Welcome back to Haulix Advice. This column runs at least once a week on our blog and aims to help independent artists further their careers with tips and pointers from people currently working in the music industry. If you have a suggestion for a future column or are interested in contributing to this series with a piece of your own, please contact james@haulix.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Crowdfunding is all the rage these days. From bands leaving their labels in search of more control, to artists seeking financial support to put and/or keep themselves on the road, musicians around the world are turning to crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo in growing numbers in hopes of furthering their careers. We do not work directly with any of these services, but after viewing countless campaigns we felt an advice column offering tips for creating successful crowdfunding efforts was long overdue. Letters were sent to our industry friends, debates were had, and now we’re proud to present you with 4 tips to better your campaign. We cannot guarantee your goal will be met, but we can help you position yourself for the best reception possible. The rest, as they say, is up to you.
1. There is no substitute for quality – Your diehards fans will likely support you no matter how your campaign page looks, but for the vast majority of people visiting your page first impressions could mean the difference between a visit and a donation. Above all else, a high quality video introduction to your campaign is a must. State your reasoning for the campaign, a timeline for completion, rewards for giving, and anything else your visitors will need to know in a manner that is both entertaining and informative. This isn’t a cry for help, but an invitation to work together toward an end result, and if you want them on board you will have to win them over. Videos are viewed far more often than text is read on these campaigns, so make sure your visuals are as crisp as can be.
Speaking of text, it’s worth your time (and future money) to have someone look over all the messaging you will be posting and distributing through a campaign. Again, quality is everything, and if you want to convince people their money will be put to good use that starts by showing them you’re capable of stringing complete sentences together. Sloppy writings reflects a sloppy work ethic, and no one wants to put their money in the hands of people who they think will deliver a less than quality product.
2. Do your research – If you’re an artist or band starting a campaign today or at any point in the future there is an almost certain likelihood another artist (or group of artists) has funded a campaign similar to yours in the past. You may have an idea of what you need and how you want to present it, but there is no education on how people view crowdfunding available that compares to what you can learn from reviewing the efforts of those who have come before you. Find what you like and don’t like about a number of campaigns that have already ended and use that information to better your own crowdfunding efforts.
3. Be as open as you can possibly be with your potential supporters – I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read a headline on social networks where a band or artist is asking for a ridiculously lofty amount of money to fund a project that other artists have completed for less without properly explaining their needs, but I assure you it’s a lot. People want to know where their money is going, and that is especially true when it comes to crowdfunding. The more information you can offer fans about how you plan to use the money contributed to your campaign the better, and the same goes for information related to when donors can expect to receive their pledge-related merchandise.
4. Don’t be cheap – Everyone has at least one friend they feel does not support them to the same extent that individual is supported. Such relationships may last a long time, but eventually the people getting the short end of the stick will realize they can make better friends and will choose to no longer associate with the ones who did not support them. The same idea can be applied to bands hoping to launch successful crowdfunding campaigns. If you want people to feel comfortable with supporting your future efforts you need to show them support by offering the best pledge rewards possible. People know you’re trying to raise funds, but that does not make it okay to charge $25 for a physical CD that could just as easily be purchased after its released for $10 (or less). Diehards may go for such price gouging tactics, but the casual listener wants more bang for their buck, and you will have to adapt to those demands if you want to succeed in funding your next project.
Additional insight from around the industry:
“Creating a successful crowd funding campaign requires two things. First, you need an effective pitch that includes a quality video, a descriptive story, and a thoughtful reward system that shows you’ve thought about your backers as something more than a consumer. After all, they’re investors, not consumers, and their faith in you to provide a desirable product should be accepted graciously. Second, you need a marketing campaign that ensures you are reaching every single person who has shown interest in your project/product before. If you can get your already established fan base to get excited and help promote, you’ll drastically increase your reach. People have an innate fear of missing out, and you have to convince your casual listeners/fans that your campaign is the next big thing and they don’t want to look back and regret being able to say they were part of something special.” – Alex Wiese, Jocelyn
“The Deep North used Indiegogo last spring to help fund our two-week recording session at Rocking Horse Studio in Pittsfield, NH. We found it really helpful to spend time researching other crowdfunding success stories before we even started planning our campaign. After seeing what tips others have shared, we knew we’d need a high-quality video that stayed under two minutes, a chart outlining where exactly our funds would be going, and interesting prizes that fans of any age would love to have. We also made sure to reach out to friends and family personally, instead of just posting the same link on social media every day. We had a lot of fun watching the campaign take off, and we’re really looking forward to sending out the rewards to everyone who donated.” – Rebecca Frank, The Deep North
“When it comes to crowdfunding, it seems to me that there are lines that should not be crossed. Putting together typical bundles does not incite the motivation for a fan to really dive into a project. Offering unique, personalized options helps funders feel they are really part of something. Asking for more money than necessary is a turn off if you can’t justify what it will be used for. Patent Pending are a great example of quality crowdfunding. Chimaira asked for $30,000 and ended up with $60,758, although they ended up canceling some donation options. Make sure to be honest and make good on all of your incentives for donations. – Derek Scancarelli, Under The Gun Review
"When trying to go the avenue of a crowdfunding campaign there are a few things to think about to increase your chances of success. First thing to do is to truly map out what you need as apposed to what you want. Ask too much and you look greedy, ask for too little and you could get stuck with an unfinished project that your fans will not be thrilled to wait for while you try to figure it all out. Most importantly DON’T BE A CHEAP ASS!!! It’s all about your fans, so don’t ask $20 for your CD (who the fuck buys CD’s for $20 anymore?). Your incentive packages need to be amazing, remember these are your most loyal fans and YOU are asking them for their support. Don’t forget what it’s like to be a fan, so give them what you would want from your favorite band.” – Danny Fonorow, Jonas Sees In Color
