75% Daryl Richardson $1.9 trillion annual market. $34.4 your campaign. There are dozens of sites with

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1 How To Crowdfund Your Food + Beverage Idea! Crowdfunding can help you raise the capital needed to take your idea to the next level, generate buzz beyond your current following, and gain valuable feedback from your target market. We ve compiled the following best practices, tips, and tricks to help successfully guide you through the crowdfunding process for your food + beverage startup. Pick the Right Platform Food + beverage is a $1.9 trillion annual market Generate Buzz Crowdfunding is a You also need a plan for how you ll generate buzz. Are you going to reach out to the press? Are you going to show up to local events? What Not all platforms are created equal. It is important to about releasing a teaser of your crowdfunding video? These are all do your homework when choosing where to launch things that need to be planned out ahead of time. $34.4 your campaign. There are dozens of sites with When it comes to the press, don t rely on them alone for the similar services, so how do you choose the right one success of your project. You should have a solid base billion for you? One option is to pick a niche-focused site of customers and supporters with whom you ve built a rapport. Getting press is time consuming, so with a community of like-minded followers. annual industry focus your energy on outlets that make sense for We know we re biased, but one thing we ve heard your audience. For example, Nicole Bandklayder, founder of The Cookie Cups, focused on getting over and over again from PieShellers is their desire into local, family-friendly media outlets while she for mentorship and guaranteed exposure to new does! 75% was crowdfundingfor a store front. Her media was audiences. With a platform like PieShell, each and tailored to the people who would eventually be her every project gets those things, and it makes customers her most likely supporters. a difference. So far, we ve maintained a 100% Another PieSheller, Beyond The Shoreline, got press in Fast Company success rate, meaning that all PieShellers have of food projects and Edible perfect outlets for their Kelp Jerky, which is all about reached at least their 1st stepping-stone. FAIL on today s trending innovation and sustainability. until crowdfunding sites Make now! a Stand-Out Video Videos are a proven way to boost your chances of reaching your funding goal. We also know that making a video can seem like a daunting task, especially if you ve never made one before. We have a 100% success rate of reaching 1st stepping-stone Food and food-related products are highly visual, so make sure to really (1st SS = the ask on other sites, where they only have a 25% success showcase rate) your product and how it works in the video do not leave the audience guessing about what it is you actually do. Your video should be consistent with your brand story. In fact, it s the primary vehicle for it. If you have the budget to hire professionals, we highly recommend it. But if you don t, find a way to make your video stand out. One PieSheller, NutShell, made a low-budget video that was overflowing with the personality that had helped the company get to where it was in the first place. Their excellent video helped NutShell reach all three stepping-stones in their crowdfunding campaign on PieShell. If you know what works for you, build your video around that. Likes don t matter engagement Be Prepared There s no flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to crowdfunding. It can take anywhere from 6 months to a year to prepare your crowdfunding campaign. We know it sounds like a long time, but trust us, you ll want at least that long. So what should you be doing during that time? One thing is preparing content like blogs, videos, and the general messaging of your campaign. Doing these things right means getting to know your audience really, really well before you ask them for financial support. Knowing your customer will help you create content that resonates. Choose Gifts Wisely Another task to complete is to develop a plan of attack in terms of how you ll reach out to the different segments We caution of against using gifts as the primary motivator when you re your audience. The way you communicate with asking friends for support. Unless you re launching a tech product, it s hard and family will of course be different than the way to justify you the long wait that often accompanies the pre-sale model. communicate with acquaintances or business connections. If you ve built strong relationships, you should also be talking to a select few members of your audience about being advocates for you as you raise money and build initial momentum through pre-funding something we require of all PieShell projects. Takes a minimum of 4-6 months to get to a launch The Power of Storytelling On PieShell, we ve found that almost 40% of contributors choose to waive the gift Think of the gifts as a thank you, and focus on telling a compelling Develop a brand story that makes people feel something. It s about story building and being totally transparent about what you ll use the money a personal connection, and stories that evoke strong emotions impact for. On the PieShell, we ve found that almost 40% of contributors choose reader in a positive and lasting way. to waive the gift because of the compelling stories behind each For instance, PieSheller Austin s Underdawgs brand, runs and a the contributors desire that the entire contribution go food truck, but their story is really about overcoming toward the project. We are really grateful the odds. It s a true underdog story of a man with for our PieShell Still, think carefully about gifts that make sense. Factor Down syndrome who now runs his own business. experience to PieShell in practical things like perishability and the cost Are the hot dogs good? You bet! But let s face it, alpha launch Kelp of shipping, as well as the value of the gift relative the real story here is an inspiring one donates about living a Jerky to the world. to the size of the contribution. dream that everyone said was impossible. The entry It allowed us a point is when Austin s mother Jan decided before If you re going to offer merchandise, make sure it s low-risk and Austin was even born that her son 1% would have a relevant to your product. Quick example: PieSheller supportive environment to great life in spite of what the doctors a were non-profit telling Sweet n Nice, an ice cream company based in successfully raise over $10,000 her. It s a powerful moment, and a perfect one to Canada, offered coupons for tubs of ice cream, along in much-needed, equity-free use as the beginning of the story. with a spoon for eating it and a branded mug! It was a funding at the very earliest cute combo that also made practical sense. stages of our CPG business! Learn more about how ç to tell your brand story CBM, Co-Founder effectively here. Want More? Beyond the Shoreline To stay on top of best practices for crowdfunding and growing your food startup, follow PieShell on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you re ready to start the crowdfunding process, hello@pieshell.com and introduce yourself. Get started today and receive mentorship from start to finish from PieShell s team of experts! PieShell ThePieShell PieShell ç Here are some more tips for making a great crowdfunding video. hello@pieshell.com PieShell.com PIESHELL MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN banner ad, landing page, PDF giveaway Art Direction Image selection, simple retouching Production

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5 Need to fund a food + beverage idea? We can help! Hi. We re PieShell. A crowdfunding platform that caters specifically to food + beverage entrepreneurs. Visit PieShell.com to start your project today! 75% of food projects FAIL on most crowdfunding sites until now! The PieShell community helped me make a huge transition in my business. That change has me on track to TRIPLE my revenue in 2017 compared with last year. Erika Kerekes PieSheller + Founder of Not Ketchup PieShell.com PieShell PieShell ThePieShell hello@pieshell.com PIESHELL ADVERTISEMENT Art Direction Production ESQUIRE DUMMY COVER Concept Development Art Direction Photo compositing Production HALLMARK ENTERTAINMENT SELLSHEETS / TV MOVIE PROMOTION Art Direction Image selection, simple retouching, photo compositing Production

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