One of the most dramatic examples of the power of individuals coming together is crowdfunding. It starts with just a couple of people who have an idea, but no way to financially support its production. From there tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people give just a little, and something amazing comes from the small contributions of those individuals. It’s all rather poetic.
But what about when it’s finished? Suddenly there is this huge group of people who supported you and helped you bring your idea to life, and it’s just over? It doesn’t have to be. In a recent article in Forbes magazine, Jules Schroeder, a Forbes Contributor who writes primarily about millennials, says that one of the best ways to get a start-up (or really anything else) fully funded with crowdfunding is to “create a ‘lifetime’ perk”. One of the best “lifetime perks” you can create (for you and them) is a thriving post-crowdfunding community.
The group that crowdfunded you doesn’t want to get left behind as the project takes off. With a solid community in place, you can:
- Keep them involved. Let them know how production is going. Let them see the tests or prototypes. Get their opinions on paint job or flavor or slogan. They want to be involved and with a community you can give them what they want.
- Recognize their contribution. No one likes to give a gift and not get not any appreciation for it. Use your community to show them how much their donations or investments mean.
- Offer exclusives. Whether it is giveaways, discounts, or whatever fits with your project, giving these investors exclusive offers motivates them to both give in the first place and then convince others to give, too.
The community isn’t the only one who benefits. A thriving community gives you:
- Consistent feedback. As you keep your investors involved, you can get quick feedback on everything from design to marketing.
- A dedicated investor pool. When you recognize your investors’ contributions, they will be that much more likely to donate to future projects. So instead of losing your investors when the crowdfunding concludes, you make it stronger as time goes on.
- An enthusiastic community. One of the biggest benefits is the community itself. Nothing promotes a product or service better than regular, everyday people who use it and love it.
Don’t let your crowdfunding project miss out on the benefits of having a thriving community. Talk to the crowdfund community specialists at the SocialEngine.
