ARTS THREAD’s career education specialist and digital editor Jacqui Rudd’s guide to how to write a crowdfunding pitch and 9 steps to a successful campaign.

Crowdfunding can be a great way to raise money by pitching, for investment or donations, to a virtual crowd of people, or organisations through posting details of your project, business or idea. Not every crowdfunding campaign is successful and it isn’t without risk, but when done well it can be a lucrative way to fund and launch your idea.

In this guide, we will discuss how to create a story to write the perfect pitch for your campaign and highlight the 9 steps to a successful crowdfund.

How to Write a Great Crowdfunding Pitch

Crowdfunding campaigns always have a compelling story to draw people in and get them to support their project. When writing your story start by considering: What is the mission behind your work? What purpose does it fulfil? And what is your vision of the future?

Here is a formula to help you turn your story into a great pitch by framing your idea as the hero:

1. The Context
Start your pitch by setting the scene, consider adding a fact that address the issue, problem or gap you are solving.

2. The Issue, Problem or Gap
Highlight the issue, problem or gap that needs solving and why.

3. Your Solution (Product/ Service/ Project)
Explain the value behind your idea and how it directly solves the highlighted issue.

4. The Impact Your Work Will Have
Describe the wider impact of your work, consider the long term effect of your new solution.

5. What You Need To Fulfill Your Mission
Address what the money they’ll be investing will be funding, i.e manufacturing costs.

9 Steps to a Successful Campaign

1. Do Market Research
Make sure you have done sufficient market research to prove your idea is needed and why.

2. Understand How Much Funding You Need
Make sure you know how much money you will need to fulfil your mission, i.e find your ideal manufacturer and know their price.

3. Test prototypes
Whether this is a product or service prototype, make sure you test it out with target clients/customers to make sure it is fit for purpose.

4. Get feedback on prototypes
Collect constructive feedback to make changes and good feedback to add testimonials to your campaign.

5. Set a funding goal
Decide your final funding goal, make sure it is enough to viably launch your idea.

6. Offer Great Rewards
Choose rewards/perks for investors that are attractive as well as in line with your campaign and its values.

7. Promote your campaign
Create a marketing strategy for your campaign, choose platforms to utilise and

8. Update backers on progress
Keep your investors updated on the crowdfunding campaign as well as progress in launching your project and when to expect their perks.

9. Fulfil your promises
Lastly, fulfil your promise by delivering rewards to investors and completing your project.