GO! was created in 2018 as a way to help Aston students and other University members support their own ideas. In just 2 short years, students have raised over £10,000 to turn some brilliant ideas into a reality and your idea could be next…

So, below are 3 top tips from previous GO! users:

Create a video

Videos are the easiest and most effective way to communicate in the digital world, and if done well can be extremely powerful! So doesn’t it makes sense to use one in your crowdfunding campaign?

To get the most out of your video, keep it short and sweet. No one wants to watch a 10 minute video of someone waffling (lol). Instead, write a script and aim for the video to be no longer than 3 minutes. Be creative, original and PASSIONATE (Tip: watch back your video from an outsiders’ perspective and ask yourself if you would find it engaging).

Finally, end the pitch video with a call to action. There’s no point in making a fantastic video if no one knows what is wanted from them (do you want them to like, share, donate? etc.).

So remember: short + passionate + call to action = £££

Spread the word in your personal network

Once you’ve launched your campaign, the next step is to spread the word. This part is easier if you are part of a group (but not impossible as an individual). On average individuals have:

• 338 Facebook friends
• 150 Instagram followers
• 208 Twitter followers  

If every member of your club/society shares the campaign through their social media, imagine how many people it will reach (it could even go viral). It’s important to get as many people involved with this as possible, because the more people exposed to your campaign, the more donations you’re likely to receive (common sense right?).

If you are a crowdfunding alone, look at ways you can utilise your network. For example, can you collaborate with people with similar interests to push your campaign or seek help from different departments at the University (remember; if you don’t ask, you don’t get. So it’s worth trying).

Reward the people who support you

Arguably the hardest part of the GO! experience comes at the end when rewarding your generous donors. It’s important to thank your donors for their kindness, however, coming up with ideas can be difficult.

The best way to do this is to come up with a ‘stewardship matrix’ (sounds complex but simply means identifying what gift you will give for each level of donation). By doing this, you ensure that you’re being fair to your donors.

• Examples of some rewards given by previous GO! users include:
• Personalised ‘thank you’ video
• Merchandise (society hoodie)
• Updates throughout the year of any achievements

With these 3 tips, your crowdfunding experience with GO! should be a resounding success!

Nadia Irungu, Enactus Soc 2018/19