Moving your crowdfunding campaign from the intangible internet into the real world encourages backers to get on board. Even though the average person spends 23 hours a week online, there’s still no substitute for meeting up face to face. Our clients have used live events in a variety of ways to boost their campaigns’ success.

1. VIP Launch Party. What better way to announce to everyone you know that your project is getting real than to invite them all to a party? This can be a free or paid event (with ticket sales through your campaign), a way to preview your work, and a chance to show off some of your perks/rewards.
2. Mid-campaign doldrums event. Campaign pledges tend to be U-shaped – major activity on the first and last days, with an anxiety-inducing dead zone in the middle. As one Artist’s Partner client lamented, “The hardest part of our crowdfunding campaign was the two weeks in the middle, when donations just dried up.” Inject some life into your campaign with a concert, party, or other activity to re-energize your crowd.
3. Rehearsal invite. People love to see the artist at work. So why not invite them to your studio, to a dress rehearsal, a sound check, private screening of a rough cut, or other venue to showcase your work? Ideally, the best salesperson for your work is the work itself. Give your crowd the chance to see it come together.
4. Conference piggyback. This isn’t always possible, but sometimes you happen to be writing eco-fiction and running your campaign during April – when there are Earth Day events galore. It’s worth checking to see if the audience for your work already happens to be conveniently clustering and receptive to your message – and then getting involved.
5. Countdown Party. Whether it’s a trip to the moon or dropping the ball on New Year’s Eve, people love a countdown. Have a party on the last evening of your campaign, have a meter showing pledges going up, and take advantage of auction psychology to give your campaign an 11th hour boost.

It’s also worth noting that several clients have used Skype, Google Hangout, or another video service to invite out-of-towners to the live event. They pick a designated 20 minutes or so where those far away can tune in and say hi and participate in the fun.

For a free crowdfunding analysis of your project, please fill out our Artist Questionnaire. We typically respond within two weeks. We look forward to hearing about your project!