Metrics to Evaluate for A Crowdfunding Campaign

Essential metrics to assess crowdfunding campaign success.

Tom Wu

July 18, 2023

The aspiration of every entrepreneur lies in conducting a prosperous Kickstarter campaign. The crux of the matter is to accumulate adequate funds to finance their innovative concepts or prototypes. Nevertheless, success doesn't culminate with merely reaching the funding target; it signals the commencement of a journey. The true essence of achievement in crowdfunding hinges on multifaceted factors that influence the outcome of the endeavor. One must ponder over the prerequisites for a project and whether a universal standard for success exists or is determined by chance. As a campaign manager, numerous questions will inevitably traverse your thoughts while preparing for the initiative.

What exactly defines a triumphant crowdfunding pursuit? At its core, success signifies the realization of a set goal. However, when applied to crowdfunding, this definition necessitates a slight recalibration. Reaching the funding objective marks the outset, not the conclusion of the campaign. The focus now shifts to capturing attention, materializing the prototype, promoting it, and securing sales—a journey that stretches far beyond the starting line. Securing qualification for the competition does not guarantee crossing the finish line; it merely sets the stage for the ultimate endeavor.

The Need for Measuring Success

Why do you need to know if your Kickstarter campaign is a success? Is it really that critical? Consider it as if you were learning to cook for the first time.

You are less likely to be dissatisfied with the outcomes if you check the taste a few times throughout the cooking. If you stick to the recipe without making any essential changes along the way, you'll end up with something that'll end up in the garbage.

Crowdfunding is the same way. You'll see items that need to be tweaked if you track the campaign's success along the way. You'll notice where you need to put in more effort and what needs to change.

You'll be able to optimize the campaign in this way, ensuring its ultimate success. However, in most circumstances, the scope of the project precludes manual management. That's where technologies like PledgeBox come in handy, as they manage and increase your campaign at the same time.

The Metrics for Crowdfunding Success

Measuring the success of your crowdfunding initiative manually may at times yield puzzling results. To streamline the process, adopting success metrics is imperative. These metrics can be categorized into three stages: prelaunch, campaign live, and post-campaign.

Prelaunch

During the nascent stages of your campaign, meticulous crafting of the project page is underway, seeking to stand out once launched. The prelaunch phase, however, remains ongoing.

Lead Generation

A pivotal aspect during this phase is lead generation. Possessing a list of email addresses of potential respondents before the campaign's initiation is invaluable.

Calculating the optimal number of email addresses for a successful launch involves the formula:

(Funding Targets x 30%) / (Conversion Rate x Product Value)

The number of immediate hits received upon campaign launch determines early success. A substantial number of leads at this juncture propels the campaign toward prosperity.

Secondly, media coverage may be secured; however, news outlets often hesitate to feature campaigns that are yet to commence. An alternative approach involves leveraging a substantial social media following.

Lastly, reaching out via email or contacting influential individuals can prove beneficial. For example, if organizing a charity campaign, email local philanthropists, and focus on affluent neighborhoods.

Campaign Live

The first two to three days of the campaign offer a glimpse into its future trajectory. Is the project eliciting adequate interest as a potential candidate?

According to some experts, a campaign should aim to raise approximately 25% of its funding objective within the initial two days. Surprisingly, after attaining 30%, some projects stagnate. Thus, achieving 25% is also needed to guarantee success.

Boost the campaign's visibility with Pledge Booster, an affordable tool that expands its reach to a wider audience, and efficiently manages the process.

Post-Campaign

Securing the funding goal marks only the beginning; the race has just commenced. Initiate pre-orders or ticket sales for the upcoming product launch or event.

Sustained crowdfunding success depends on favorable outcomes for your product or service, necessitating the provision of compelling rewards to backers.

PledgeBox provides a seamless post-campaign and fulfillment process, assuming responsibility for managing incentives when manual efforts become overwhelming.

In Conclusion

The path to a successful Kickstarter campaign necessitates vigilant monitoring of success metrics throughout the journey. Immediate corrective action should be taken whenever shortcomings emerge. Utilize the limited 60-day timeframe to its fullest potential and fearlessly embrace adjustments along the way. Your success metrics will guide you on the path to triumph and ensure you cross the finish line with confidence and fulfillment.