Campaigns that take those six actions raise 8 times more money than campaigns that don’t.

What do these six actions have in common? They show that you are committed to your campaign and are investing time and effort to ensure it succeeds! Here is some advice on how to approach taking these six actions:

1. Have a Pitch Video: Secret to a great pitch video? Show your face, tell your story,  show what your money is going towards, have a call to action, and share your passion (but keep it under three minutes)!
2. Offer Three or More Perks: Good perks are creative and generous. The two most essential perk amounts are the $25 perk and the $100 perk. For $25 a funder can explore the solar system, get a DVD and a personalized thank you note,  or be immortalized on a brick in a community theater. For $100 contributors get invited to a Damien Rice and Chad Urmstrom concert and a Venetian artist designed t-shirt, 20lbs of pasture raised sustainable meat and an invitation to a Barbecue festival, or a t-shirt, hat and autographed poster.
3. Update Every Couple of Days: Use updates to showcase progress, say thank you, keep your audience engaged, offer new perks, and share some press you’ve received. Post updates to your facebook, and e-mail them to people who haven’t contributed yet.
4. Post 5 or More Media to Your Gallery: Media can include videos, picture images, or artwork and can be sent out via updates. Media builds an emotional connection between campaign and the funders and provides context for the campaigner’s motivations and commitment. Be sure to share your media on social media platforms too!
5. Link to Your External Pages:  If you have a personal website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, or YouTube channel, put the link on your campaign. Complimenting your campaign page with external online assets builds credibility, and enables you to tell a more robust story. It also helps you share your campaign more broadly and rapidly.
6. Keep Your Campaign Less than 60 Days: Having a shorter campaign improves your buzz and virality. People are less likely to put off contributing if there is a sense of urgency about your campaign.  Things to keep in mind regarding deadlines: How much time do you and your team have to run the campaign? How much money do you need and when will you need the money? What is the schedule of your outreach strategy?