Affiliate marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your project, and also brings some of the highest conversion rates. People that hear about your project through a referral are more likely to back it.
Incentivizing others to help you spread the word about your crowdfunding campaign will enable you to tap into a much broader network than you would have otherwise had access to.
The success of your referral program for your crowdfunding campaign will largely depend on the following two factors:
✅The quality of your product/brand
✅Getting the right affiliates to join your referral program
Tips to increase your chances of success when running a referral program for your crowdfunding project:
1. Offer an enticing reward
An attractive commission rate motivates affiliates to share your project with their network.
A typical offering is 10-20% commission. Be sure to remain competitive while staying within your budget!
2. Tell people about your referral program
No one will know about your referral program if you don’t talk about it! Here are a few easy ways to promote your program:
Share it through your social media accounts
Add it to your company newsletter
Post a Backer Update
Add the following Kickbooster banner to your campaign page and link your signup page:
Invite your friends, family, and past customers to join
Invite your backers in your post-pledge thank you email
Post about your referral program regularly - potential affiliates might have missed your initial invitation
3. Reach out to content creators and media outlets
Collaborating with content creators and media outlets to get your campaign in the spotlight is a tried-and-true marketing strategy used by successful project creators to drive more traffic to their campaign page.
Start by compiling a list of appropriate blogs, influencers, publications, and other media outlets that cover topics related to your industry or appeal to an audience similar to yours. Here is a list of 7 simple hacks that will help you find the best media partners for your project.
Once you’ve compiled a list, it’s time to start reaching out. Presenting a good story, a strong ask, and an enticing offer can significantly increase your chances of capturing the media’s attention.
Check out this blog to learn how to get media coverage for your crowdfunding campaign.
4. Invite businesses who supply complementary products to participate in your referral program
If a company sells products that pair well with yours, you should invite them to join your referral program to share your project with their customers.
For example, if you are raising funds for an awesome photography travel bag, you may want to approach a company that sells cameras. The company can send an email about your campaign to their customers, and get a cash kickback on every pledge they help you raise!
5. Provide your affiliates with marketing materials
You know your own brand better than anyone. Providing your affiliates with images and content they can use when promoting your campaign helps keep your message consistent and saves time for your affiliates.
Kickbooster allows you to upload a media kit and/or promotional video right inside your Design settings. This will be visible to your affiliates inside their Kickbooster dashboard.
6. Add your project to our Marketplace
Kickbooster has a growing network of affiliates that refer to our Marketplace to find new products to promote.
For additional tips and tricks on getting your campaign successfully funded, be sure to check out our Best Practices to follow to run a successful referral program article!