In this episode of the CrowdCrux Crowdfunding Podcast, I interviewed Rose Spinelli, who is a crowdfunding consultant and the founder of The Crowdfundamentals. She also runs the “Rose Recommends” advice column on Crowdsourcing.org.
Entering the crowdfunding industry at the same time I did, Rose brings a unique perspective to the table. We discuss how the industry has evolved, best practices for campaigns, and how she helps creators run successful campaigns. You can listen to the podcast below or on iTunes.
Show Notes
– Rose helps creators at all stages of their campaign, but can have the most impact in the planning stages.
– Rose does not manage campaigns or manage PR for a campaign.
– Rose is a journalist and has a fundraising background, which ended up feeding into the needs of a crowdfunding campaign.
– Rose mainly works with nonprofits, campaigns that have some kind of a social impact, and entrepreneurship-related projects.
– Crowdfunding is an online tool. If you don’t have a strong presence on social media, you’re going to have a harder time. People like to play catchup and do a lot of broadcasting, but it’s a less-effective way to go about marketing.
– People need to learn how to engage and tell their story. You must produce quality content to survive in a social media-driven world.
– Pretend that you are at a cocktail party, but it’s online. You must use your personality, be curious about others, and be generous to network effectively.
– You must learn how to communicate your value. Avoid technospeak. Avoid hyping it up too much. Be transparent.
– Robin Roberts: “Make your mess your message,” a quote from Everybody’s Got Something. It’s important to humanize yourself.
– Potato Salad Kickstarter Campaign
– Nonprofits are still adopting modern fundraising techniques.
– Positive emotions trump negative emotions on social media.
– It’s important to do your research if you’re going to use any consultants or service providers in the crowdfunding industry.
– Rose recommends a ramp-up period of 3-6 months. It depends on how established they are online.
Have a question for Rose? Leave a comment below!
If you have a question for Rose, leave a comment below or reach out to her on her blog.
