Fewer than 10% of those who fill out our Artist Questionnaire ultimately go on to launch a crowdfunding campaign. Potential campaigners opt out for a variety of reasons, but in most cases, it is because crowdfunding the amount of money they wish to raise will take much, much more time – and effort – than they expected.

Crowdfunding is slow, hard-earned money.

One of the questions we ask in our questionnaire is: When do you plan to launch your campaign? The number one answer is “next month” – usually a week or two away. In our instant-gratification online world, it’s understandable why this may feel like plenty of time to prepare.

So most people are shocked to learn that a minimum of 3 months is required, and often preparation takes 6-12 months. This is not because it takes 3 months to build the campaign – but it takes at least that long to market it.

Crowdfunding is subject to Effective Frequency, what’s known in marketing circles as “The Rule of 7”. People need to hear a message 7 times to act on it. For crowdfunding, that means prospective backers need to hear about the campaign seven times prior to launch in order to become active participants rather than remain passive observers. It’s not possible to meaningfully share a message seven times in a week or two (that’s spam). A sustained marketing plan takes time to develop, and then time to disseminate.

There is no substitute for time. So, if you are considering running a crowdfunding campaign, take a look at the calendar. Find a spring or fall month that is around 6 months away. If you get started preparing now, realistically that seemingly far-off date will be the earliest you can launch. And once you get started on the work that needs to be done to prepare, our guess is you’ll be surprised at how quickly the time flies.

If you would like a personalized analysis of your crowdfunding plan, please fill out our questionnaire. A detailed report – a $125 value! – will be delivered for free in two weeks.