Crowdfunding: A Timeline for the Social Crowdfunding Novice

Crowdfunding India is no longer a term or a concept that is met with total blankness if mentioned to educated Indian residents or citizens. Through the good work done by crowdfunding organizations like Impact Guru, word is beginning to spread that this thing called crowdfunding can leverage the strength of numbers and can make a difference by raising huge sums of money from a large number of people, who each typically donate only a little in money to the cause in question, which is a cause they support and believe in.

Crowdfunding India is basically a new term for what has been an age old process. Communities have auto organized drives to raise funds for community festivals and charitable programs. Community kitchens have been run. Festivals have been celebrated. Village schools have been run and allowed children to get an education. In the modern day and age these old traditional systems have collapsed somewhat, and it has fallen on activists and NGOs to keep up these processes. The nameless and seamlessly functioning activities of days past have new names and checklist items are ticked off at every stage for the whole show to come together.

This is how the timeline for the average social crowdfunding project looks, no matter what the cause:

The preparation phase: This is when you get together your crowdfunding India proposal. You need to be very clear about your need. How much do you need in funds? For what project? Who do you want to serve? Is it a long term need you want to meet, or a onetime call for help you are bent on answering?

The fundraiser going live: This is when you will have to zero in on a crowdfunding India platform, write your story, curate good quality photos, have a video shot, and upload these elements into your fundraiser page. Once your fundraiser is approved, the ball is ready to roll. Most fundraisers will stay live for between thirty and ninety days unless you meet your target sooner, but you can often get an extension if you haven’t met your goal already.

The sharing round: Once the fundraiser is live you begin to share it across social media platforms. Do this a few times every day and each time; remember to ask for a donation and a request to your friends to share the link in turn. This increases fundraiser visibility and that means that your chances of receiving donations and meeting your goal amount are multiplied.

The halfway milestone: When your fundraiser hits the halfway mark, it is probably time to post a brief update and thank the people who have helped you so far. Then remind them you need more help to make it to your goal again.

Making it and a shootout to donors: Thanks to the kindness and generosity of your donors, when you have hit the finish line, it’s time to say thanks in the grandest ways possible. Social media shoutouts are the minimum you can do. Then send personalized emails of thanks and gratitude notes to the ones who donated the most.