Crowdfunding Expert Kendall Almerico
Remember KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Simple, short, but informational is crowdfunding gold.
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) November 20, 2013
Crowdfunding expert Kendall Almerico recently released tips on writing a great crowdfunding pitch. "Remember KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid," the crowd funding expert says. "Simple, short, but informational is crowdfunding gold."
Almerico notes that studies show that a writer has less than five seconds to grab someone’s attention with the written word. "If the first paragraph is not compelling, there is a 75 percent chance that most people will not read any further," Almerico notes. "In some cases, it may come down to the first line."
Almerico says that the first paragraph needs to tell the who, what, when, where and why, but it also must grab attention. "Unless you are a celebrity or have some form of notoriety, the 'who' is not likely to grab attention," the crowdfunding guru notes. "The 'what' and 'why' are the best bets. Give the reader a reason to keep reading."
Almerico further states that the initial paragraph is also not a place to give excessive details, or a long, drawn-out back story. "Get to the point. Personalize the project and show passion," Almerico cautions. "Most importantly, tell the reader why they should be exicted about the project, too."
Almerico gives the following examples of a good initial paragraphs for crowdfunding campaigns:
"My name is Chef Mario Donatello and my new pasta sauce is so good my grandmother from Sicily pours it out of a bottle rather than making her sauce from scratch. I am ready to bring Donatello’s Marinara Sauce to the marketplace, so you can taste a sauce at your home that is so good, it will make you think you are in Italy. My goal in the next 60 days is to raise enough money on ClickStartMe to take what I have been doing in my home kitchen here in Brooklyn, and commercially package the mouth-watering sauce so it can be distributed to grocery stores around the world. I need your help to make my delicious sauce available so everyone, including you, can buy it within the next six months in your hometown."
Almerico says, "You have a great opening line. You get the 'who' (Chef Donatello), the 'what' (bottled pasta sauce) the 'when' (next 60 days to raise money, six months to market), the 'where' (Brooklyn) and the 'why' (to get distribution of his product nationwide). You also get the reader engaged. Who doesn’t like a great spaghetti sauce?"
Almerico offered a different take on a great opening pitch paragraph:
"After six months of consecutive sold-out performances at the Off-Broadway Globe Theatre, I am ready to bring my play, The Adventures of Molly Ray to one of Broadway’s grandest stages, the Alhambra theatre. The New York Times called my work “brilliant and absolutely spellbinding, a must-see!” and audience after audience has agreed. I need to raise $50,000 on ClickStartMe to cover the cost bringing this labor of love to the Great White Way. I am turning to my friends, family and my biggest supporters to ask for your financial help. In return, I am offering rewards including autographed copies of the script, opening night tickets, backstage passes and invitations to dine with the cast. I am Kent Packard, a playwright from New York City. Remember my name. Maybe you will hear it at the 2013 Tony Awards."
Almerico further notes that after writing a great opening paragraph, it is good to give further details to entice donors to provide support. "Talk about background. Explain how the project came about. Tell them why you are the perfect person for the job. Grab their attention and give them a reason to care about the project and to get involved."
Almerico notes one last matter: "After the writing is finished, proofread and spell check. Nobody wants to support a project that does not seem likely to succeed, and glaring grammatical errors as well as poor spelling do not promote a lot of confidence," he notes. "Finally, once it is finished, have a couple of close friends read it. Ask for, and be prepared for criticism. Listen to suggestions, and implement them when it makes sense." At that point, Almerico says, be ready to post the project, and start the process of raising money through crowdfunding.
About Kendall Almerico:
Kendall Almerico is a nationally recognized crowdfunding expert and JOBS Act expert who has appeared in USA Today, Huffington Post, the New York Daily News, The Washington Post, Business Insider, Fox Business Network and hundreds of newspaper, blog, radio and television interviews including CNN and The Sean Hannity Show. Almerico is also CEO of http://www.ClickStartMe.com, a crowdfunding site that provides individuals and businesses with an easy-to-use website to raise funds through online crowd funding. Almerico is also the founder of http://www.CrowdItForward.com, a charity-based crowd funding site that performs “Random Acts of Crowdfunding” and raises money for people in need through a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation.
Almerico is available for interviews and speaking engagements and may be reached by e-mailing media(at)clickstartme(dot)com or by calling 813.410.4658.
