Planning your project

Ready to get started? Get organised with a crowdfunding plan and map out your network and build your community.

Before you start

We know that crowdfunding can feel daunting, especially if you’re new to this method of fundraising, but we’re here to help you make the most of your project. Plus, it’s not just about the money as there are a whole host of other benefits that people don’t know about.

Before you get started, it’s important to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, how long you have to do it, and what you’re going to do to be successful. Do you know exactly what you need the money for? Is there a deadline? Who is part of your team? What is the end goal? It’s all about knowing what you want to do before you do it! Not sure where to start? Here are our top five things to think about before you begin. 

When putting together your team, it’s best to think about your strengths and weaknesses and if there are any gaps in your skill set that need to be filled. Delegating tasks can free up more of your time so you can focus on driving your project forward and being successful. Make sure to plan for the skills you’ll need throughout the whole crowdfunding process and not just the start. For example, do you have someone who can help with marketing, social media, networking and design?

Prize Draws

If you have one exceptional reward to offer, then why not consider running a Prize Draw? This is a new alternative way of raising money on Crowdfunder which is simple and quick. Setting up a prize draw is also a great way to entice your crowd, engage your audience, and create buzz around your fundraising efforts.

Make a plan

The best crowdfunding projects are backed up by a solid plan to make the most of the opportunity. Having a plan helps you to stay focused and means you’re more likely to get everything done in a timely and efficient manner. Let’s face it, time is precious, especially when you’re crowdfunding!

What form your plan takes is totally up to you. You could write a simple checklist or, if you prefer, create a detailed spreadsheet. Either way, you might want to use our example crowdfunding project timeline to get you started. It’s a good idea to put a date next to each task, showing what needs to be done by when. Try your best to stick to those deadlines to stay on track and get your project live quickly.

When creating your plan, spend some time thinking about what you want to achieve with your crowdfunding project. This will help you to prioritise your to-do list and avoid spending too much time on things that don’t contribute towards your goals.

Find your crowd

If you’re wondering who supports crowdfunding projects, there’s a very simple answer - people like you! In fact, the first people to pledge are usually family and friends, followed by others in your core network. This is where the majority of your pledges are likely to come from. The most successful crowdfunding projects also harness support from the communities around them, turning that support into more pledges.

It’s important to think about finding your crowd early on in your crowdfunding journey, so you can keep them in mind when crafting your campaign. This should also help you to estimate how many supporters you can realistically attract, and therefore how much money you might expect to raise.

Putting a bit of effort into building your community before launching your project is really worthwhile. If you can get people interested in what you’re doing, they’re more likely to tell others and support your project later down the road.