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It is almost axiomatic that media attention is required for serious social impact crowdfunding success. What isn’t so clear is how to get the media to pay attention.
A typical crowdfunding campaign for a nonprofit raises about $7,000, presuming it raises anything at all (some don’t). A small percentage raise about ten times that amount and a tiny fraction of nonprofit campaigns raise 100+ times the average.
Whenever I see a campaign that has raised over $25,000, I can usually find at least one story in the media about it. While some of this coverage comes after the success and is a commentary on it, some, almost as a necessity, arrives in time to help drive the fundraising.
Some campaigns really need no press. If you’re raising $3,000 from your friends to do a service trip in Rwanda, you don’t need CNN to tell the story. A few dozen emails and phone calls should suffice.
Electronic internet web and paper media concept: tablet PC computer, modern black glossy touchscreen smartphone and heap of businees office newspapers with financial news isolated on white background with reflection effect
But, for those campaigns hoping to raise big money, getting media attention must be a formal part of the strategy. Here are three tips to help you focus your strategy.
1) Ask
It seems as if it should be obvious that you need to ask for media coverage, but I think it needs to be said. My inbox is full of story ideas and pitches of all sorts but despite having written extensively about crowdfunding campaigns over the years, very few of the pitches I get hit that mark.
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