The Community for Creative Crowdfunding

Your Crowdfunding Network: The Third-Degree

The second pillar of The Crowdfunding Manifesto is The Network. Your crowdfunding network includes your family, your friends, your acquaintances, and - of course - your fans. Thus the network can be divided into into three levels: the first-degree, the second-degree, and the third-degree. Small crowdfunding campaigns can succeed just from first-degree contributions, while larger campaigns often require the second and third-degree networks to kick in. Each network level requires different touch-points and different levels of engagement.

A Creative’s third-degree network - strangers - are the most difficult contributors to acquire. The third-degree network knows nothing about you or your creative work previous to your crowdfunding campaign. They need to see a lot of traction and pre-established social proof - i.e. many others contributing before them.

The third-degree network contributes to a crowdfunding project because they identify something within the project that connects to who they are or who they want to be. This could be the art you create, your persona, or the company you keep. It's very difficult to tailor your campaign to the masses - so be genuine and be true to who you've been before you began your crowdfunding endeavor. Striking a chord with strangers is a natural process.

Gaining third-degree support is a numbers game. The more people you reach the more likely some will connect with your message. Dig deep into your Rolodex for any media contacts - e.g. bloggers, journalists, radio announcers, etc. To reach the masses you will need a pretty big microphone. Make your project so good that it is newsworthy and you will increase your odds of gaining third-degree contributors. Although you can't count on capturing the third-degree, doing so en masse will most likely guarantee success.

Your Crowdfunding Network: The Third-Degree

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