5 symptoms of a failing crowdfunding campaign

Nervous about your crowdfunding campaign’s wobbly, uncertain success? Perhaps your campaign is not going as well as you expected or you’re not getting the traction and publicity that you thought you would.

It’s not all lost. You can still change it!

Let’s look at what the common symptoms are for a failing crowdfunding campaign and what you can do to change how things are going. 

Symptom 1: Lack of interest from your advocates

Cause:

Your audience’s interest could have dwindled due to poor communication of purpose or cause. Often the purpose is clearer in you head than it is when it comes out on paper – or in this case – on the web.

Also, take note of when your last campaign was and decide if this one was too early. You don’t want to create donor or supporter fatigue.

Solution:

Revisit your story and make sure it is clear. Get feedback. Bring in outsiders to view your online fundraising campaign before your launch it. Afterward, ask questions to see how they interpret your content. Tell them all about your organization and they might be able to tell you where your campaign is strong and weak.

People will only become advocates for your cause when they have a strong understanding of what you do. Then their interest will spike!

2. Loss of momentum

Cause:

There could be various reasons for a loss of momentum in your campaign. A few may include the length of your campaign, irregular contact with supporters/donors, or timing (e.g., stretching your campaign over a major holiday or a major event in your city).

Solution:

Create a rhythm to your contact your donors and supporters. Use a communications calendar, work around holidays and major events, and make sure the campaign doesn’t last too long.

If your campaign started out with a bang and now there’s a lull out of nowhere, chances are it’s a timing issue. Always take note of holidays and major events that could rob your campaign the attention it deserves!

3. Low number of shares

Cause:

Maybe your content is dull, lacking in contagious passion, or it has too much focus on the problem and not enough on the solution or impact you are having.

Solution:

You must create compelling content that is emotive and geared towards the right audience. Make sure your content isn’t difficult to understand. Your content should make you want to join your own cause and share it with others when you read it!

Here are two additional resources on helping your content become sharable:

• Read about Newsjacking (HubSpot): 4 Simple Newsjacking Formulas for Content Teams of Any Size
• Learn about Memes (Fast Company): The Science Behind Why Content Gets Shared

And now the last symptom…

4. Not getting donations

Cause:

This could be because you didn’t have a clear ask. Or, maybe there’s only one page or area where you tell people how to give and they are not finding it.

Solution:

Make sure you explain the potential impact. Be straightforward in your call to action. Create donation tiers to show how increased giving can lead to greater impact – visual display would help readers to grasp the reach of their donation. Make it very easy for donors to give!

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Before you helplessly throw your hands in the air and call your crowdfunding campaign “a total failure!”, take an inventory of possible causes.

It’s not too late to change how your campaign is running. The symptoms always tell you more than you would expect – the causes – now go find them! Don’t give up!