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The Life Cycle Of A Crowdfunding Campaign

Estimated read time 3 min read

By now, many people in India have become aware of the existence of crowdfunding, and have at least a vague idea of what it means. There is less know how about how crowdfunding works, and the great Indian middle-class still needs to be convinced about why they should try crowdfunding when they face a medical emergency, want to do good in their communities, or have a creative or artistic project to sponsor. This scenario is slowly changing, with a growing number of crowdfunding enthusiasts running successful campaigns on crowdfunding platforms in India and setting good examples for how crowdfunding needs to be done.

Although similar concepts may also be executed through mail-order subscriptions, benefit events, and other methods, the word crowdfunding refers to Internet-mediated registries. This modern crowdfunding model is generally based on three kinds of actors: the project initiator who proposes the idea and/or project to be funded, individuals or groups who support the idea, and a moderating organization that brings the parties together to launch the idea. Crowdfunding has been used to fund a wide selection of for-profit entrepreneurial ventures such as artistic and creative projects, medical expenses, travel, or community-oriented social entrepreneurship projects

The top best practice related to crowdfunding has to do with how and when the campaign should be promoted on social media. Crowdfunding success and social media strategizing are inseparably linked, because this mode of fundraising depends largely on harnessing the power of your crowd, your network, to rake in generous donations.

What happens when a campaign goes live?

Observation of crowdfunding campaigns, both medical and social, has shown that there are distinct stages of every campaign’s life cycle. The first 20% of donations, which usually comes from people the campaigner knows well in the real world, is gathered quickly, often within a week or ten days of the campaign going live. This is the time when social media sharing, especially on Facebook, should ideally begin, with less intimate friends, acquaintances, friends of friends, co-workers, neighbours, and those friends and relatives you have fallen out of touch with can be roped into your cause. When this rather large group of potential donors visits your fundraiser page, they can see that some donations have already come in, and this generally encourages contributors to give in turn. This phase of fundraising has been reported by ardent campaigners to be tedious, and progress relatively slow. The fundraiser again picks up momentum when over 75% of the target has been met.

Social media: The role it plays

Social media sharing ensures that by this time a wide circle of people the campaigner knows by a few degrees of social separation will have been told about the crowdfunding project from a credible source. People are much more likely to give if a trusted individual asks them to. Toward the close of a fundraiser, donors tend to flock to the campaign and often give enough that the target is surpassed.

The intelligent campaigner leverages the power of social media smartly and literally moves crowds to meet their fundraising goals. Donors respond empathetically, they pool funds to address needs and contribute by developing the culture of giving India so desperately needs.

Categories
Food

What to Do in the U Street Corridor

Estimated read time 3 min read

You’ve just arrived in Washington DC, and you’re now wondering where you want to go. You’ve already visited the White House and Lincoln Memorial, and you’ve already been to the National Museum of Natural History. It’s still a few days before your return trip back home, where should your feet lead you next?

Have you heard about the U Street Corridor? It’s one of the metropolis’ most vibrant places filled with history, food to eat, and places to go. The area dates back to the 1870s, it was the center of the city’s African-American community. Back in the early 20th century, the location was even dubbed as the “Black Broadway” because of its many black cultures. Even Duke Ellington called the neighborhood his home. Read on to know some of the top spots in U Street that you should definitely check out.

Ben’s Chili Bowl

Do you fancy a spicy treat that’ll sizzle your senses to its core? Then you have to try out the yummy treats served at Ben’s Chili Bowl. This restaurant first opened its doors back in the year 1958. Even though it’s been decades since it started, the owners of the place continue to refurbish and remodel the place to keep up with the times. This family-owned restaurant even has some famous customers found on their list, include Barack Obama, Bill Cosby, Duke Ellington, and Miles Davis.

Gibson

One U st bar that you should definitely visit is Gibson, but it’s not your typical modern-day bar that you might initially imagine. Head inside and fill your head with the sounds of dub bossa nova. You can even watch hipsters at play during some nights. The location might be difficult to locate, especially if you’re new to the area. Start your search by looking for an unobtrusive doorbell that’s just right next to Marvin. Once you’re inside, you can savor your palate with the best cocktails the city has to offer.

Treasury

Do you fancy filling your closets with a new wardrobe from Washington? Then you’d best head to the Treasury. This is a shop specifically made for the stylish individual. Head inside, and you’ll find an incredible array of hat, handbags, footwear, and clothes. It’s a treasure trove for those who love the vintage look. You can even head to the second floor to marvel at the recast vintage jewelry on display.

Take note that this list is by no means extensive because there’s a bunch of other things that you can see, do, and experience while you’re on U Street. The only thing left to do is to experience all of it for yourself.