Upselling: Make More Money & Add Value to Your Crowdfunding Campaign

Learn how to effectively upsell and increase revenue in your crowdfunding campaign while providing added value to your backers.

Tom Wu

June 27, 2023

Whether you find yourself with some remaining campaign time or are prepared to transition your campaign to your e-commerce website for ongoing pre-orders, it's crucial to inspire supporters to increase their spending while also attracting new customers. Upselling presents an excellent opportunity to bolster support for your project while further nurturing the relationship established with your backers by adding enhanced value to their purchases.

Understanding Upselling

In essence, upselling involves offering an upgraded version of your product or additional items designed to complement your primary product. This approach serves to augment the overall expenditure made by customers during or after your campaign. 

Depending on the nature of the product showcased in your campaign, there are numerous potential upsells that may captivate existing backers, enticing them to enhance their pledges while simultaneously alluring new customers to lend their support. 

Consider the feasibility of manufacturing different finishes for your product at a reasonable cost. Additionally, take into account any supplementary items suggested by your backers that could be provided alongside your product. Pondering along these lines will aid in devising an upselling strategy that adds value for both you and your customers.

Craft a Well-Thought-Out Plan

Attempting to upsell your backers and customers without a carefully formulated strategy is akin to cooking without a recipe. You might end up with a culinary masterpiece or find your kitchen engulfed in smoke. Reflect on the preparations undertaken prior to launching your campaign.

The prototyping, design, pre-launch efforts, and campaign planning all contributed to a successful launch. As your campaign progresses, start contemplating alternative ways in which customers could utilize your product to inspire ideas for upselling. Examine the comments left on your page for recurring themes.

Once you determine the types of upsells you can offer, create a comprehensive plan outlining what and when you will present these upsells, ensuring they are released in a logical sequence.

Upselling Made Easy: What to Do and What to Avoid

When engaging in upselling after the campaign, it is crucial to approach it thoughtfully rather than adopting a spammy approach. Be sure to engage existing backers in a considerate manner and clearly articulate the benefits of your offerings. You can promote your upsells through various channels, including email blasts, social media updates, backer communications, and new campaign page graphics (if your campaign is still active). For a more detailed look at best practices in upselling, consider the following dos and don'ts:

Avoid

Avoid unrelated items: Refrain from including unrelated items in your upselling strategy. If your product is a technological gadget, attempting to upsell backers with t-shirts, water bottles, or other gimmicky branded objects may not be as relevant or motivating.

Exercise moderation: Avoid trying to upsell individuals before they have fully committed. Reserve your upsell offers for those who have either backed your successful campaign or added an item to their cart.

Focus on the customer: Direct your attention to the customer by elucidating how your offer benefits them. By doing so, it will ultimately yield positive outcomes for your endeavor.

Prefers

Emphasize the customer experience: Provide options for premium finishes or supplementary items that enhance the overall experience of your customers. For instance, kitchen gadgets may appear appealing in black and white, but a metallic finish could exude a sense of luxury.

Offer customized bundles: Draw inspiration from the continued popularity of buffet dinners. Allow your customers to select the extras that best suit their individual needs.

Exercise price restraint: Exercise caution to prevent excessive price increases. Strive to keep the additional cost below 30% of the original amount paid, enabling customers to still feel as though they are receiving a favorable deal.

Provide free shipping: Consider offering free shipping once customers surpass a specific order total threshold. This approach proves particularly effective if your add-ons are relatively inexpensive, potentially incentivizing customers to choose multiple extras.

Collaborate with a developer: If you possess ideas for additional products but lack the resources to bring them to fruition, consider enlisting the assistance of a product development expert. They possess the expertise necessary to transform your ideas into tangible offerings for your customers.

Summarization

To take your upselling efforts to the next level, consider using PledgeBox's survey feature. PledgeBox is an innovative platform that helps campaign creators manage and optimize their crowdfunding projects. With PledgeBox's survey tool, you can gather valuable insights from your backers, understand their preferences, and tailor your upsell offerings accordingly. This allows you to provide a more personalized and targeted upselling experience, increasing the chances of upselling success. Embracing PledgeBox's survey feature empowers you to make informed decisions, maximize customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive greater support for your project.

Curious to see how the survey appears to your backers? Click here to take a glimpse into their perspective,get a firsthand look at the survey interface and envision the engaging experience your backers will have.