Crowdfunding schedule

Before you start crowdfunding

There are lots of things to sort out before you even create your crowdfunding page

Make a list of potential supporters and backers - you can't succeed at crowdfunding without a crowd
Make a list of potential websites, blogs and other press/media that might write about your project
Research similar successful and failed crowdfunds - see what worked and what didn't
Make a commitment to spending time on this every day until the project is over
Grow (or start building) an email list - and make sure that everyone on the list has opted in
Grow (or start building) your audiences on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
If there are blogs, forums or groups related to your project niche, join them and start talking about your project
Make a pledge on some other crowdfunding projects to see how it works

Planning and list-building. This stage will take about 1 to 2 weeks.

Find out the average raised for similar projects
Put together a team - teams are always more successful at crowdfunding
Recruit crowdfunding mentors and coaches - these can be people you know that have run a successful campaign or a paid service
Recruit a crowdfunding agency to help you plan your campaign
Recruit a PR agency to help you get the word out
Recruit an ad partner to help market and advertise your campaign
Contact everyone in your supporter lists and send them an overview of what you want to do
Create your crowdfunding page
Create a crowdfunding video
Create images/photos and any other creative media for your campaign

This stage will take another 1 to 2 weeks.

We recommend a funding period of 4 weeks maximum.

If you've done your preparation then this will be plenty of time to get pledges from your supporters.

Share your page with your supporters - and get them to commit to making a pledge on your launch day
Contact relevant websites and blogs and ask them to share you campaign
Write thank you messages to everyone who supports you
Write regular blog posts talking about your progress - to persuade them to support you
Write regular project updates talking about your progress - these are sent to your existing supporters so you want them to share your project
Aim to raise
- 20% on the first day
- 40% by the end of the first week
- 60% by the end of the second week
- 80% by the end of the third week
- 100% (or more!) by the end of the final week
Host online community engagement events - live streamed on Facebook, Youtube, Twitch
Share your progress with the audience that you built on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Share your progress with your email list

Great, you raised the money you needed. Now it's time to deliver your project!