Crowdfunding Field Judgment ② | Is This Project Better Off Without Crowdfunding? 5 Cases Where I Advise Against It
機械翻訳 / Machine-translated
People who come to me for crowdfunding consultations naturally come with one thing in mind:
"I want to do crowdfunding."
But just because someone consults me doesn't mean
I always recommend crowdfunding.
After listening to their situation, I sometimes say:
"I don't think you should do it right now."
"I think it's better to prepare a little more first."
Crowdfunding is not something where results are guaranteed simply by creating a page.
What matters is not
doing crowdfunding, but actually realizing the challenge.
That's why, before asking
"Can this work as a crowdfunding campaign?"
I first look at
"Does it actually make sense to do crowdfunding right now?"
In consultations, I sometimes hear things like:
"I need X hundred thousand dollars, so I want to do crowdfunding."
Of course, raising funds is one of crowdfunding's roles.
But I believe that
needing money alone is too weak a reason to do crowdfunding.
Why are you taking on this challenge?
Who are you trying to reach?
What will be made possible through support?
Who is likely to be the first to back you?
If none of these questions have clear answers, and the situation is simply:
"I need $30,000, so I want to raise $30,000,"
then I stop and ask them to think it through.
The amount needed is the project creator's concern.
What supporters want to know is:
"What will happen as a result of my support?"
I don't believe that
"You can't do crowdfunding if you don't have many connections."
Because you can always grow your base of supporters from here.
However, if someone says:
"I haven't told anyone yet."
"I think people will come from CAMPFIRE once it's live."
I won't recommend going public in that state.
Crowdfunding is not about posting a page and waiting.
Before launch, you need to:
Talk about the project.
Listen to feedback.
Build a base of potential supporters.
Create people who are likely to support you on day one.
What I look at is not
how many connections you have right now, but how many potential supporters you can create by the launch date.
If there's no intention to build that foundation, then crowdfunding is simply not a good fit.
This is a major deciding factor.
Once a crowdfunding campaign starts, you need to:
Post updates.
Reach out to people.
Respond to comments and questions.
Publish activity reports.
Assess the situation and make improvements.
Even if I build the page,
I cannot step in as a replacement for the project creator.
Especially when someone says:
"I don't want to use social media."
"I don't want to reach out to anyone I know."
"I'm not good at outreach, so I want you to handle everything."
It becomes extremely difficult.
Of course, you don't have to force yourself to do everything you're not good at.
But if
it's your own challenge, and yet you're not the one reaching out to anyone,
crowdfunding simply won't move.
I am there to support, but the main protagonist is always the challenger.
Crowdfunding doesn't end when the money is raised.
In fact, that's when you start delivering on your promises.
Creating a product.
Opening a store.
Holding an event.
Delivering rewards.
That's why I look at
whether they can actually follow through if the funding goal is reached.
No cost estimates.
No manufacturer lined up.
Necessary permits not confirmed.
No shipping plan in place.
No one to execute the project.
If that's the situation, I work on getting those things sorted first.
Before raising support, you need to be in a position where
you can fulfill your responsibilities once you receive that support.
Crowdfunding requires preparation.
The page.
Images.
Rewards.
Review and approval.
Potential supporters.
Outreach.
Pitching to companies.
All of these need to be put in order.
So when someone says,
"I need money next month, so I want to go live this week,"
I tell them — depending on the specifics — that it may not be feasible.
The page itself might be rushed into shape.
But
a state where support actually starts flowing is not something that can be created overnight.
Normally, I prioritize
the time spent building supporters before launch
over the time spent finishing the page.
If there isn't enough time to prepare working backward from the deadline,
it may be better to consider options other than crowdfunding.
This is important.
When I say,
"I don't think you should do crowdfunding right now,"
I am not saying the project itself is bad.
The timing may be too early.
The preparation may be insufficient.
Another funding method may be a better fit.
Building a customer base first may be the right move.
These things happen.
Maybe it's doable after six months of preparation.
Maybe it's possible after growing an existing customer base.
Maybe talking to potential corporate sponsors first would help.
Maybe refining the product a little more would make a difference.
In other words, the judgment can be
not "don't do it," but "not yet."
I make my living supporting crowdfunding campaigns.
So telling every person who consults me,
"Let's do crowdfunding!"
might actually be better for business.
But that's not what I want to do.
What I want to see is not
whether a crowdfunding campaign was launched, but whether the challenge moved forward.
Depending on the situation, the right answer might be:
Sell directly.
Apply for a loan.
Look into subsidies or grants.
Build up a customer base a bit more.
Crowdfunding is one tool among many.
When using the tool becomes the goal, the order of priorities gets reversed.
When I listen to someone considering crowdfunding, I first look at:
Why they want to do crowdfunding.
Who will be the first to support them.
Whether the creator can be actively involved during the campaign.
Whether they can follow through after funding is reached.
Whether there is enough time to prepare.
If these are all in order,
we move on to
"How should we design the crowdfunding campaign?"
If they're not,
we start by building what's missing.
Precisely because I am a crowdfunding specialist,
I don't think everything should be turned into a crowdfunding campaign.
Some projects are well-suited for crowdfunding.
Some projects are simply too early.
Some projects are better served by a different approach.
What matters is
not launching a crowdfunding campaign, but helping the person bring what they truly want to do into reality.
That's why I think through not only
"How can I make this a crowdfunding campaign?"
but also
"Should this really be crowdfunding right now?"
together with the person in front of me.
What to Do Before Launching a Crowdfunding Campaign | Success Starts Before You Go Live
If you'd like to consult with me about crowdfunding, please visit my profile page for details.
