As y’all know, last year we set a goal of about $16,000 and raised $18,000 by the end of our Kickstarter campaign. Several people who actually missed the Kickstarter deadline and knew we already reached our goal offered to PayPal us additional donations. I was nervously trembling throughout most of the campaign but let me tell you why I am way less afraid of crowdfunding now (but it’s still scary):
People are yearning to be a part of causes that matter to them. When I thought I was being annoying, people messaged me and thanked me for allowing THEM to be a part of the project. For these people, asking them occurred as an opportunity to be a part of a larger effort supporting the Black community. It wasn’t annoying. Say it with me… it is NOT annoying to ask for a contribution. Now, here’s the tricky part. This applies to causes. That means your project must somehow connect to or create a cause that matters to people and makes a difference. I know you are conscious artist or creator so naturally you are already creating things that elevate people, inspire or create freedom, or create transformative healing communities – or somehow make a difference. These are the questions I believe people consider when making a decision to support or not. What am I supporting? Will it make a difference for people I care about?
My fear of looking annoying, selfish, or embarrassed was egotistical and unfounded. I learned that my fear of people saying no to me was a reflection of a) my selfishness – that is, putting myself ahead of the cause I am committed to and b) not believing that my project truly would have a tremendous impact. Think for yourself. If you are timid, have you been thinking about how your project will transform others’ lives? Is it worth it to be annoying to transform others’ experiences of themselves and the world? The answer is yes!
I cannot predict who will support me. Don’t try to. Do not do not do not do not do not – did i mention do not? Do not only message, call, and email people you are comfortable asking for money. Do not typecast people and ask the people who you think will be interested in your project or cause. Time after time, people who I thought would give did not (and were actually offended by the project) and people who I thought were racist, classist (or just Southern) actually donated and thanked me for messaging them. As a person without a base of followers, do not be choosy. I literally messaged everyone (maybe minus like 10-20people) on my Facebook friends list (I have like 1,000 friends) and my boyfriend messaged about 1,000 friends (he has way more Facebook friends)! At some point, fundraising without an e-mail list or raving following is simply a numbers game – how many people can you directly ask to give? Find some solace in the fact that it is partly a numbers game.
stop listening to your fear and start listening to how you can achieve success! read my step-by-step guide on how we raised $18K
To read my beastly step-by-step guide explaining how we crowdfunded $18K with no following or fanbase, click to view this awesomely detailed post I wrote 🙂
a little backstory
It was a chilly January 2018 day in the current dimension when 30-year-old unnecessarily educated Justina, queer artist child of black Panamanian immigrants, learned she had three months until her cushy job would let her go. Stunned that her comfortable safety net had broken, she stared at the email for 60 seconds before she resumed binge-watching Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. Two weeks later, she had a nervous break down. BUT. Finally, she will play. She will create. And hopefully never work again. Oh, and now she has a journal. More on her/me here.
my money journal: crowdfunding edition
This, my money journal, is a reflection on my successes & failures to make money doing what I actually love. I want to share it with you cuz… I bet you’re on this journey too. In the first series of my money journal, I’m sharing my first big success as an artist. At the end of 2016, I was listening to my boyfriend’s song Black Man in America when a vision for a dance film struck me. Five Black men seated at a white table with guns. Don’t worry. It is nuanced. By January 2017, I was storyboarding. By June, my boyfriend was on board, we determined we needed $16,000 to bring it to life, and we launched our crowdfunding campaign. With no fan base and no real fundraising experience. On August 6th, we filmed. I was freaking out. I had opened a credit card just for this project, was $4,000 in debt and owed our cast and crew $7,000 more. I was all in. By August 20th, 400 backers had given a total of $18,000 for Black Man in America to come to life, exceeding our goal. In this crowdfunding series of my money journal, I’m going to share how we did it, because – imagine what you could do with $5K ,$10K, $20K to bring your visions to life. It’s our tiiiiiiiiime. (Shine bright, shine far…)
