The success of a crowdfunding campaign largely depends on how well you tell your story.
We know that summarizing a difficult life situation can be complicated. Please be advised to follow the structure below to keep your writing on point.
1. Title
A good title is key to making potential donors stop and read your plea. Therefore, it needs to evoke emotions and sound personal.
Consider the following to determine if your title really works:
How does it make you feel?
Does it tell or hint at your story?
If you saw it, would you be interested in clicking on it?
Here are some examples to help you out.
Ineffective title: Please help with my hospital expenses
Effective title: Kick Cancer to the Curb for [name]
Ineffective title: Need help with paying my rent!
Effective title: Help a single mom keep her job
2. Backstory
Introduce yourself and explain what you are raising money for. If you are running a campaign for someone else, include information about how you know them. Use this space to connect with the reader emotionally. Describe long-term challenges and particularly the turning point when you realized that you (or a person you represent) needed help and could not live under the same circumstances anymore.
3. Needs
Explain which resources are needed to address your problem and why. Remember to include any information about what you have done to help the situation by yourself before asking for help. People are more likely to donate if they can see that you’ve exhausted all your other resources.
4. Costs
Mention specific expenses you need to cover and, if possible, provide proof. This makes donors feel confident that the money will truly be used for the intended purpose. For example, to demonstrate the cost of repairing your car, include a photo of an estimate from a car mechanic.
5. Impact
Ensure that your pitch helps readers understand how their contribution can improve the immediate circumstances of a person who receives the funds. Be transparent, open, and personal. Donors want to see how they can alleviate a strain that’s on the recipient and their loved ones due to the lack of funds.
6. Thank you note
Express your gratitude and make donors feel appreciated to motivate them to spread the word. You can also call for shoutouts via social media, which can help you reach more people who might want to help. To do so, point the readers to the social media sharing buttons located at the bottom of each campaign page.
Ideally, your story should have at least 400 words. In terms of formatting, splitting the text into paragraphs makes it easier to read. As a rule of thumb, a paragraph should have 4-5 sentences.
