2/20/13-
Today, I researched 25 companies for On Point media
for future clients. Then I moved on to finish a Media List for all media outlet
in Maine
including newspapers, magazine, radio and TV, doing college as well. In the end I collected 11 college magazines
with 15 contacts for the day. I continue
to work on Anti-Bullying Poster on Esente by cropping 1 of 5 green matches to
fit with the quote of one out of four is bullying.
As a group we looked at Kickstarter to see if
we could use it to get funding for concert tour with Becca Levy to promote
Anti- Bullying Campaign. In the end they do not want charity projects as they
want a end product, something the consumer can buy. This is what we found:
Kickstarter takes 5% of what
is made
It cannot be used to fund
charity projects or causes
$25 common pledge and average
$71
Average project ask for 5,000
A project has a clear goal,
like making an album, a book, or a work of art. A project will eventually be
completed, and something will be produced by it. A project is not open-ended.
Starting a business, for example, does not qualify as a project.
Examples of prohibited use
include raising money for the Red Cross, funding an awareness campaign, funding
a scholarship, or promoting the donation of funds raised, or future profits, to
a charity or cause.
Everything on Kickstarter
must also be a project. A project has a clear goal, like making an album, a
book, or a work of art. A project will eventually be completed, and something
will be produced by it.
Kickstarter cannot be used as
seen above. It has to be something produced and made to make it a project.
Then we went on to Music
Think Tank to look at articles on crowdfunding. We split the articles up and
this is what I found:
Avoid-
Lack of a Purpose Worth Backing
With music Kickstarter projects, you are relying 99% on your existing
personal connections.
You need to send personal emails, engage in face-to-face communication,
and tell people exactly what you need them to do.
If a backer is willing to
show you their support at the $35 level but you jump from a $20 package to a
$50 package, you’re loosing out on potential dollars because they’ll settle for
the $20 package.
Kickstarter is more of a
vehicle for you to work with your existing fans, not a platform for you to find
new ones.
Promote- A large part of our
success was having an army of fans, sponsors, promoters, people in the media,
and especially other artists who were happy to tweet/share/post the link and
encourage people do donate.
Perks- People are willing to
give more if they are able to get something exclusive, unique, fun. If you
have other skills, bring them into this. Can you cook? Offer the
chance for a private party and cook your fans some dinner. Can you paint? Have
some rare canvas pieces. You get the idea.
Twitter- For example, I use Twitter often. For the campaign, I created a
hash tag trend and posted an update every single time someone made a pledge. I
looked up Twitter names of people who pledged and tagged them, began
conversations about it. Fans started tweeting celebrities, actors, bands, media
contacts, etc. asking them to RT our link.
What I learned is that crowd
funding success is what you put into it.
From promoting it with your connections and through social media to what
you offer as perks.
Gig funder will not work
because it is for the fans and artist to connect, not a whole campaign
tour.
Matthew Leone, bass player
for the Chicago based band Madina Lake wad beating after trying to save his neighbor
(women) from being beating from her husband.
This inspired a fund to Matthew’s recovery. This was done by Sweet Relief Musicians
Fund.
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are
struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related
problems. I urge you to come and make a donation to this hero.
I learned that you not only have to have a good cause, but
the cause has to do something in return (as seen above). Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a good site
for a cause, but is only for a disease cause like cancer and to help musicians
in need. Not for a charity concert for
anti-bullying.
-Renee Breau
reneebreau.com
