Building your community

When it comes to crowdfunding, you need people to support you every step of the way. This could be with their money, time, and their help spreading the word.

You see, to be successful you need to utilise your network and build a community to champion what you’re doing. 

Do you want to know our biggest tip? Don’t just wait until you’re live or about to press publish. You want to get in early, warm up your community, and create a buzz as soon as you can! 

Let people know what you’re planning 

It might seem obvious, but you have to let people know that you’re going to crowdfund for your idea. 

A great way to do this is by using social media to create teaser posts and get a feel for what people think of your plan. You can use this initial feedback to edit your page and answer any questions from the crowd. 

Using social media is also a great way to build your follower count and increase engagement. This will be invaluable once you go live! 

Engage your existing database

If you’ve already got an existing database, make sure to tell them all about your Crowdfunder and make them feel valued. You can even give them an ‘exclusive’ early opportunity to learn more about your idea. By making them feel special, they’ll be more likely to support your project when it goes live! 

Using online groups 

Become active in forums and online groups that are used by your target audience. You can find lots of groups on Facebook, LinkedIn and Reddit. If you’ve got an environmental idea, search for sustainable groups. If you’re looking to open a cafe in a small town, look at online community noticeboards! 

Remember to engage with comments and ask questions, don’t just talk about your project. 

Get out and about 

If your project is location specific, get out and about and spread awareness in person. Go to events, talk to local people, and start networking! You can collect business cards and email addresses so you can contact them when your project goes live. 

Local businesses and groups might let you put up flyers and posters in their windows to get the attention of other people in the community! 

Keep engaging 

Don’t stop engaging with people and spreading the word. Make sure your community feels valued at the start, middle, and end of your crowdfunding journey! 

Looking for more guidance on your crowdfunding project? Head over to our Knowledge Hub.