. Which is nice, but ultimately, shares are not what you’re looking for.
The more you ask someone to do online, the less likely they are to do anything.
So consider the one thing you actually want – pledges – and ask for that.
How do you make “The Ask”?
For many, one of the hardest things about crowdfunding is asking for the money. It can feel like begging.
Which is why you only need to do it once: at the end of your video.
Your promotion should be about getting people to the page. Once they’re there, the page and your video should convince them to back you.
Some hints, tips, and examples
Be humble, positive, and grateful.
Thank people in your video for the pledges they are about to make.
Some examples of successful asks are shown below:
Comedy duo Augmented Forth ran a PledgeMe Project in 2014 that came with a funny Ask. Check out their video below to see how they did it.
Looking for more great examples? Check out the 2015 Crowdfunding Video Award Winners
