At first glance, crowdfunding looks like some tricky territory, not to mention intimidating. Because in a space so heavily saturated with organizations promoting their own goals, the issue of being noticed is front and center. How can your organization navigate the waters of an IndieGoGo sea that already has too many fish swimming in it?
Take a tip or two (or more) from Nashville Rescue Mission, who used IndieGoGo to launch a highly successful crowdfunding campaign, Bedding for Women At Nashville Rescue Mission. The initiative involved raising money to purchase sheets to properly fit their beds — including the 86 beds for the women in their recovery program. Ultimately, the campaign netted 248% of their $2,500 goal! 74 backers contributed a total of $6,205. Yep, these results are the stuff crowdfunding dreams are made of.
Michelle Brinson, the genius behind NRC’s legendary print newsletter, forwarded this on to me, and I’m glad she did, because there’s a lot to love here…
1. The integration of video. From the humorous take on a serious problem (sheets not fitting beds), to the thank you video shot on an iPhone, the fact that NRC utilized video to communicate both urgent need and warm gratitude earns major points from me.
2. Money in action. I appreciate knowing how far my donation can go and what it can do, so I’m grateful when that’s communicated to me, or when I’m given specific choices in the form of dollar amounts and outcomes. It’s human nature to want to know what your money accomplishes. So as donors, we want to know specifically how our gifts are creating positive change. It inspires us to give in the first place, and to give again — or to give more. If I have the chance to provide basic needs for five women, rather than just one, that may very well motivate me to give more.
3. The initial plea for donations and the follow-up update on progress. The language in each is kept short and simple from start to finish yet conveys urgency — a need for right now — even after they reached 74% of their goal. The update tells their supporters how far they’ve come in how long and how much further they need to go, and how to make it happen.
So yes, this was a stellar crowdfunding effort all-around, and it accomplished all that NRC wanted to do and more — much more. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t adhere to the spirit of honesty I’ve always employed, so I’ll be straight with you: Before NRC spearheaded their initiative, they did everything right, because everything they did was rooted in a culture of donor-centricity and ace communications. I mean, their print letter raises $2 million alone annually.
My point? Your organization needs to work on itself from the inside out. Crowdfunding comes later, after everything else has clicked into place. Watch the videos and download the emails below.
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I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
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