I was reminded the other day that some of you have been following me for several years.
It’s crazy to think that crowdfunding, as we know it, has been around for so long!
When I first got started writing about this topic, there were barely any resources out there to learn from. My blog, podcast, forum, and YouTube channel has been dedicated to demystifying crowdfunding for all those entrepreneurs and creative types out there.
Along the way, I’ve met some exceptional individuals who share the same goal to educate crowdfunders who are looking to raise money online.
This list reflects what I consider to be some of the best books on crowdfunding out there. Enjoy!
1. A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide
I have a lot of respect for Jamey and what he’s done with Stonemaier games.
He was one of the early leaders out there sharing the best practices for launching a successful board game-centric Kickstarter campaign.
His guide is an amazing resource and is packed full of knowledge and golden nuggets.
“Jamey Stegmaier knows crowdfunding – having now done 8 Kickstarter projects – starting off small in which 17 backers pledged $305, to Jamey’s latest project of 17,739 backers who pledged $1,810,294 to help bring his Scythe game to life.” – Amazon Review
2. The Crowdfunding Bible
Scott was one of the first to put out a book on crowdfunding, and I am sure glad that he did!
Since the release of this book, it’s gone on to educate aspiring entrepreneurs and creative types from around the world.
It still continues to educate crowdfunders to this day, with recent reviews like “I took a ton of notes and, including my experience in marketing, feel I’m ready to jump off the high board and into the deep end. It’s all right that the book is a few years old.
The only difference between then and now are some tools and numbers. The principles are the same. Great book”
3. The Kickstarter Launch Formula
If you’re looking to quickly blow past your Kickstarter goal and boost your results, this is the book for you.
I’ve taken all of my knowledge from interviewing 100+ podcast guests, running KickstarterForum.org, and writing more than 700 blog posts and put it into one easy to read step-by-step launch system.
No joke, you’re going to thank me after reading this book. I’ve already had lots of readers write in. One review reads, “My favorite book on crowdfunding! I’m just preparing myself for my upcoming launch, and I feel I saved 10.000 USD. (at least) I just made a ton of notes… Definitely suggest buying the book and implement the strategies.”
4. Equity Crowdfunding: The Complete Guide For Startups And Growing Companies
I had Nathan Rose on my podcast on episode #133, where he shared everything that you need to know to raise money with equity crowdfunding.
This book goes way deeper than our conversation and shows you how to raise money on an equity crowdfunding website.
Nathan discusses 20 real companies that have raised millions of dollars with this crowdfunding model.
He also examines whether or not crowdfunding is a good fit for your startup company. One Amazon review reads, “If you’re looking to raise capital, then this book is a one stop shop on how to do it. Nathan Rose knows what he is talking about. He elucidates a pathway through the minefield that is raising capital, while keeping the reader engaged.”
5. NonProfit Crowdfunding Explained
If you’re a nonprofit organization, then this is a must-read!
In this book, you’ll learn how to successfully raise money online for your nonprofit. I break down the exact steps that you’ll need to take in order to launch a killer crowdfunding campaign.
I discuss topics including social media, peer to peer fundraising, email marketing, donor psychology, donor segmentation, crowdfunding websites, and more!
Thus far, readers have been extremely happy with this book and have left reviews like, “I wish I had read this book before I started trying to raise money for our charity. It immediately pointed out some mistakes we were making. Our project ([…]) started implementing changes based on the advice in the book. Well worth reading.”
6. Artist’s Guide to Crowdfunding Domination
I had the author of this book on my podcast (episode #149). He shared exactly how artists and creative types can raise money with crowdfunding.
Ian Anderson got into the crowdfunding industry at the same time as me and over the years, he’s produced some great work for his clients and blog readers!
In this book, you get a complete brain-dump of his first hand experience raising over $1 million for crowdfunders.
You’ll also see what the 6-Step Launch Process looks like and how to create a campaign that turns into a fundraising powerhouse.
One review reads, “This book is fantastic, full of great information. I really enjoyed seeing all of the info from your course jam packed in such a cohesive format. You really care about people’s success and have covered all of the bases in such great detail.”
You can look into the book here.
7. Crowdstart
I had the author of Crowdstart on episode #132 of my podcast! This author shows you how you can raise over $60,000+ with crowdfunding.
The book takes you through some of the top strategies out there for raising money on websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
When you purchase the book, you’ll gain access to a day to day action plan, sample emails, and more.
This book has gotten some great Amazon reviews, including, “Good: This book has A LOT of detailed information and insight on the general principles of crowd development using social media, maintaining a crowdfunding platform, and a step-by-step timeline for a 30-day campaign.”
8. Real Estate Crowdfunding Explained
Real estate crowdfunding is a completely new phenomena that’s taking the industry by storm.
In this book, I introduce you to some of the major players out there and how YOU, as an investor, property developer, or real estate company, can cash in on this crowdfunding craze!
More and more, the real estate industry is being disrupted by technology and real estate crowdfunding is doing just that. This is a trend that you need to pay attention to.
There are a lot of great reviews, including, “This books really gets right to the point of explaining the history and discussing the future potential of crowd funding for real estate. I especially like the way it was written to give the perspective point of view for investors, sponsors and platform operators.”
You can check out the book here.
9. Crowdfunding Personal Expenses
Lastly, if you’d like to use crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe or YouCaring to raise money for charity or personal expenses, then this is the book for you!
If you’ve launched a campaign on GoFundMe, you’ll know that it’s a lot harder than you originally thought. I’ll share with you the proven strategy for actually getting donations online.
This book is the perfect guide for anyone out there that would like to raise money for travel costs, educational expenses, medical bills, memorial funds, and more.
One review reads, “I recently had a close friend of mine pass away, leaving his wife with much debt and two children to raise. This book helped me to unlock the full potential of Crowdfunding.
It really went a long way to help her out with the expenses of death, I would not have been able to raise as much money without the guidance in this book, and certainly could never have donated as much money by myself.”
You can read more about the book here.
Bonus Book! The Crowdfunding Book
This book was written by Patty Lennon and goes through everything that you need to know as an entrepreneur, innovator, or artist when it comes to launching a crowdfunding campaign.
Before you know it, you’ll be generating a buzz on social media, attracting potential funders, and rocket past your fundraising goal on Kickstarter or Indiegogo.
I highly recommend looking into this resource, specifically because Patty is one of the pillars in this community delivering great educational content to campaign creators.
Patty was also nice enough to link to this blog that you’re reading right now as one of the core places to learn about crowdfunding.
