Smallbrooks blog
Guide til at oprette et projekt
By Lennie Olsen
Are you thinking about crowdfunding in Denmark? Then you have some decisions to make and some material to prepare. In this guide, you will be guided through what considerations you must make and deliver to get a project launched.
I bund og grund kan vi dele processen omkring at starte et crowdfundingprojekt op i to: Beslutninger og indhold.
I. Beslutninger
Før du kan begynde arbejdet på dit crowdfundingprojekt, er der nogle ting, du skal overveje.
1. Who will be the project owner in the crowdfunding campaign?
It is possible for you to create a crowdfunding campaign as an individual or through an association or company. However, it is easier -and we certainly recommend it- that a company or association is registered as the owner of the project.
Moreover, in addition, in order to launch a project, some formalities must be in order. This means that you and your company/association must be validated. Also, the bank account to which the project is to be paid must be approved by the crowdfunding platform. Additionally, it is important that the bank account belongs to the person, company, or association that is raising the money.
2. Hvilken type crowdfunding?
At Smallbrooks, we offer a white-label solution where you have the option to select between reward-based, donation-based, or even a combination of both. The choice of which type to opt for largely depends on your identity and the purpose for which you are seeking to raise funds.
Reward-based crowdfunding
Det betyder, at en støtter giver dig penge og får en belønning igen. Belønningen skal nogenlunde have samme værdi, som det støtteren betaler. Koster belønningen normalt 200 kr., kan du derfor ikke tage 500 kr. for den.
Er du en virksomhed, der sælger produkter, billetter eller services, er dette nok den helt rigtige type crowdfundingt for dig, men det kan også være en god ide, hvis du kommer fra en forening. Det handler egentlig mesom, hvad du kan tilbyde af belønninger.
I nogle tilfælde er det svært at prissætte dine belønninger. Hvad er værdien af en autograf, et sponsoreret link på jeres hjemmeside eller backstage-adgang til jeres koncert? Her er det en god ide at undersøge, hvilken pris dine potentielle støttere synes er fair.
In Denmark, reward crowdfunding is regulated by the purchase law (Købeloven). This means that your backers are entitled to receive their rewards or get their money back.
Donation-based crowdfunding
Refers to those projects where backers give you money without expecting anything in return. Moreover, supporters can typically choose between the different donation amounts suggested in the project, or to donate more. For instance, a donation amount of DKK 50 DKK can be set which means that you have to support the project with a minimum of 50 DKK, but you can also choose to give a bit more, e.g. 65 DKK.
According to the Danish regulation, it is required that you are approved by the Fundraising authority (Indsamlingsnævnet) to receive donations. It is your responsibility as the project owner to apply for this permission. You also have to note that there is an application fee of approx. 1,200 DKK (2022 rates) associated with the process. The average processing time for approval is 14 days.
Kombination af de to
Here, a supporter can buy a reward and also has the option to give extra. In the case of this type of project, you might, for example, sell a ticket at the normal price, and then those who want to support more can put a little extra on top. This approach works exceptionally well for projects that have a good cause, as it encourages people to offer increased support.
If you choose this option, you need to have permission from the Fundraising authority (Indsamlingsnævnet) to collect donations. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that your backers are protected by the purchase law (Købeloven).
3. What should be the goal of my crowdfunding campaign?
Determining the right target amount to raise can be challenging. If you set the goal too low, it may not be taken seriously, and you might not secure enough funding to achieve your project’s purpose. Conversely, if you set the goal too high, potential supporters may find it overwhelming: “What good is my 100 DKK if the project needs to raise 500,000 DKK?”
Tænk derfor grundigt over, hvad pengene skal bruges til, og hvem i dit netværk du kan trække på.
Moreover, some platforms require that you set both, a minimum and a maximum goal. This means that the project needs at least e.g. 20,000 DKK to reach its goal but can collect a maximum of e.g. 50,000 DKK. If the project only gets 18,000 DKK by the deadline, the money will be paid back to your supporters. Conversely, if the project reaches 50,000 DKK, it will close, even if there is time remaining before the deadline.
4. How long should my crowdfunding campaign last?
We recommend that the crowdfunding campaign runs for 30 to 90 days. However, based on our experience, 45 to 60 days is optimal. This timeframe allows you to effectively promote the project without getting completely exhausted by it.
II. Content of the crowdfunding campaign
Et crowdfundingprojekt kan deles op i fire dele: Tekst, billeder, video og belønninger. Alle fire dele er med til at sælge dit projekt.
1. Tekst
Dit crowdfundingprojekt har tre tekstdele:
Overskrift
The title appears on the project card and on social media when someone shares your project. Therefore, it needs to be accompanied by your pitch and your project image to get people to click on the project. In fact, a good headline is worth its weight in gold.
To create an effective headline, it’s essential to keep it short (around 25-30 characters) and focused on your project. Additionally, avoid words like “Help us to”, “Support”, as there’s no place for that in a concise headline. For instance, consider examples such as “New street festival for Tranbjerg”, “Bring the flowers back to the city” and “Give food to the homeless”.
“Pitch”/Kort beskrivelse
In this section, you’ll provide a brief description of your project. You can start with phrases like ‘Help us with,’ ‘Support,’ or ‘Be part of’ to engage your audience. Initiating your pitch with ‘We would like to’ is also an effective way to introduce your project.
Brødtekst
The body text helps the reader understand who you are, what you want to achieve with the project, and why you should be supported. By reading your body text, the reader should desire to support you and the project. Additionally, it should instill a sense of security, assuring them that you have a clear plan for the allocated funds, the capability to bring the project to fruition, and a commitment to fulfilling the promised rewards.
To facilitate a smooth reading experience, consider incorporating descriptive headings throughout the text. These headings act as signposts, guiding the reader through the content and enhancing comprehension.
Hvis du sørger for at besvare disse spørgsmål i din tekst, er du godt på vej:
- Hvad er dit produkt/din ide?
- Hvad rejser du penge til?
- Hvordan hjælper din ide dit lokalområde?
- Hvad får jeg som støtter?
- Hvem er du/dit team?
2. Billeder
Images are effective tools to support the message of your project. There are two different types of images in a crowdfunding project: the profile picture and the images in the body text.
Profilbilledet
Dette billede ses på projektkortet samt på sociale medier, hvis man deler dit projekt. Det skal få folk til at klikke ind på dit projekt, så det er vigtigt, at det er af god kvalitet. Følg gerne disse råd:
- Det er en god ide kun at have ét fokus, som er centreret i midten.
- Undgå at bruge dit logo som profilbillede, medmindre du ved, at det er genkendeligt for mange besøgende. Sæt det i stedet ind i din tekst.
- Et farvebillede er bedre end et sort-hvid billede.
- Sørg for, at billedet er i høj opløsning og gerne er taget med et godt kamera.
Billeder i teksten
In the text itself, it is highly recommended that you insert images that support what is happening in the text. For example, if you are talking about you and your team, consider inserting a picture of you or your team members. If you have floor plans, prototype designs, or similar visual aids, it’s a good idea to insert them in the relevant sections where you discuss your idea. Here are some great ideas for images you can add:
- Dit produkt.
- Dit team /dig.
- Stemningsbilleder
- Før/efter billeder eller prototype/design billeder.
- Eventuelle belønninger du tilbyder.
- Dit logo.
3. Videoen
While it is not a requirement to include a video in your project, it could be a beneficial addition. Furthermore, a video provides an alternative means to introduce yourself or your team and to elaborate on your idea. To make the most of this opportunity, here are some effective strategies to consider:
- Videoer skal uploades på YouTube eller Vimeo.
- Skru ned for ambitionerne - en kort selfie-video er fint
- Lys: film gerne udenfor
- Brug gerne en mikrofon og sæt undertekster
- Fortæl om dit projekt, dine ambitioner. Giv folk en mulighed for at lære dig at kende
- Slut af med et 'call to action': ”Vi har brug for dig til”, "sammen kan vi..."
4. Belønninger/donationsniveauer
Regardless of the type of crowdfunding campaign you launch, it’s important to create specific “tiers” or “reward levels” that your supporters can purchase. Furthermore, if you choose to offer physical rewards, you should also carefully consider the logistics of delivery.
Sæt 3-5 belønninger/donationsniveauer
In general, it is a good idea to set 3-5 rewards or donation tiers so there’s something for all types of backers. For instance, you can consider offering tiers at 50, 250, and 1,000 DKK.
In a donation or combination project, supporters can typically choose to give more. However, our experience shows that many people tend to press the “buy” button. Therefore, it is a good idea to have several levels of rewards/donations to make it extra easy for your backers to contribute larger amounts.
If you offer rewards, it is a good idea to offer rewards at different prices that relate to the project’s purpose. For example, if you want to organize a street festival, it makes sense to sell tickets and beer coupons for the festival. On the other hand, if you’re a voluntary association that needs money to market yourself, merchandise with the association’s logo and slogan is a good idea.
Furthermore, creating a “ladder” of rewards with built-in discounts can be effective. For instance, one ticket costs DKK 250, while two tickets cost DKK 475 (save DKK 25). You can do the same principle to physical products, like offering a glass of jam for DKK 50 or five glasses for DKK 200. This approach appeals to bargain-hunters and enhances the project’s chances of reaching its funding goal.
Levering
If you have physical rewards, they need to be delivered to your supporters. You can choose to use a shipping company, deliver them yourself, or arrange for your backers to come and collect their rewards themselves.Additionally,
Additionally, if you offer to ship your rewards, remember to factor that into the price. For example, if a t-shirt normally costs DKK 200 without shipping, you must, therefore, set the price of a t-shirt incl. shipping to e.g. DKK 239
On the other hand, if your supporters have to come and collect their reward themselves, your backers will be limited to only those who live in the local area. Nevertheless, it is a really good opportunity to get to meet those who supported you and get them even more involved in your crowdfunding campaign.
Introduktion til crowdfunding
Ny i crowdfunding? Udforsk vores guide om crowdfunding og crowdfundingplatforme. Alt du skal vide samlet ét sted.
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