How to create a campaign

Writing Your Campaign Profile

Your campaign profile is your first chance to impress a potential investor. Prepare yourself for writing the profile by asking yourself what the investor is most likely to be interested in. Ethical investors care about the strength of the business idea as well as the good that is being created in the world, so try to explain both things.

Clearly answer the questions that are the most important to your investors. Some common questions are these:

• what, exactly, is the product or service?

• what problem does it solve, and who experiences this problem?

• what is unique about your company’s solution?

• how will you make a profit?

• how do you know your team can succeed in this market?

Be concrete, but don’t go into too much detail. The purpose of your campaign profile is to make the investor interested enough to read more about your project. Later, they may go to your company’s website, or Facebook page. They might check out your team’s LinkedIn profiles, or Twitter feed. Hopefully, they will read the extra documents you provide on the Coinfunded platform, like your business plan and investment memorandum. Put details in these places, and use your profile as your sales pitch.

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

In this section, keep to concrete facts. Say what the project is and why it’s important, but do not go into details. Your purpose here is to let potential investors know what kind of project this is so that they will read more. If you need a template to work with, try this:

(Company) is making a ( product or service that will solve (this problem) for (target customers) by (method).

Example:

Shownight will bring in in-demand comedians from underdeveloped nations to promote cultural exchange in order to enrich the arts markets of both Sweden and the comedians’ countries of origin.

ABOUT YOUR PROJECT

Your project summary is your opportunity to tell a story and create a feeling. You can do this by using a basic story structure. Explain how your project is the key element in taking your customer from a problem to a solution, or from an unsatisfactory present to a great future. Investors at Coinfunded believe in collaboration to create the future, so show them how this project will let them be part of future good in the world.

Example text:

Shownight is a live event promotions company that is a leading promoter of comedy in Sweden. We are campaigning for the funds to bring high-profile, international comedians to Sweden. Not only will Sweden benefit by getting to see these terrific international performers live, but the comedy market will benefit by having talent from different parts of the world meet, make connections, and learn professionally from each other.

Shownight wants to bring performers from developing countries like Kenya, Nigeria in Africa. They will get the chance to network with the comedians here, which creates a platform for the enrichment of the Arts of both regions.

We are campaigning for funding because we need to have a bigger pool of capital in order to satisfy the demand for performers. Because we have to pay performers 50% of their fee well in advance of the performance date, we can only book a set number of them each year. If we had a larger pool, we could book performers at a higher rate.

By supporting our campaign, you will help a Swedish business to grow, and you will enrich the Arts of the developing world. Support us, and you will create both social value and business value.

VIDEO

A video is a great thing to add to your campaign. With a video, you have the chance to create a multi-dimensional picture of your project. Use every element to bring viewers into your world. Show the product or service, if there is one, or show the people you are going to help. Let your most charismatic team member talk about why your project matters (or hire an actor!).

Remember that you have several chances to share information, but a video might be your one chance to really share the big idea with people.

TEAM BIOS

The Team section lets your investors know who is behind the project. Reassure them that your team is real, your business is real, and you are the right team to get this project done. Let people get to know you a little.

Remember that anyone can look you up online and find out things about your background and your education, so take the opportunity to tell investors the things that make you seem like an interesting, capable person who is going to do a good job on your project. You can do this in three ways:

1. Focus on the future

Campaigns are all about what could be created, together. Investors need to feel confident that the project is a great idea, and the people on the team are the ones who can make that great idea come to life. Don’t just repeat your professional qualifications; talk about things that show you are the right person to do the job you’re doing, right now.

2. Emphasize your work

A campaign is about getting action -- so talk about your work. What is the role that you play on this team? What is your area of responsibility, and why have you chosen that area? Is your past experience directly related, or indirectly?

3. Share your vision

Talk about what you’re building towards, and help your investor to see the future that you see.

When everything is going perfectly, what will you get the chance to do in your role? Will you expand your role, or will you get the opportunity to focus? Will you lead a larger team, or will you build on the success in one area to create something in another?

Example:

Berang Shahrokni, Founder.  

“I have been in the promotion business for ten years, and after all this time, I can drop big names like it’s nothing. But that’s not why I do this work. Sure, it’s a lot of fun to shake hands with big stars. But my favourite part of the job is seeing someone that I once shook hands with become a big star, because of something that I did to help them. I love to introduce great, undiscovered talent to the right people, put them on the right stages, and watch them find the huge audience that they deserve.

With this project, I want to create a unique opportunity to enrich the arts communities both globally and locally, while taking advantage of a wide-open opportunity in the market.”