“How do I find the money to build and grow my fashion business?” This is the single most asked question we get from brands. It’s not surprising, considering it’s one of the most difficult aspects of the business.
Crowdfunding is a solution that a lot of brands consider; tapping into a community of supporters to help you raise the money you need, seems like a great option. And it can be..
But it’s important to understand what crowdfunding is all about; the risks, mistakes, and best practices, so that you can increase your chances of reaching the goal you’ve been working so hard for.
Here are four important things you must understand about crowdfunding:
It takes an incredible amount of work.
There is no magic wand. You will need to be prepared to spend time researching options, understanding stipulations, requirements, and expectations, creating publicity and promotion plans, demonstrating brand potential before any money is sent your way, and hustling your goods like your business depends on it.
There are no guarantees.
That incredible amount of work we were just talking about? There is no guarantee that it will lead to success. One of the best thing you can do is remember that there are other perks like brand awareness and market research that should be worked into your crowdfunding campaign goals.
It alone can be a full time job.
Doing everything you need to do to acquire funding is a full time job all on its own. It requires research, hustle, and follow through that is completely separate from running your business.
Money doesn’t solve all your problems.
Be honest with yourself, would you know what to do with the $30,000 if it were handed to you? Beyond responding “Marketing”, do you have a plan for those funds in order to maximize growth of your business and demonstrate return on investment for those who gave you the money?It’s imperative that you know how to properly use the money you receive. It is smart to take the time to find a mentor before building your campaign.
Listen, it’s not easy but it is possible. You just need to approach it with the same amount of guts, energy, and adventure as you did with when launching your business in the first place.
We truly believe that with enough planning and creativity, crowdfunding is a viable option for fashion brands.
So we’ve teamed up with crowdfunding platform Luevo to create a detailed resource guide and workbook for crowdfunding your fashion business. It’s everything you need to know about fashion business crowdfunding in
This Resource Guide and Workbook was specifically created for the needs emerging and independent fashion brands. It includes 77 pages of crowdfunding gold…
Chapters:
- How to Determine if Crowdfunding Right for You
- How to Choose Your Crowdfunding Platform
- How to Prepare for Your Crowdfunding Campaign for Success
- How to Market Your Crowdfunding Campaign Before You Launch
- How to Market Your Live Crowdfunding Campaign and Watch the Dollars Stream In
- What to Do After Your Campaign Has Closed to Keep the Momentum Going
Tools:
- Pre-Launch Campaign Checklist….{to make sure you don’t miss a thing}
- Detailed Marketing Plan Template ….{to make sure you don’t miss a single marketing possibility}
- Social Media Resources….{to maximize efficiency and minimize wasted time}
- Social Media Sample Posts….{to help you get the most out of spreading the word}
- Email Templates….{for contacting your professional network and editors}
- Project Budget Template….{to keep you on track and minimize expected expenses}
- Fashion Industry Interviews….{to learn from the experiences of other crowdfunding fashion brands}
Bonus Info!:
- 8 Tips for Positioning your Brand for Funding
- 12 Tips for Continued Business Success
- List of crowdfunding platforms and the fees associated with them
- List of press release distribution sites and the fees associated with them