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Bootstrap Marketing Activities Before Crowdfunding

My company is looking at running a crowdfunding campaign. Initial research suggests that we should have some preliminary marketing activities. Using a bootstrapped budget, What are the most efficient ways to promote our company before beginning the campaign?

Answer 5330

Quoting a previous answer I gave on this topic:

Start by understanding that launching your crowdfunding campaign should be your last step in promoting it; not the first.

As such, identify the target audience and where it hangs out online before launching your crowdfunding campaign. This is key. Your entire execution will be a gazillion times more efficient if you do this properly.

Then build your list before launching. You want backers lined up and excited before you publish. In practical terms, this means building a landing page to feed a mailing list, and then drum-rolling the crowdfunding campaign by emailing your list when you’re about to launch.

You’ll find a lot more in it, so I’d advise you to read it in full.

If I were to prioritize pre-campaign activities, they’d be:

  1. Research the market, to understand client needs/wants, and validate the case.
  2. Create a landing page with a newsletter sign up form.
  3. Continue researching the market, with more focus on the type of rewards you’ll give. Promote the landing page while doing this and continue doing so until launching.
  4. Prepare the crowdfunding page’s copy, video, FAQ items, rewards, etc.
  5. Everything else: write the pre- and post-launch emails, blog posts, and forum posts, plan what to do at key dates and events, scout the rewards-related logistics, etc. Your backers, bloggers, and journalists will be interacting with you throughout the campaign. That’s a full time occupation, so come prepared in advance for all realistic scenarios you can think of.
  6. Drum-roll your list and launch.

Also, understand campaign dynamics. The ideal scenario is you being 50% funded or more within the first day or two – users like to back and promote things that will succeed. And be prepared for the mid-campaign period, where not much happens unless you initiate it.

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