# Wefunder Fundraising Playbook Time-tested guides, templates, and resources for running a successful Community Round on Wefunder. ## PHASE ZERO: Start Here: Content Creation for Founders Before you learn how to fundraise, learn how to share your story. ### How to Create Good Content as a Founder *10 minutes · Last updated November 17, 2025* Before you learn how to fundraise, learn how to share your story. #### Why content comes before fundraising Consistent content is the most powerful way to build trust before you raise a dollar. When investors see you posting regularly about your milestones, your challenges, and your progress, they begin to understand who you are as a founder. They get to watch you build. They get to see your pace. They get to feel included. Content should not be seen as decoration for your campaign. It needs to be part of the momentum that *creates* your campaign. {{QUOTE|Momentum isn't luck — it's communicated progress.|}} #### The principles of good founder content **1. Be human, not corporate** Investors want to hear from you, not a perfectly polished brand voice. Speak plainly. Share real experiences. Let people see your personality and your process. {{DO|A genuine founder quote about *why* you started the company.|This builds trust and emotional connection.}} {{DONT|A generic slogan like "Changing the world, one step at a time."|Vague platitudes don't tell investors anything meaningful.}} **2. Show your work every week** Momentum is more credible when it's visible. Your job isn't to deliver a massive update every time — it's to stay present. {{DO|A quick photo of your team testing a prototype with one sentence of context.|Natural, authentic, and tied to real work.}} {{DONT|A stock photo unrelated to your company.|Feels artificial and reduces credibility.}} **3. Focus on one idea at a time** The best posts are simple. One story. One metric. One insight. When in doubt, shorten it. {{DO|"We reduced onboarding time by 42% after redesigning our flow."|Specific, actionable progress that shows you're building.}} {{DONT|"Big things coming soon…"|Teasers without details feel empty and don't demonstrate execution.}} **4. Make it visual** Photos, screenshots, diagrams, and short videos outperform text alone. You don't need fancy gear — your phone is enough. Just use natural light, steady framing, and a clean background. {{DO|Post a simple photo or short video that clearly shows what you're working on (a prototype, a feature, a customer using your product, or a behind-the-scenes moment).|Natural light, steady framing, and a clean background make it easy to understand.}} {{DONT|Upload overly polished graphics, stock images, or busy visuals full of text.|These feel artificial and make your content harder to trust and harder to engage with.}} #### Updates: Your Core Visibility Tool on Wefunder Updates are the single most important content feature on Wefunder — and the first place every founder should start. Every time you post an update, it is automatically distributed across the platform in three powerful ways: - **Your update appears in the {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/feed/|Following Feed}}**, where followers and investors see your progress in real time. - **Your update is emailed to all of your followers and investors**, ensuring your message reaches people even if they're not actively browsing Wefunder. - **Your update is added to your company's campaign page**, creating a visible track record of execution that compounds trust over time. Because updates serve all three distribution channels, they are the backbone of your presence on Wefunder. They're how investors stay connected to you, how new followers learn about your momentum, and how your long-term narrative takes shape. Updates don't have to be long or formal, they just need to be **consistent and real**. Each one is a snapshot of what you're building: what you shipped, what you learned, what changed, or what's happening behind the scenes. A simple update structure works well: **Headline → What Happened → Why It Matters** Check out some of our favorite examples in our {{LINK|https://wefunder.notion.site/2804f7276bc6810fb1b8cf6dd0987b9e?v=2804f7276bc681698ae3000ce8931eb1|Updates Swipe File}}. {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/6916a709f60374ac717f31e1_Image%2011-13-25%20at%207.45%E2%80%AFPM.png|Wefunder Updates example}} Because updates get sent directly to followers and investors, they're the most reliable way to maintain momentum throughout your raise. Frequent updates show that you're active, transparent, and execution-focused — all traits investors look for when deciding whether to back you. Whether you're sharing a major milestone or a small day-to-day moment, posting regular updates ensures your company stays visible across the platform and builds the familiarity that drives investment. #### Spotlights: Your High-Visibility Moment on Wefunder {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/691663366b6ba2718f7b757d_banner.png|Wefunder Spotlights banner}} {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/spotlights/|Spotlights}} are your opportunity to take the story you're already telling through updates and put it in front of a larger audience. While updates keep your existing followers and investors engaged, Spotlights are designed to **expand your reach beyond your own community** and introduce you to investors who may be discovering you for the very first time. Every week, Wefunder releases a new Spotlight prompt — a simple theme or question that helps founders share something meaningful, personal, or inspiring about their journey. When you participate in that weekly prompt **and your campaign is live on the Explore page**, your Spotlight becomes eligible to appear in the **Spotlight Carousel at the very top of the Wefunder {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/feed/|Feed}} and {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/explore/|Explore}} page.** Unlike updates, which focus on your week-to-week momentum, Spotlights focus on **why you're building your company**: the mission, the story, the spark, the emotion. They're founder-centered posts meant to help investors understand the person behind the company, not just the product. Emotion creates memorability, and memorability drives follow-through later in the raise. A Spotlight can take many forms. Here are just a few examples: - A sincere founder quote about why this company matters along with a high quality photo - A short (1 min) portrait mode founder pitch video - An investor headshot with their testimonial - A product demo (2-3 min) For video Spotlights, the specs are as follows: {{SPEC|Length:~1 min (2-3 min for product demos)|Aspect Ratio:Portrait (9x16)|Resolution:1080p or higher}} Spotlights work best when they sit on top of a foundation of consistent updates. Updates show what you're doing; Spotlights show **who you are**. Together, they build a compelling narrative that investors can follow easily — one that feels personal, active, and trustworthy. If updates are your rhythm, Spotlights are your spotlight. Post them weekly, use the prompts thoughtfully, and treat them as your chance to reach the wider Wefunder community. These need to go through a manual approval process on our backend, so it's important to follow all prompt instructions and guidelines. {{DO|Share an honest, personal story that connects to the weekly Spotlight prompt.|Authentic stories build real investor connection.}} {{DONT|Post a vague slogan, an AI generated/polished marketing graphic, or a generic "we're changing the world" message.|These feel hollow and won't get approved.}} Now that you understand how to use {{LINK|https://www.wefunder.com/feed|Updates}} and {{LINK|https://www.wefunder.com/spotlights|Spotlights}} to communicate clearly, stay visible, and build trust on Wefunder, you're ready to move into the next stage: **Pre-Launch strategy**. Content lays the foundation; it warms up your audience, creates familiarity, and gives early supporters a reason to care. With this momentum in place, you can confidently begin preparing your raise, shaping your narrative, and setting up the systems that will carry you through Pre-Launch, Soft Launch, Public Launch, and Closing. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/content-creation --- ## Phase One: Pre-Launch Create your pitch, secure your lead investor, and decide your terms to set your launch up for success. ### How to Create Good Content as a Founder *10 minutes · Last updated November 17, 2025* Before you learn how to fundraise, learn how to share your story. #### Why content comes before fundraising Consistent content is the most powerful way to build trust before you raise a dollar. When investors see you posting regularly about your milestones, your challenges, and your progress, they begin to understand who you are as a founder. They get to watch you build. They get to see your pace. They get to feel included. Content should not be seen as decoration for your campaign. It needs to be part of the momentum that *creates* your campaign. {{QUOTE|Momentum isn't luck — it's communicated progress.|}} #### The principles of good founder content **1. Be human, not corporate** Investors want to hear from you, not a perfectly polished brand voice. Speak plainly. Share real experiences. Let people see your personality and your process. {{DO|A genuine founder quote about *why* you started the company.|This builds trust and emotional connection.}} {{DONT|A generic slogan like "Changing the world, one step at a time."|Vague platitudes don't tell investors anything meaningful.}} **2. Show your work every week** Momentum is more credible when it's visible. Your job isn't to deliver a massive update every time — it's to stay present. {{DO|A quick photo of your team testing a prototype with one sentence of context.|Natural, authentic, and tied to real work.}} {{DONT|A stock photo unrelated to your company.|Feels artificial and reduces credibility.}} **3. Focus on one idea at a time** The best posts are simple. One story. One metric. One insight. When in doubt, shorten it. {{DO|"We reduced onboarding time by 42% after redesigning our flow."|Specific, actionable progress that shows you're building.}} {{DONT|"Big things coming soon…"|Teasers without details feel empty and don't demonstrate execution.}} **4. Make it visual** Photos, screenshots, diagrams, and short videos outperform text alone. You don't need fancy gear — your phone is enough. Just use natural light, steady framing, and a clean background. {{DO|Post a simple photo or short video that clearly shows what you're working on (a prototype, a feature, a customer using your product, or a behind-the-scenes moment).|Natural light, steady framing, and a clean background make it easy to understand.}} {{DONT|Upload overly polished graphics, stock images, or busy visuals full of text.|These feel artificial and make your content harder to trust and harder to engage with.}} #### Updates: Your Core Visibility Tool on Wefunder Updates are the single most important content feature on Wefunder — and the first place every founder should start. Every time you post an update, it is automatically distributed across the platform in three powerful ways: - **Your update appears in the {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/feed/|Following Feed}}**, where followers and investors see your progress in real time. - **Your update is emailed to all of your followers and investors**, ensuring your message reaches people even if they're not actively browsing Wefunder. - **Your update is added to your company's campaign page**, creating a visible track record of execution that compounds trust over time. Because updates serve all three distribution channels, they are the backbone of your presence on Wefunder. They're how investors stay connected to you, how new followers learn about your momentum, and how your long-term narrative takes shape. Updates don't have to be long or formal, they just need to be **consistent and real**. Each one is a snapshot of what you're building: what you shipped, what you learned, what changed, or what's happening behind the scenes. A simple update structure works well: **Headline → What Happened → Why It Matters** Check out some of our favorite examples in our {{LINK|https://wefunder.notion.site/2804f7276bc6810fb1b8cf6dd0987b9e?v=2804f7276bc681698ae3000ce8931eb1|Updates Swipe File}}. {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/6916a709f60374ac717f31e1_Image%2011-13-25%20at%207.45%E2%80%AFPM.png|Wefunder Updates example}} Because updates get sent directly to followers and investors, they're the most reliable way to maintain momentum throughout your raise. Frequent updates show that you're active, transparent, and execution-focused — all traits investors look for when deciding whether to back you. Whether you're sharing a major milestone or a small day-to-day moment, posting regular updates ensures your company stays visible across the platform and builds the familiarity that drives investment. #### Spotlights: Your High-Visibility Moment on Wefunder {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/691663366b6ba2718f7b757d_banner.png|Wefunder Spotlights banner}} {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/spotlights/|Spotlights}} are your opportunity to take the story you're already telling through updates and put it in front of a larger audience. While updates keep your existing followers and investors engaged, Spotlights are designed to **expand your reach beyond your own community** and introduce you to investors who may be discovering you for the very first time. Every week, Wefunder releases a new Spotlight prompt — a simple theme or question that helps founders share something meaningful, personal, or inspiring about their journey. When you participate in that weekly prompt **and your campaign is live on the Explore page**, your Spotlight becomes eligible to appear in the **Spotlight Carousel at the very top of the Wefunder {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/feed/|Feed}} and {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/explore/|Explore}} page.** Unlike updates, which focus on your week-to-week momentum, Spotlights focus on **why you're building your company**: the mission, the story, the spark, the emotion. They're founder-centered posts meant to help investors understand the person behind the company, not just the product. Emotion creates memorability, and memorability drives follow-through later in the raise. A Spotlight can take many forms. Here are just a few examples: - A sincere founder quote about why this company matters along with a high quality photo - A short (1 min) portrait mode founder pitch video - An investor headshot with their testimonial - A product demo (2-3 min) For video Spotlights, the specs are as follows: {{SPEC|Length:~1 min (2-3 min for product demos)|Aspect Ratio:Portrait (9x16)|Resolution:1080p or higher}} Spotlights work best when they sit on top of a foundation of consistent updates. Updates show what you're doing; Spotlights show **who you are**. Together, they build a compelling narrative that investors can follow easily — one that feels personal, active, and trustworthy. If updates are your rhythm, Spotlights are your spotlight. Post them weekly, use the prompts thoughtfully, and treat them as your chance to reach the wider Wefunder community. These need to go through a manual approval process on our backend, so it's important to follow all prompt instructions and guidelines. {{DO|Share an honest, personal story that connects to the weekly Spotlight prompt.|Authentic stories build real investor connection.}} {{DONT|Post a vague slogan, an AI generated/polished marketing graphic, or a generic "we're changing the world" message.|These feel hollow and won't get approved.}} Now that you understand how to use {{LINK|https://www.wefunder.com/feed|Updates}} and {{LINK|https://www.wefunder.com/spotlights|Spotlights}} to communicate clearly, stay visible, and build trust on Wefunder, you're ready to move into the next stage: **Pre-Launch strategy**. Content lays the foundation; it warms up your audience, creates familiarity, and gives early supporters a reason to care. With this momentum in place, you can confidently begin preparing your raise, shaping your narrative, and setting up the systems that will carry you through Pre-Launch, Soft Launch, Public Launch, and Closing. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/content-creation --- ### How to Write Your 10-Second Elevator Pitch *3 minutes · Last updated October 14, 2022* Describe your company in the simplest words possible, such that a very smart ten-year-old would understand what you do. #### What's the purpose of your 10-second elevator pitch? Your 10-second elevator pitch describes your company in **3-7 of the simplest words possible**, such that a very smart ten-year-old would understand what you do. This one-liner gives investors their first impression of your company. If your elevator pitch doesn't make sense immediately after reading it, then investors won't be interested in learning more. A great elevator pitch is ruthlessly clear, simple, and inviting. You'll know you've done your job well if other people describe your company using the same words you picked for your elevator pitch. {{QUOTE|You want to explain what you do in the simplest language possible. This needs to be predigested. Your elevator pitch should be like baby food.|Michael Seibel, "How to Pitch Your Company"}} #### Here are some examples - Flying cars. Seriously. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/terrafugia|Terrafugia}}) - Banking stack for startups ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/mercury|Mercury}}) - Where kids learn to solve problems together ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/synthesis|Synthesis}}) - Oakland's first cidery ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/crookedcitycider|Crooked City Cider}}) - WiFi for astronauts ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/solstar.space.company|Solstar Space Company}}) - Making gardening ridiculously easy ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/seedsheet|Seedsheet}}) - Book rooms with locals rather than hotels (Airbnb's 2009 pitch deck) Whether you lead with exactly what your product is, the benefit for your users, or a helpful comparison, you should focus on making that sliver of your story crystal clear to understand. Don't feel like you need to cram in everything about your company. Just give readers a dead-simple entry point. {{SPEC|Length:Maximum 80 chars (approx. 3-7 words)}} #### Good Pitch, Bad Pitch: Check for these mistakes **1. Could you simplify it further?** No, really—we belabor this point because it's harder than it sounds. Keep iterating until you can't replace a single word with a clearer and simpler alternative. {{DO|"We deliver groceries to customers in their homes."|Every word has a reason to be in this elevator pitch.}} {{DONT|"We are a next-generation, AI-based resolver of grocery needs"|A human wouldn't speak like this in everyday conversation.}} **2. Are you using industry jargon?** Not everyone is in SaaS, or knows bioengineering, or understands the business of food & beverage. If you're using industry-specific terms, find new ways to say the same thing so that industry outsiders understand as well. {{DO|"Curing cancer in dogs"|Advanced technology, but a simple elevator pitch. The clarity and emotional appeal of this pitch captures the curiosity of a broad audience.}} {{DONT|"Cost-effective CAR-T cell therapy for dogs"|Accurate but less accessible to the broader Wefunder audience that would otherwise be interested.}} **3. Say it out loud. Are you talking like a human would?** If you can't picture a real person using these words to describe your company to another person in a bar, then keep working on it. Nix words that are high in character count but low in meaning like *disrupting, revolutionizing, groundbreaking,* and *innovative.* {{DO|"Portable personal gym that fits in a suitcase"|Simple and specific; tells you exactly what the product does.}} {{DONT|"Innovative home fitness equipment. Budget & storage friendly"|How exactly is it innovative?}} **4. Test your readability.** Copy and paste your tagline ideas into a readability checker (like {{LINK|https://app.readable.com/text/|Readable}}) to see what grade level they score. Readability scores aren't everything, but they can help point you in the right direction. Aim to score at a 7th grade level or below. {{DO|"Book rooms with locals rather than hotels"|4th grade readability}} {{DONT|"A revolutionary booking platform set to overtake the failing hotel industry"|14th grade readability}} **5. Remove your company name.** It already shows up on your company card. {{DO|"Angel investing for everyone"|Clean and concise.}} {{DONT|"Wefunder is bringing angel investing to everyone"|Wastes precious characters repeating your company name.}} #### Test your pitch with feedback Before finalizing your pitch, test it with 5-10 people who don't work in your industry: 1. Say your pitch out loud 2. Ask them to repeat back what they think you do 3. If they can't explain it clearly, simplify further Your pitch is ready when a stranger can hear it once and explain your company to someone else. #### Extra Resources - {{LINK|https://www.ycombinator.com/library/3b-advice-on-pitching|Advice on Pitching}} by Aaron Harris - {{LINK|https://www.ycombinator.com/library/49-a-guide-to-yc-demo-day-presentations|A Guide to YC Demo Day Presentations}} by Geoff Ralston #### Extra Tools - {{LINK|https://app.readable.com/text/|Readable}} — Test the readability of your elevator pitch #### Footnotes 1. Instacart's elevator pitch from their 2012 YC application 2. LEAH Labs' elevator pitch on their Wefunder campaign 3. Airbnb's elevator pitch from their 2009 pitch deck Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/pre-launch/how-to-write-your-10-second-elevator-pitch --- ### How to Produce Your Video *10 minutes · Last updated December 14, 2022* Create a human connection with your investors by giving them face time with you, your product, and your customers. #### What's the purpose of your video? Your video should build trust and connection with investors. The best way to do this is to give investors face time with you, the founder. Your investors are signing up to be part of your journey for years. Wouldn't it make sense for them to want to know who they're partnering with? Use your video to clearly show who you are as a founder, while pitching the investment opportunity. {{SPEC|Length:1–5 minutes|Aspect Ratio:Landscape (16x9)|Resolution:1080p or higher}} #### What should you cover in your video? **If you're short on time,** simply record yourself walking through your pitch deck, as if you were pitching your investors live. Though it sounds basic, it achieves the core purpose of your video—letting investors hear about your company straight from your own mouth, versus a cartoon animation or a series of stock photos. **If you're willing to take more time to edit your video,** then supplement your pitch with footage that shows investors a deeper dive into aspects of your company that they won't see in the rest of your campaign page. Give them face time with your founding team and your customers, behind-the-scenes footage of your product or space, and anything else that completes the picture of what you're building. No matter what route you go, use your video as a chance to show (not just tell) investors exactly who you are, what your company does, and where you're going. If you want a starting point for your script, start writing down your answers to these prompting questions (from {{LINK|https://www.ycombinator.com/library/49-a-guide-to-yc-demo-day-presentations|YC}}): #### Video script prompting questions: 1. What are we building and for whom? 2. Why hasn't this been done before? 3. Why is it hard to do what we are doing? 4. Why is this an opportunity not to be missed? #### Script Template Or, here's a script template you can adapt: #### Fill in the blanks to adapt your own script: Hi, I'm *{name}* and I'm the founder of *{company}*. We're *{your 1-liner}*. We're building *{solution}* for *{customer}* to solve *{this problem}*. Today, *{customer}* needs to *{solve their problem}* by *{doing this undesirable thing}*. With *{our solution}*, *{our customers}* will be able to *{do this instead}*, achieving *{these benefits}*. My co-founders and I *{1-2 reasons why our team can deliver}*. We're raising money on Wefunder because *{a mission-driven or tactical reason to let your community in}*. This round of funding will allow us to *{achieve these 1-3 milestones in our next chapter}*. *{Optional: recap your vision or mission}* We hope you'll join us in our journey! Invest in *{company}* today. {{QUOTE|Your approach to your presentation tells listeners a ton about you. If you seem bored or angry or anything but confident and passionate about your idea, your chance of winning them over is next to zero.|Geoff Ralston, "A Guide to YC Demo Day Presentations"}} #### Barely have any time to create a video? Just speak into your phone or webcam as if you're pitching a room of investors on a Demo Day. Paint a clear picture of exactly what your company does and why it matters, using simple words and eye contact. For example, check out this simple but effective campaign video from Calm Company Fund's Community Round in 2021: #### Example: Calm Company Fund {{WISTIA|39qk2m1xrt|Calm Company Fund pitch video}} {{TRANSCRIPT|Hi everyone, I'm Tyler Tringas, the founder and general partner of Earnest Capital.\n\nIf you're not familiar with us, we provide capital, community, and mentorship for entrepreneurs building "calm companies." They might call themselves bootstrappers, indie hackers, makers, and a bunch of other fun names — but the common thread is they are trying to build profitable companies that balance sustainability with growth and treat their employees and customers incredibly well.\n\nI'm here to invite you to join me as an owner in the long-term upside of our mission at Earnest Capital.\n\nFrom day one, Earnest Capital has been built by and for entrepreneurs. We have over 200 investors in our first two funds, the vast majority of which are entrepreneurs themselves.\n\nAlthough it's still early days for us, since going live 2 years ago, we've invested in over 35 companies, we've seen enough of them already become profitable enough to send what we call shared earnings back to our investors, and seen one company exit profitably.\n\nThe capital we raise here will help us retain and grow our incredible team and continue investing in building the tools for modern entrepreneurship.\n\nThis investment will help us grow quickly, stay focused on the long term, and ultimately be able to back hundreds and maybe thousands of entrepreneurs every year.\n\nAlthough we will continue to raise more and larger investment funds to keep investing in more companies, this is potentially the only opportunity for investors like you to own a piece of what is essentially my equity in the management company at Earnest Capital, which will see upside across all our current, past, and future funds.\n\nI really hope you'll join us.}} #### Example: Doordash (YC 2013) Or this video from DoorDash's 2013 application to Y Combinator: {{YOUTUBE|Rzlr2tNSl0U|DoorDash's Application Video for YC S13}} {{TRANSCRIPT|Hey I'm Stanley, I'm a Stanford CS Major. I did front-end engineering at Facebook.\n\nHey I'm Andy, I'm also a Stanford CS Major, and I did platform engineering at Facebook.\n\nI'm Evan, I was on the founding team of Vivo, the music video service.\n\nAnd I'm Tony, I was the product manager of Square.\n\nAnd the 4 of us came together about 6 months ago to work on software for small business owners. But we didn't have a need at first, so we just went out and talked to all the small business owners we could find. After over 100 interviews, we came across a really interesting problem with small business restaurants.\n\nIt turns out restaurants in Palo Alto don't deliver, even though they really want to, but they can't afford it. Their consumers are craving for it, but the places that the consumers love just can't deliver. And we also found out about these delivery drivers who had a ton of spare time, and they all want to earn extra cash during that downtime.\n\nAnd so that's when we built an initial product, PaloAltoDelivery.com. In our first month of launch, with not much marketing, we got over 150 paying customers in the Palo Alto area. And from that we generated over $10,000 in sales.}} #### What if I want my video to be more than a talking head? Whether you have the time to spend or you're working with a creative team for your video, here are some ways to create a video that goes beyond the talking head. #### Splice in extra footage Show, don't tell: what do your customers actually say about your company? Who are the human faces (in addition to your own) behind the product? People love to see behind the scenes. Don't add generic stock videos, stock photos, or cartoon animations just for the sake of variation. Unless the clips add something to your investors' understanding of your business, don't include them. Here are some ideas: 1. Customers' video testimonials 2. Press clips or interviews 3. B-roll from events you've thrown (if you're community-centric) 4. B-roll in your restaurant, store, warehouse, or office 5. Footage of your product being made 6. A clear product demo video 7. Your team members talking about your mission #### Shoot your pitch in an intentional location Instead of sitting in any random spot and pointing your webcam at it, set up a tripod with your iPhone or camera and record yourself somewhere meaningful. Here are a few examples: - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/earthrides|Earth Rides}}: Founder Raven Hernandez stands in front of a Tesla (an essential part of her offering) as she speaks directly to the camera. - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/unitywellness|Unity Wellness}}: Co-founders Alex Valley and Phene Wardlaw walk the perimeter of their production facility while speaking directly to the camera. #### Example: Zeitlins Delicatessen {{YOUTUBE|rxdr0NjQ-Xg|Zeitlins Delicatessen Wefunder Video}} {{TRANSCRIPT|Hey everyone, it's Sam and Hal from Zeitlins Deli. So after three years Sam and I working together, a lot of people been watching this whole journey, it's time to get a brick and mortar in our own home. And truthfully, we need it as soon as possible.\n\nTo catch you up, we have five incredible full time team members in the kitchen, and five team members who run the markets. To keep our team intact and the business growing, we need this new revenue channel of a storefront, pronto.\n\nThis is gonna be the first of multiple locations, massive step up in the history of our family deli. We really, really want and we need you all to join us in this effort. We've crunched the numbers, and we need around $300,000 to build out our incredible first storefront.\n\nSo to secure this capital and start construction, we're inviting you today to purchase specially issued delicious Zeitlins Delicatessen Bagel Bonds.\n\nThe deli wins. You win. Chicago wins. But only if enough of you come and help us.}} #### Example: Both& {{WISTIA|y37xfalura|Both& pitch video}} {{TRANSCRIPT|The latest research indicates that 25% of Gen Z, globally, already identify as non-binary. That's not a fad. That's not a niche. That is a paradigm shift in when thinking about gender identity and presentation that presents an enormous opportunity.\n\nHi, I'm Finnegan Shepard, the founder of Both&. Simply put, Both& is the brand that I, as a trans man, have waited my whole life to exist.\n\nMy story is not unique. I spent the last 2 years interviewing and surveying thousands of trans-masculine and non-binary people. And it's the same across the board. It's a story of friction — of trying to fit into a world that has developed product solely with a cisgendered consumer in mind.\n\nThat is exactly what we're doing at Both&, starting with apparel. We spent 9 months gathering the data necessary to build a proprietary fit and sizing system. And then we launched an MVP capsule, using that system. The reaction was extraordinary. We sold out within weeks of launch. We have less than half of the average national return rate, and 3 times the repeat customer rate.\n\nBoth& will be the icon brand of the non-binary generation. I'm thrilled today to be launching a community seed round where everyone who believes in our mission and vision can invest and be a part of the non-binary future we're building.}} #### Example: Immersed {{WISTIA|r65xuh7m2p|Immersed pitch video}} {{TRANSCRIPT|Hi, I'm Renji, founder of Immersed. We're a Techstars company partnered with Facebook, HTC, and Microsoft to build virtual reality offices. Especially in this post-Covid world, this has become an extremely important problem to solve.\n\nAnd now with over 20,000 monthly active users, many of which who work full-time in VR every week, Immersed has become the top productivity app in the highly curated Oculus store.\n\nWe've raised almost $4 million dollars to date, $2 million of which came from our record-breaking crowdfunding campaign right here on Wefunder this past summer, where we raised $1 million in just 4 hours.\n\nOur team consists of some of the world's top engineers from places like Google, Microsoft, YC, and top Andreessen Horowitz-backed startups.\n\nWe've built an extremely compelling product, which is why thousands of users work in VR full-time today. We're building a future where someday you can put on a pair of glasses and teleport into the office as if you were physically there in person, without the need of any sort of commute.\n\nSo we'd love for you to partner with us as we build the future of work.}} #### Caption your video We strongly recommend adding captions to your video. Studies show that anywhere from 60% to over 90% of people watch videos **without sound.** Captions also make videos accessible for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. To transcribe the audio in your video and export it with captions, try using a service like {{LINK|https://www.descript.com/|Descript}}, {{LINK|https://www.veed.io/pricing/|Veed}}, or {{LINK|https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles|Kapwing}}. *Note, captioning is free but exporting a video without a watermark is $15 at the time of writing.* #### Recap Your Wefunder campaign video gives you a chance to **build a human connection with your investors** in just a few minutes. It's also a unique opportunity to immerse investors in your company. If you're building a physical product, showcase it in your video. If you're building a physical space, give us a tour. But no matter what you're building or how much resource you can dedicate to your video, **the most important part of your video is you — the founder.** If your video is just you and your co-founders pitching directly to the camera, you'll do just fine. If you add all the bells and whistles, you'll do great as well — *just don't skimp on the fundamentals.* Happy video making! Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/pre-launch/how-to-produce-your-video --- ### How to Curate Your Highlights *4 minutes · Last updated December 16, 2022* Tips, prompts, and examples to help you identify the top 3-8 investable facts about your company. #### What's the purpose of your highlights? Highlights are the 3-8 most investable facts about your company, displayed prominently on your Wefunder campaign page. They're the things that make you stand out from the rest, cause a potential investor to stop scrolling, and pique their curiosity enough to click on your campaign. When choosing your highlights, think about what a sharp investor might want to know about your company before they invest: 1. **Traction →** What have you accomplished with limited resources? What evidence shows your product is working? 2. **Team →** Highlight your **team's** unfair advantages. 3. **Why now? →** Include your best evidence that your vision is real. 4. **What makes your company special?** → This could be product differentiation, intellectual property, notable partnerships, a moonshot mission, a strong community, a memorable founding story, or any other facts that have elicited people's excitement. {{QUOTE|What is the ratio between what you've done and how long you've been working on it?|Michael Seibel (Y Combinator)}} #### What to include in your highlights In order of most to least powerful, here are some ways you can present highlights on your traction: 1. Growth (especially organic) 2. Revenue 3. Retention 4. Customers 5. Social Proof #### How to highlight traction In order of most to least powerful, here are some ways you can present highlights on your traction: #### Growth Examples - $3M run rate in just 5 months, growing 20% MoM ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/lumina|Lumina}}) - Doubled investment volume and revenue each year since 2018 ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/wefunder|Wefunder}}) - $2.2M revenue run-rate with 567% DTC growth ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/cusa|Cusa}}) - 500% YOY subscription growth ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/rasa|Rasa}}) - $1.52m revenue run rate with 387% average annual growth rate ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/tampontribe|Tampon Tribe}}) #### Revenue Examples - $10M in revenue booked in 2021 ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/wefunder|Wefunder}}) - $12M cumulative revenue, GAAP profitable last year, bootstrapped until now ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/rasa|Rasa}}) #### Retention Examples - Astonishing 96% repeat clients rate ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/kidcaboo|Kidcaboo}}) - Direct-to-consumer sales boast a 74% returning customer rate ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/tampontribe|Tampon Tribe}}) #### Customer Examples - The average Immersed power-user works 38+ hrs each week using Immersed! ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/immersed|Immersed}}) - 18 million+ Sensate Pebble minutes delivered globally ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/sensate|Sensate}}) - Startups that raised recently $5M+ on Wefunder: Mercury Bank, Replit, Levels, Synthesis, April ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/wefunder|Wefunder}}) #### Social Proof Examples - Partnership with Facebook, HTC, & Microsoft, rolling out to millions of AR/VR users! ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/immersed|Immersed}}) - Featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, PopSugar, Business Insider & Fast Company ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/tampontribe|Tampon Tribe}}) - "A genius device." -Forbes ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/sensate|Sensate}}) - Backed by venture capital firm Village Global whose LPs include Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/atomlimbs|Atom Limbs}}) #### How to highlight your team What gives your team an unfair advantage in this space? Here's a non-exhaustive list of potential team highlights: 1. Previous exits from the founding team 2. Unique expertise on the problem 3. Blue-chip brands in team's past experience **Previous Success Highlight Examples:** - CEO previously built $100M co without VC capital ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/lumina|Lumina}}) - CEO sold last company Bebo to Amazon & has scaled companies to 1 billion users ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/atomlimbs|Atom Limbs}}) **Unique Expertise Highlight Examples:** - We're a team of world leading experts in gene editing, immunotherapy, and veterinary oncology. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/leah|LEAH Labs}}) - Co-founder is a clinical herbalist, adaptogen expert, & was Sr Herb Buyer @ Celestial Seasonings. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/rasa|Rasa}}) **Blue Chip Highlight Examples:** - Team from Google, Microsoft, YC, & top Andreessen-Horowitz-backed startups. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/immersed|Immersed}}) - World-class leadership team from Apple, Tesla, Nike, Intel & IDEO ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/atomlimbs|Atom Limbs}}) - Founding team are MIT, Syracuse and Carnegie-Mellon alum ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/farmtoflameenergy2|Farm to Flame Energy}}) #### Other highlight ideas Some highlights fall outside the above categories, and that's okay, too. Here's a selection to give you ideas. **Mission-Driven Highlight Examples** - Zero waste warehouse, 100% solar powered manufacturing, 100% sustainable supply chain ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/cusa|Cusa}}) - 1,236 lbs of ocean plastic retrieved via CleanHub plastic-neutral partnership (Tampon Tribe) - Public Benefit Corp for sustainable supply chain, compostable packaging, & changing lives. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/rasa|Rasa}}) **"About The Product" Highlight Examples:** - Users have 5 virtual screens + a virtual whiteboard in a distraction-free private virtual office! ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/immersed|Immersed}}) - Certified organic products with zero sugar and no artificial flavors or impurities ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/cusa|Cusa}}) **Market Size Highlight Examples** - Total Addressable Market (TAM) of $173B and 53M children in the US alone ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/kidcaboo|Kidcaboo}}) - Taking on the $465B global coffee market; featured in Bon Appetit & Rolling Stone as leading coffee alternative ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/rasa|Rasa}}) - Positioned to disrupt the fast-growing $800B physical disability market ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/atomlimbs|Atom Limbs}}) Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/pre-launch/how-to-curate-your-highlights --- ### How to Create Your Pitch *20 minutes · Last updated December 16, 2022* Tell the full story of why someone should invest. Tips, templates, and examples specific to Wefunder for all types and stages of companies. #### What is your pitch on Wefunder? Your Wefunder pitch is the full story of your company, told through slides on your Wefunder campaign page. It's a series of images and text that persuades investors to believe in your company and invest. Think of your pitch like a pitch deck in a VC meeting. But instead of pitching inside a boardroom, you're pitching on a web page—and instead of pitching professional VCs, you're pitching a broader audience of potential investors. For this reason, your pitch should: - Tell a complete, easy-to-follow story of your company - Be visually compelling and scannable - Use simple language that *anyone* can understand - Include data, evidence, and social proof wherever possible #### How to create clear slides Each slide should make one clear point, with just enough detail to support it. Here are a few pointers: - **Use large text.** The most important thing on the slide should also be the biggest. - **Include a visual.** Charts, screenshots, photos, and icons help investors process information faster. - **Be direct.** If you can cut a word, cut it. - **Avoid walls of text.** If a slide has more than 5 lines of body text, break it up or move the details into a separate slide. #### How to assemble your slides into a persuasive story The best pitches follow a narrative arc: 1. **Hook** — Start with something that grabs attention 2. **Problem** — Show the pain point 3. **Solution** — Introduce your product 4. **Proof** — Show it's working (traction) 5. **Vision** — Paint the picture of the future 6. **Team** — Show you can execute 7. **The Ask** — What you're raising and why This isn't just a list of facts — it's a story that builds conviction. #### What to include in your slides (with examples) Below, we break down each section of a great Wefunder pitch with real examples from successful campaigns. #### Problem Slides Show your reader what world they live in and why it needs to change. Talk about the status quo and why it's not good enough. Pitch the **problem** in terms anyone can understand. If you're in a highly technical space, translate the problem into human terms. An effective problem slide should make the investor nod along and say: "Yeah, that's annoying" or "That's a real issue." #### Problem Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0bf76370b512c68526cde_problem-slide_ten-lives.webp|Problem slide example: Ten Lives}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0bcec66978fd326d92d1a_problem-slide_both-and.webp|Problem slide example: Both&}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0935aa5cbeceb20977d9d_problem-side_venganza-foods.webp|Problem slide example: Venganza Foods}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0bf2663e7242e9ee73b92_problem-slide_washbnb.webp|Problem slide example: WashBnB}} #### Solution Slides Now that you've outlined the problem, show how your product or service solves it. Use screenshots, product photos, or diagrams to make it visual. The best solution slides show the product in action, not just describe it. #### Solution Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c207f341f315c997387a_solution-slide_nutr.webp|Solution slide example: Nutr}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c1d7a8036ca666acf658_solution-slide_kidcaboo.webp|Solution slide example: Kidcaboo}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c1ed6f20f4d0b41f8605_solution-slide_adun.webp|Solution slide example: Adun}} #### Traction Slides Show investors that your product is working. Numbers speak louder than words. Revenue growth, user metrics, retention rates, notable customers — put your best numbers forward with clear data visualizations. #### Traction Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c6d664ca2419dd327f11_traction-slide_lumina.webp|Traction slide example: Lumina}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c75b0d966889bbd3c104_traction-slide_kidcaboo.webp|Traction slide example: Kidcaboo}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c766a9664696260158d3_traction-slide_slo.webp|Traction slide example: SLO}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c77bce1b4b33500dda58_traction-slide_cusa.webp|Traction slide example: Cusa}} #### Your Business Model Slides Explain how you make money. Keep it simple. Investors want to understand your revenue model in one slide. #### Business Model Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c83cd28310115959f745_biz-model-slide_homeshake.webp|Business model slide example: Homeshake}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0c84e0d96681dd0d3d6ef_biz-model-slide_happypillar.webp|Business model slide example: Happypillar}} #### Opportunity Size Slides How big is the market? Investors want to know the ceiling on your potential. Use TAM (Total Addressable Market) / SAM / SOM if applicable, but make the numbers relatable. #### Opportunity Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0cce0984e0eaeb40c4738_opportunity-size-slide_kidcaboo.webp|Opportunity slide example: Kidcaboo}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0cd1cd28310ce255a46a1_opportunity-size-slide_cusa.webp|Opportunity slide example: Cusa}} #### Team Slides Show the people behind the company. Include photos, names, titles, and 1-2 credentials per person. Investors invest in people as much as products. Highlight relevant experience, domain expertise, and anything that shows your team has an unfair advantage. #### Team Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0cdebf341f373bd981387_team-slide_soulslice.webp|Team slide example: Soul Slice}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0ce3adf82ba40e8387884_team-slide_terraseed.webp|Team slide example: TerraSeed}} #### Customer Testimonial Slides Let your customers speak for you. Real quotes from real people are incredibly persuasive. Include the customer's name, photo, and a short quote about what your product means to them. #### Testimonial Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d023a12dc38495f611ce_customer-testimonial-slide_levels.webp|Testimonial slide example: Levels}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d023370b5154e5539741_customer-testimonial-slide_bothand.webp|Testimonial slide example: Both&}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d022a8036cfe15ae105d_customer-testimonial-slide_nutr.webp|Testimonial slide example: Nutr}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d022f02e2da04b7047b7_customer-testimonial-slide_lumina.webp|Testimonial slide example: Lumina}} #### Press Slides If you've been featured in the press, show it. Press logos and quotes add credibility and social proof. #### Press Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d15553502284f0ff35a7_press-slide_justababy.webp|Press slide example: Just a Baby}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d15544d4cff68fe8060c_press-slide_fabalish.webp|Press slide example: Fabalish}} #### Use of Funds Slides Show investors exactly how you'll use their money. Pie charts and bar charts work great here. Be specific about categories and percentages. #### Use of Funds Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d25dd28310c31d5ab68d_use-of-funds-slide_nutr.webp|Use of funds slide example: Nutr}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/643430deedb32408335894e5_use-of-funds-slide_coils-to-locs.png|Use of funds slide example: Coils to Locs}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/643431816fe1f0113b7e1cf7_use-of-funds-slide_allerpops.jpg|Use of funds slide example: Allerpops}} #### End on a sincere CTA Your last slide should be a clear, compelling call to action. Tell investors exactly how to invest, and close with a personal note about why this matters to you. #### CTA Slide Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d388370b518cdc53c551_cta-slide_adun.webp|CTA slide example: Adun}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c0d387a96646e5c8022409_cta-slide_kidcaboo.webp|CTA slide example: Kidcaboo}} Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/pre-launch/how-to-create-your-pitch --- ### How to Choose Your Main Image *5 minutes · Last updated October 18, 2022* Leave a powerful first impression by choosing a visual that makes people feel something and want to learn more. #### Why is my main image important? Your main image is the very first thing investors see when they come across your campaign in Wefunder's Explore feed. That means your main image has to do the heavy lifting of two jobs: 1. **Stop the scroll.** Your image needs to stand out among dozens of other campaigns. 2. **Invite a click.** Your image needs to make someone curious enough to want to learn more. #### Where does my main image appear? Your main image shows up in: - The Wefunder Explore / Discover feed - Your campaign page header - Social media link previews (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) - Email newsletter features - Press and media coverage It needs to look great at all sizes — from a small card thumbnail to a full-width banner. #### What makes a great main image? The best main images fall into one of these categories: #### You and your product The founder holding or demonstrating the product. This combines the human element with what you're building. #### Founder & Product Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19618a3b166d636dcd6b0_cover-image_red-bay.webp|Cover image example: Red Bay Coffee}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19618e156aad86db37ac7_cover-image_earthrides.webp|Cover image example: Earth Rides}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c196184025229ed45b78c3_cover-image_kare-mobile.webp|Cover image example: Kare Mobile}} #### A user with your product Show a real person using and enjoying your product. This creates aspirational appeal. #### User with Product Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19865d692d32ec8206653_cover-image_leon-and-george.webp|Cover image example: Leon & George}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19865ca87e704a17a5c2e_cover-image_levels.webp|Cover image example: Levels}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c198654fdd78e1f270d77b_cover-image_mightly.webp|Cover image example: Mightly}} #### Just your product A beautiful product shot. Works best for physical products with strong visual appeal. #### Just the Product Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19a88a3b1665771dd28bd_cover-image_hubhouze.webp|Cover image example: HubHouze}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19a881764ef5e743ae800_cover-image_venganza-foods.webp|Cover image example: Venganza Foods}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19a88c740e1f359d178b1_cover-image_felix-gray.webp|Cover image example: Felix Gray}} #### Just your team A group photo that shows energy and chemistry. Works well for service companies. #### Just your Team Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19b67d9895e6639abea14_cover-image_medme.webp|Cover image example: MedMe}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19b67d692d3c00120945e_cover-image_wefunder.webp|Cover image example: Wefunder}} #### A symbolic photo A powerful image that represents your mission. Works well for cause-driven companies. #### Symbolic Photo Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19cd8935f5d3d26a69e5e_cover-image_cohere.jpeg|Cover image example: Cohere}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19cd86ff95c49aa91db7c_cover-image_engen-bio.webp|Cover image example: Engen Bio}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19cd8aa74426f9ba08177_cover-image_lords-of-fortune.webp|Cover image example: Lords of Fortune}} #### A meaningful mockup or screenshot A polished screenshot or device mockup. Works well for software companies. #### Meaningful Mockup Examples {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19dd9389cfc6ae4ccab8b_cover-image_swell-financial.webp|Cover image example: Swell Financial}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19e52c740e14205d1b298_cover-image_reflect.webp|Cover image example: Reflect}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/63c19dd93742ca28071750d1_cover-image_tersho.webp|Cover image example: Tersho}} #### Restrictions on your main image A few rules to keep in mind: - **No text overlays.** Your company name and tagline already appear on the campaign card. Adding text to the image creates visual clutter. - **No logos.** Same reason — your logo is already displayed. - **High resolution.** Blurry or pixelated images immediately reduce credibility. - **Landscape orientation.** The campaign card is wider than it is tall, so landscape images work best. #### Recap Your main image is the first thing investors see. Choose an image that: 1. Stops the scroll 2. Creates an emotional reaction 3. Communicates what you do instantly 4. Makes people want to click and learn more The best images are authentic, high-quality, and tell a story about your company in a single frame. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/pre-launch/how-to-choose-your-cover-image --- ### How to Onboard Your Lead Investor *6 minutes · Last updated November 11, 2022* Choose someone you trust to hold voting rights for the SPV and signal to the public that your company is worthy of investment. #### What is a Lead Investor on Wefunder? The bare-bones definition of your Lead Investor on Wefunder is someone who: 1. Invests in your community round. (We recommend that they invest a minimum of $5,000 or 5-15% of your funding goal) 2. Holds the sole voting right on behalf of everyone else who invested in your community round. #### How does the lead investor role actually play out? Say you raised a $2M community round from 2000 investors. Wefunder rolls those 2000 investors into a single line on your cap table using what's called an SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle). In the future, whenever your company needs to authorize a corporate action, your lead investor will vote on behalf of the 2000 members of the SPV, representing that $2M share of your cap table. Your lead investor **can** talk to the other investors in the SPV, but they don't have to. When the other investors in your SPV invest, they entrust their voting rights to the lead investor. #### What's the difference between a lead investor on Wefunder and a lead investor in VC? A lead investor in the VC industry is **not the same** as a lead investor on Wefunder. The **only** thing they have in common is their name. A VC lead investor sets the terms of the round, gets the majority of the carry from the round, and holds the flag for the entire raise. Typically, a lead investor in a VC round is a VC firm rather than an individual. A Wefunder lead investor holds the voting rights for all the investors in the SPV — **that's it**. The lead investor on Wefunder needs to be a person, though the money for their investment could come from a fund. They **don't** get board rights. They **don't** get directive over your roadmap. But at some point before a liquidity event, you'll need to turn to them and go, "We're going to do this. Do you agree?" #### When do I need a lead investor? You're required to confirm a lead investor before you file a Form C, which is a legal pre-requisite for Wefunder to prepare to send your money to you. But we suggest lining up your lead investor as early as possible — before moving onto the Private Launch phase, if possible. Finding one person to appear on your campaign page as the Lead Investor can be a powerful signal for other prospective investors who visit. More on that below. #### How should I choose my lead investor? **First and foremost, make sure you trust them.** They hold the voting power for *everyone* in your Community Round. They might also be in business with you for the next ten years. Your lead investor should be someone you trust deeply. **Find someone who can invest at least 5-15% of your funding goal.** Even though the minimum investment from a lead investor is $5,000, you're best off finding a lead who invests at least $10,000, or at least 5-15% of the round. The lead investor's investment signals confidence to the public. If other investors see that the lead didn't even put in $10,000, then they'll be unlikely to put in $15,000. **Signal greater social proof with a trusted name.** A traditional VC deal happens behind closed doors. On Wefunder, your lead is the public face backing your company from day one. Enlisting a lead investor who's well-respected in your industry or community sends a positive signal to other prospective investors: *"Oh, if that person is investing $100K as a lead, then I'm a lot more confident investing my $1,000."* For example, biotechs have chosen doctors and research scientists as leads. Tech companies have chosen professional VCs and angels as leads. Past Wefunder campaigns have even seen Bill Nye the Science Guy and Iggy Pop as leads. But you don't need to enlist a celebrity to have an effective lead. As with anything involving risk, simply seeing *anyone* else take the first plunge makes it less scary to follow. #### What happens if the funding goal isn't met? **Minimum risk.** If you fail to reach your minimum funding goal, the lead investor's investment is returned along with everyone else's. There's no obligation to invest more or fund the gap. #### What does the lead investor need to do? The lead investor's primary responsibility is to vote on behalf of the SPV when the company needs shareholder approval for a corporate action (like a new financing round, acquisition, or dissolution). Day-to-day, the time commitment is minimal. Most of the work happens before launch when they review your campaign and set the terms. #### Who can't be my lead investor? Your lead investor **cannot** be: - A founder or officer of the company - A direct family member of a founder (spouse, parent, sibling, child) - Anyone employed by or compensated by the company The intent is for the lead to be an independent voice representing the interests of the investor community. #### Recap / tl;dr - Your lead investor holds the sole voting right for the SPV - They should invest at least $5K (ideally 5-15% of your funding goal) - Choose someone you trust who signals credibility to your audience - They cannot be a founder, officer, or immediate family member - Time commitment is minimal — mostly before launch - If you don't meet your funding goal, their investment is returned Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/pre-launch/how-to-onboard-your-lead-investor --- ## Phase Two: Soft Launch Start collecting reservations and investments from your network through 1:1 outreach and offering early access to angel investors, friends and family, customers, and anyone else who can help you reach over 25% of your funding goal. ### How to Go Into Your Soft Launch *6 minutes · Last updated November 11, 2022* Start raising money (or receiving investments) from angel investors, friends and family, customers, and other supporters to build momentum. #### When does Soft Launch start? You've set up your campaign, secured your Lead Investor, and you're ready to start raising. Soft Launch begins the moment you share your campaign link with your first potential investor. During Soft Launch, your campaign is NOT listed on Wefunder's public Explore page. Only people with your direct link can see it. #### What's the difference between Soft and Public launch? **Soft Launch** = Private. Only people you share the link with can see your campaign. This is your chance to build momentum with your inner circle. **Public Launch** = Your campaign goes live on Wefunder's Explore page for anyone to discover. The goal of Soft Launch is to reach at least 25% of your funding goal before going public. This creates social proof and momentum. #### The Basics of Soft Launch 1. **Start with your warmest contacts** — People who already know and support you 2. **Use personal 1:1 outreach** — Not mass emails, not social posts 3. **Ask for specific amounts** — "Would you consider investing $500?" is better than "Please check out my campaign" 4. **Track everything** — Use a CRM or spreadsheet to track who you've contacted, their response, and follow-ups 5. **Target 25% funded** — This is the threshold where social proof kicks in Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/soft-launch/how-to-go-into-soft-launch --- ### How to Craft personal outreach to Angel Investors *4 minutes · Last updated November 15, 2022* Not a BCC, group chat, or social post. Take the time to send 1:1 outreach to existing angels and stack your first checks. #### Why take the time to do personal outreach? As a general rule, people are more likely to invest in your company the more they see existing momentum from other investors on your page. But who will take that initial risk, *before* you have impressive progress against your funding goals? Your warm contacts: friends, family, customers, community, early supporters, and any angel investors you know. Even if you don't know them **well**, being on their radar as a warm contact counts for more than nothing. Your goal at this stage is to send a sincere, targeted message to **anyone** you know personally, who might be able to invest a small check ($500–$1000), medium check ($1000–$10,000), or large check ($10,000–$50,000+) in your company. Personal outreach is **not** BCC, a social post, or a group chat. It's a 1:1 email, text message, or DM to someone you know. **This step takes time** — it might even take the **most** time out of all the subsequent steps. But when done right, you'll start stacking your first checks, which will compound your momentum for the rest of your campaign. #### Step 1. Set a goal for your personal outreach - How many personal messages will you send? ______ - How much investment volume are you targeting? (ideally, this is at least 25% of your funding goal) $________ #### Step 2. Prepare your calendar, pitch, and FAQs Expect that any angels you're asking for investments might want to meet with you to hear the details of your pitch and discuss the investment further. - To simplify scheduling for everyone, set up a Calendly or another scheduling tool in advance. - Block out time in your days for a set period of time to take investor meetings, and really try to stack them! You want to concentrate this period of outreach and fundraising so that you can get back to running your company as soon as possible. - Practice your pitch and answering questions with total confidence and conviction. - Prepare your follow-up materials to send to each investor you meet with, including your deck and your link to invest. #### Step 3. Add 50+ people to a CRM Brainstorm family, friends, community members, early supporters, and angel investors. List the check size you're targeting from them. Feel free to make a copy of our Investor Hit List and fill it out to track your progress: - {{LINK|https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1joGC9pig3_PQ9BzvpiVW4xOZ8YsRDOiZP_kCPDggbp8/edit?usp=sharing|Investor CRM (Google Sheets template)}} - {{LINK|https://wefunder.notion.site/3ce8bd01651542c9ba4f0427292b54a8?v=a60be7f2123d48c788d545018bab51d1|Investor CRM (Notion template)}} #### Step 4. Draft your personal outreach Feel free to use our templates to get started. #### Inner Circle: If they know you, your company, and your recent milestones well **Initial Outreach**: SMS, DM, or Email Hi *{firstname}*, *{add your personal touch}*. I'm opening a funding round for *{company}* and would love to have you join the round as an early investor. We've soft launched here *{at this link}*. Would you be free to chat about it this week? Thanks so much! **Follow-up**: SMS, DM, or Email Hi *{firstname}*, wanted to follow up on this. Let me know if you'd be open to investing early in our round: you can do so *{at this link}*. I'm also happy to discuss more — schedule *{at this link}*. Thanks so much! #### If they could use a refresher on your recent milestones: **Initial Outreach**: Email Hi *{firstname}*, *{Personal touch}* As you may know, *{company}* recently achieved *{this exciting milestone}*. We're about to open a community funding round of *{funding goal}* to hit *{our next milestones}*. Would you be interested in investing early? I'm also happy to share more on a 15-minute call — feel free to schedule a time *{at this link}*. Thanks so much. **Follow-up**: Email Hi *{firstname}*, Following up on my last message. Would you be interested in joining our funding round as an early investor? We're currently at *{X%}* of our goal and growing fast. Invest here: *{link}* #### If they need a refresher on your whole company: **Initial Outreach**: Email Hi *{firstname}*, *{Personal touch}* I'm the founder of *{company}*. We *{elevator pitch}*. I wanted to reach out because *{relevant connection or reason}*. We're raising a Community Round on Wefunder to *{reason for raising}*. Would love to have you as an investor. Check out our campaign: *{link}* Happy to chat more — here's my calendar: *{scheduling link}* #### Step 5. Update your CRM and be persistent! After sending your first batch of messages, track responses in your CRM. Follow up with anyone who hasn't responded within 3-5 days. Persistence matters. Most investors won't invest on the first ask. Plan for 2-3 follow-ups with each contact. Key metrics to track: - Messages sent - Responses received - Meetings booked - Investments committed - Follow-ups needed Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/soft-launch/send-personal-outreach-to-50-people --- ### How to Give Soft Launch access to Your Mailing Lists *1 minute · Last updated January 16, 2023* Email your customers and community, giving them early access to your Community Round. #### How is announcing the Soft Launch different from personal outreach? Personal outreach is 1:1 messages to specific people. Announcing to your mailing list is a 1-to-many blast to your existing community. The tone is different too: personal outreach is intimate and asks for a specific commitment. Your mailing list announcement is more of an invitation — letting your community know about an exciting opportunity. #### Step 1. Draft a 3-part email series Rather than sending a single email, we recommend a 3-part series: **Email 1: The Tease** (sent 2-3 days before launch) - Subject: "Something big is coming" - Build anticipation without revealing everything - Hint at the opportunity **Email 2: The Announcement** (launch day) - Subject: "You can now invest in *{company}*" - Explain what a Community Round is - Share your why - Clear CTA to invest - Keep it under 300 words **Email 3: The Follow-Up** (3-5 days after launch) - Subject: "We've already raised $X from Y investors" - Share early momentum - Social proof from early investors - Reminder to invest #### Step 2. Take note of feedback and adjust along the way Pay attention to: - Open rates and click rates - Questions people reply with - Common objections or confusion Use this feedback to refine your campaign before going public. If people are confused about something, add clarity to your pitch. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/soft-launch/give-early-access-to-your-community --- ## Phase Three: Public Launch Reach beyond your personal network using social media, ads, Wefunder's marketing perks, and other promotions. Aim to reach over 65% of your funding goal before moving into your Closing phase. ### How to Create A Media Kit *2 minutes · Last updated January 16, 2023* Help others help you. Give them a kit of exactly what, where, and how to share the news of your Community Round. #### What is a media kit, and why do I need one? When you launch something big and exciting into the world, like a company or a product or a Community Round, it's usually a big and exciting event for your friends and community to witness! Naturally, people who support you will want to help you spread the word — **but they might not actually know *how*.** A media kit helps your community help you. In it, you'll prepare all of your copy-and-pasteable copy, downloadable assets, handles to tag, links, and specific asks ahead of time. In its simplest form, this can just be a 1-pager on Google Docs. #### Here's an email you can send to make the ask **Subject: Help spread the word about our Community Round?** Hey *{name, or community}*, As you know, *{company}* is launching our Community Round on *{date}*. Our goal is to raise *{goal amount}*. To do that, we're hoping to make a big splash on launch day and at least aim to hit *{day 1 goal}* on day 1. This will be a huge help for building momentum the rest of the campaign! I know you're busy, but if you have time on ***{launch date}* within the 4 hour window of *{start time}* to *{end time}*,** I would appreciate any help I can get from the community to spread the word. Here are a few ways you can do that: 1. Like, Comment on, or Share our launch posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, IG, and TikTok: the links in ***this doc [attached]*** will populate live once we post them at *{start time}*. 2. Create a native post on *{platform}* or *{platform}* to help spread the word about our launch. See *{GDoc}* for copy and assets you can download instantly Thank you so much for your help! *{signoff}* #### Here's a simple media kit template you can duplicate Copy and paste the below into your own Google Doc: ### How to share *{company}*'s Community Round Launch **tl;dr:** Toolkit of copy and assets to share our Community Round announcement Campaign Link: *{insert link to your Wefunder campaign}* #### Announcement Links **Instructions:** During *{time window}* on *{date}*, would appreciate any amplification on these posts: 1. *{link #1}*: Like, retweet, comment 2. *{link #2}*: Like, comment, share 3. *{link #3}*: Share #### Copy Snippets **Instructions:** Copy and paste these if you need to describe what *{company}* is **The short version** *Company* is *{1-2 sentence description}*. **The long version** *Company* is *{2-3 sentence description with more detail about the mission and vision}*. **CTA** Today they launched their Community Round and are trying to hit a goal of $50,000 on day one. Invest a minimum of $100: *wefunder.com/companyname* #### Assets **Instructions:** Download any of these from this **GFolder** to post natively *{Insert a Google Drive Folder or Dropbox link with selected images and videos}* **Video:** - 9x16: *{add preview and link to asset}* - 1x1: *{add preview and link to asset}* - 16x9: *{add preview and link to asset}* **Image:** Choose any from below: - *{add preview and link to asset}* - *{add preview and link to asset}* #### Tag these people in your post - *@handle1* - *@handle2* - *@handle3* - *@handle4* **Hashtags:** *#hashtag #hashtag #hashtag* #### Once you've done this, set aside time to engage and say thank you! If others are helping you spread the word, make sure to thank them and keep the conversation going. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/public-launch/create-a-media-kit --- ### How to Make a Big Splash for Your Public Launch *2 minutes · Last updated January 16, 2023* Go beyond your network by posting on social media, asking others to cross-promote, and spreading the word far and wide. #### How is this different from my Private Launch announcement? Your Private Launch is meant to give your campaign a leg up through your staunch supporters, friends, family, customers, and community. By opening the round up in tiers, you send a message to your inner circle that they're being invited to invest before anyone else. Your Public Phase launch is more of your official launch into the world — to Wefunder's audience, to Google's search indexing, and to anyone who stumbles upon the page. #### Step 1. Draft your announcement Here's a template you can use. Adapt it to as many different mediums as you can effectively spread the word on. **Subject: Announcing our Community Round** **Exciting news: our Community Round is open to the public!** As you may know, we opened a Community Round *{X time ago}* to let our early supporters, customers, and community invest in *{company}* and our mission to *{our mission}*. Today we're opening our community round to the public so that anyone can invest in *{company}* — for a minimum of $100! To recap, in the past *{X months}*, *{company}* has: - *X (impressive metric)* - *Y (big accomplishment)* - *Z (another milestone)* We're proud of our progress, and we're raising money from the community to hit our next set of milestones *{optional: like x, y, and z}*. Interested in investing? Click "Invest" on our Wefunder page *{here}* Or, help us spread the word by forwarding this email, sharing *{this}* post, or simply giving us some likes and comments on *{LinkedIn}*, *{Twitter}*, *{IG}*, *{TikTok}*, and *{Wefunder}*. Thank you for supporting us in *{our mission}*. All the best, *{sign off}* #### Step 2. Tailor and repurpose across marketing channels Draft a version of your announcement for every platform you use, and follow best practices for posting in that platform. For example, if you post on LinkedIn or Facebook, put the external links in your first comment instead of the post itself to get better reach with the algorithm. If you bcc an email list, make sure you double check to exclude the investors you reached out to in your personal outreach. **Post wherever your company has a digital audience:** - Company email list - Company Twitter - Company LinkedIn - Company TikTok - Company Instagram - Company Facebook Page - Company blog - Company website section **Post wherever you personally have an audience:** - Personal Twitter - Personal LinkedIn - Personal TikTok - Personal Instagram - Personal Facebook #### Step 3. Publish and set aside time to engage To save time, publish everything in one go. Then schedule time to engage with email replies and comments that come in. It's just an algorithmic game, so take the time to engage and push your post to greater visibility. #### Extra things you can do for your Public Launch A few extra measures to consider: 1. Add a splash page or announcement bar to your website announcing your Community Round 2. Add a snippet and link to your Community Round in your email signature 3. Add your Community Round link to your company's social bios Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/public-launch/make-a-big-splash-for-your-public-launch --- ### How to Plan and Post Weekly Updates *5 minutes · Last updated January 10, 2023* Engage and convert potential investors by posting at least once a week on your campaign Updates and repurposing to other channels. #### Why should you post weekly updates? **Fundraising is a hands-on effort — there's no point at which you'll "set it and forget it."** As the founder, you're responsible for holding the flag through the entire raise and converting your potential investors. One of the easiest ways to do that is to simply show up: respond to investors' questions, thank your supporters, and share how your raise is going. Professional investors on Wefunder might be happy to invest on the basis of your numbers alone, but many others are investing on the basis of their connection to you and your mission. Posting regular content is one way to keep your potential investors engaged. #### Who's reading your Updates? When someone visits your campaign page but isn't ready to invest yet, they might click "Watch for Updates." This turns them into a "Follower" of your campaign, which means that they'll automatically receive an email anytime you post an Update to your campaign. Your followers are low-hanging fruit. They're on the fence about investing, waiting to be engaged, and want to track your progress before deciding to invest. See your Followers by going to **wefunder.com/{yourcompany}/followers**. #### How often should you post? **Post at least one update every week of your Community Round.** Give investors one clear takeaway with each update. Instead of bundling 5 different topics into one update, spread them out across multiple weekly updates to maintain consistency. #### How do I post an Update to my campaign? To post an update to your campaign page, click "Updates" on your campaign page nav bar, and click "Post." Here, you'll have the option to publish an update like a traditional blog post. #### A 12-week content calendar for weekly updates **Week 1: Why we're raising** Recap your mission, what problem you're solving for whom, and why you're raising from the Community. **Week 2: Share an amazing customer story** Share a customer success story. Why do they love you? - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/157411-our-first-customer|Livsn Designs: Our First Customer}} **Week 3: Give people a reason to believe** Go deeper on your market, your competitive advantages, or answer the question "why now?" Teach the audience something they didn't know. **Week 4: Announce a company milestone** Product, hiring someone awesome, great financial quarter, press. If you don't have one, then plan an activation and publish the recap: host a webinar, a live Q&A with your Lead Investor, or even a party for your community and investors. - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/158798-q3-results-are-in|Sensate: Q3 Results Are In}} - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/153429-new-product-release-new-market-entry|Rasa: New product release}} - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/159385-come-to-korner-s-open-house|Korner Kitchen: Come to Korner's Open House!}} - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/158671-live-pitch-and-q-amp-a-webinar-replay|Sensate: Live Pitch and Q&A Webinar Replay}} **Week 5: Social proof** Share your favorite comments from investors in your "What People Say" section. - {{LINK|https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccl3A5IPRzg/|Ghost Town Oats: Customer testimonials (IG)}} - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/143772-as-moxey-approaches-500k-in-this-investment-round-see-how-moxey-has-worked-for-this-local-business-owner|Moxey: See how Moxey has worked for this local business owner}} **Week 6: Funding milestone** We've raised $X so far! We're $Y away from our goal. Recap why you're raising and what you'll use the funds for. - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/145044-65-progress|Hana Makgeolli: 65% Progress!}} **Week 7: Founder story** Share a personal and relatable story from the founder about how they got the company to where it is today. - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/157400-my-story|Livsn Designs: My story}} **Week 8: Press** Share some excerpts from press that's been written about your company in the past. - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/153613-featured-in-bon-appetit-rolling-stone-amp-ebony|Rasa: Featured in Bon Appétit, Rolling Stone & Ebony!}} **Week 9: Behind-the-scenes** Show us a day-in-the-life snapshot of your team. Use casual video if you're comfortable, or a blog post with timestamps, photos, and other multimedia to immerse your followers in your company's life. **Week 10: Funding milestone** We've raised $X so far! We're $Y away from our goal. Recap why you're raising and what you'll use the funds for. **Week 11: Social proof** Share your favorite comments from investors in your "What People Say" section. **Week 12: A note from the founders** Recap your progress so far, your favorite feedback so far, your company's milestones since opening the round, and a sincere final CTA to invest. - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/148457-the-final-push|Minnesota Women's Soccer: The Final Push}} - {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/159311-wrapping-up-the-fundraise-on-nov-15th|Reflect: Wrapping up the fundraise on Nov 15th}} Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/public-launch/plan-and-post-weekly-updates --- ### How to Run A Successful Live Founder Q&A *2 minutes · Last updated January 25, 2024* Kickstart your raise with this 6-step approach to running a live founder Q&A for your Community Round. #### Why run a live Q&A during your raise? When raising a community round, hosting a Q&A can be an effective way to build relationships with current investors and connect with potential ones. A typical event lasts 30-60 minutes, with the founder presenting their pitch to the audience, followed by 10-15 minutes of audience questions. Including key guests, such as the lead investor, can make the event even more valuable. Here is a quick playbook to help you plan and execute a successful founder Q&A: #### Step 1: Set a date & time Consider the availability of your audience when setting a day and time. Mid-weeks, such as Wednesday and Thursday, are the best days for a live event, with the best times being between 10am–12pm PST. Set a duration (typically no longer than 45 minutes) for the event and stick to it. #### Step 2: Choose a platform There are various platforms to host your live Q&A, including free platforms like Google Meet and Zoom for smaller groups, and Zoho, Zoom, or Sequel for larger, more formal events. Choose the platform that best suits your needs based on the number of participants, features, and compatibility with your budget. We **highly** recommend {{LINK|http://lu.ma/|lu.ma}} to collect signups. {{LINK|https://www.sequel.io/|Sequel}} ($650/month or $550/month paid annually for 500 attendees) is best for hosting presentations on the company's website. It allows companies to drive all the traffic to a landing page they control on the site, which helps with retargeting and relationship building. #### Step 3: Create an agenda Outline what you want to cover during the founder Q&A, including an introduction to your company, product overview, financials, and a live Q&A session. Share the agenda with your attendees beforehand so they can come prepared with questions. There are two successful styles we've seen on Wefunder: {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/161114-thank-you-for-coming-last-2-days-to-invest|Pitch + Q&A}} and {{LINK|https://wefunder.com/updates/161554-icymi-wefunder-virtual-launch|Lead Investor Perspective}}. - In a **Pitch + Q&A**, pitch your business and leave 10-15 minutes at the end to answer investor questions. - In a **Lead Investor Perspective**, pitch your business, answer investor questions, but allow 10-15 minutes for your lead investor to give a personal account of why they invested in your company. #### Step 4: Promote your live founder Q&A Promote your live founder Q&A on your social media platforms and email lists. If you use {{LINK|http://lu.ma/|lu.ma}} to collect signups, they'll auto send out reminder emails and follow ups too. Use eye-catching graphics and clear language to communicate the value of attending your live founder Q&A. Most importantly, post an update on your Wefunder page with a brief summary of the info in your presentation with a registration link. Send reminder emails leading up to the event. Here are two excellent examples of eye-catching promotion graphics: {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/646e909a4e983aff9fd8c9c2_RAD-webinar-promotion-graphic.jpg|RAD webinar promotion graphic}} {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/646e906a53b926a30e996eb5_Sensate-webinar-promotion-graphic.png|Sensate webinar promotion graphic}} #### Step 5: Conduct the live founder Q&A On the day of the event, test your equipment and start on time. Stick to your agenda and engage with your attendees. Be personable, enthusiastic, and confident in your presentation. We recommend having a facilitator whose sole job is to keep tabs on the chat and the waiting room — make sure to have at least 2-3 resources to put in the chat to keep the audience engaged like links, images, and polls. #### Step 6: Follow up with attendees After the event, follow up with your attendees, thank them for attending, and provide any additional resources or materials discussed during the event. **A good follow up template could look like this:** Subject: Thanks for joining our live Q&A! Hey *{name}*, Thanks for joining our live Q&A yesterday. It was great to connect with you and share more about *{company}*. As promised, here are some resources: - {{LINK|#|Recording of the Q&A}} - {{LINK|#|Our Wefunder campaign page}} - {{LINK|#|Our pitch deck}} If you have any more questions, feel free to reply to this email. And if you're ready to invest, you can do so here: *{link}* Thanks again, *{your name}* Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/public-launch/how-to-run-a-successful-founder-qa --- ### How to Promote your raise on Social Media *5 minutes · Last updated March 13, 2023* Spread the word about your community round to every platform where you have an audience. #### How often should you post on social media? We suggest posting across all platforms where your audience interacts with you during these 3 phases: 1. **When you've launched:** Tease the launch a week out, a few days out, and on the day of. 2. **In the middle:** Update your followers on any exciting milestones and your journey so far! Suggested cadence: 2-4 times a month. 3. **When you're closing:** Thank your investors & emphasize your mission and goals. Please refrain from mentioning the {{LINK|https://help.wefunder.com/154992-linked/advertising-your-raise|terms}} of your campaign on channels outside of the Wefunder platform (e.g. emails & social media). #### Examples: Launch Posts Tease your launch a few days ahead of your launch to prime your audience. In your actual launch posts, it's a great idea to recap who you are, why you exist, and why you're opening a Community Round. #### Launch Post Examples **Mercury (Twitter):** Founder Immad Akhund retweets Mercury's launch post announcement with a thread on why they're letting the community invest. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/mercury|Mercury}}) *"1/ Today we're announcing @BankMercury's Series B. We raised $120m @ $1.62b led by Coatue. +we are including a $5m crowdfund for our customers"* **Atom Limbs (Twitter):** CEO of Atom Limbs quotes an article about the company and launches his community round. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/atomlimbs|Atom Limbs}}) **Livsn Designs (Twitter):** Founder Andrew Link pins a tweet from a customer about his company, then follows up with a tweet about his Community Round. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/livsn|Livsn Designs}}) **Slo (LinkedIn):** Founder Dustin Jun posts about his community round with a Wefunder campaign screenshot. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/slo|Slo}}) **Tampon Tribe (Instagram):** Tampon Tribe launches their round with a video graphic announcing how to invest + the benefits of investing. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/tampontribe|Tampon Tribe}}) **Rasa (Instagram):** Rasa shares a screenshot of their Wefunder campaign to Instagram stories. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/rasa|Rasa}}) **Both& (TikTok):** Founder of Both& posts a highly personal TikTok telling the story of being trans and starting a clothing company, ending with the announcement of a Community Round. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/bothand|Both&}}) #### Examples: Update Posts Once your round is live, keep the momentum going by sharing updates on milestones, behind-the-scenes moments, and investor testimonials. #### Update Post Examples **Mightly (Instagram):** Mightly shares a behind-the-scenes reel about one of their products. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/mightly|Mightly}}) **Tampon Tribe (Instagram):** Tampon Tribe shares a personal comment from an investor on the campaign page. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/tampontribe|Tampon Tribe}}) **Korner Kitchen (Instagram):** Korner Kitchen shows a customer testimonial over appetizing food video. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/kornerkitchen|Korner Kitchen}}) **Reflect (Twitter):** Reflect shares screenshots of investor testimonials. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/reflect|Reflect}}) {{IMG|https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/639a72d2f375caa85eea7aac/670ec21f1635bc26d8367bb8_File.jpg|Social media post examples}} **Mercury (Twitter):** Mercury's CTO shares a thread about why the company decided to let their customers invest. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/mercury|Mercury}}) **Ghost Town Oats (Twitter):** Founder of Ghost Town Oats shares a personal note about selling out one of their products, followed by a Wefunder plug. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/ghosttownoats|Ghost Town Oats}}) **Mightly (Twitter):** Mightly shares a customer quote with a clear CTA to invest. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/mightly|Mightly}}) #### Examples: Closing Posts When your round is nearing its close, drive urgency and gratitude in your posts. #### Closing Post Examples **Immersed (Twitter):** CEO of Immersed quotes a VR article and invests $130K into the company alongside investors. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/immersed|Immersed}}) **Mercury (Twitter):** Mercury shares a milestone update on their Community Round. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/mercury|Mercury}}) **Tampon Tribe (LinkedIn):** Tampon Tribe thanks their community with a recap of their raise. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/tampontribe|Tampon Tribe}}) **Korner Kitchen (Instagram):** Korner Kitchen posts a closing countdown with a heartfelt thank-you to investors. ({{LINK|https://wefunder.com/kornerkitchen|Korner Kitchen}}) #### Need more ideas? Here are a few more content ideas for social media: - **Share your "why"** — Post about why you started the company - **Customer testimonials** — Share quotes, screenshots, or video testimonials from happy customers - **Product demos** — Show your product in action - **Team introductions** — Introduce your team members with fun facts - **Press coverage** — Share any articles or features about your company - **Behind-the-scenes** — Day in the life, manufacturing process, office tour - **Milestone celebrations** — Celebrate funding milestones with your community - **Educational content** — Teach your audience something related to your industry Remember: authenticity always wins. Post real content about real work. Avoid overly polished or salesy posts. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/public-launch/how-to-promote-your-raise-on-social-media --- ### How to Use Paid Media *3 minutes · Last updated May 8, 2023* Optional strategies to amplify your raise, like paid ads, press placements, and working with fundraising experts. #### How to Use Paid Ads Paid ads can amplify your raise, but they should supplement — not replace — organic promotion. **Facebook/Instagram Ads:** Target lookalike audiences based on your existing customers. Budget: $500-2,000 over your raise. **Twitter Ads:** Promote your launch tweet. Good for reaching startup/investor audiences. **Google Ads:** Target keywords related to investing in your industry. Important: SEC regulations require specific disclaimers on paid ads for Reg CF offerings. Consult your Wefunder fundraising advisor before running ads. #### How do Publishers Work? Publishers are media outlets or newsletters that feature your raise to their audience. Options include: - **Startup newsletters** — Many will feature community rounds for free or for a fee - **Industry publications** — Write a press release about your raise - **Podcast appearances** — Pitch yourself as a guest to discuss your company The best PR is often organic: a genuine story about why you're letting your community invest. #### How do Content Partners Work? Content Partners are creators and influencers who produce content about your raise in exchange for compensation or equity. They typically create: - Video reviews or features - Blog posts or newsletter features - Social media posts to their audience When choosing a content partner, look for someone whose audience aligns with your target investor demographic. Authenticity matters — their audience should trust their recommendations. #### How to Leverage Campaign Managers and Strategists Some founders hire specialists to help with their raise: - **Crowdfunding marketing agencies** — They handle your entire marketing campaign - **Content creators** — They create videos, graphics, and copy for your campaign - **Fundraising consultants** — They advise on strategy and help with outreach Wefunder can recommend vetted partners. Ask your fundraising advisor for introductions. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/public-launch/how-to-use-paid-media --- ## Phase Four: Closing The last 2 weeks before the fundraise ends. Reach back out to everyone you've contacted, ask people to invest again or increase their commitments, and drive FOMO to get a final bump in investments. Reach 100% of your goal! ### How to enter your final 2 weeks and Close Strong *4 minutes · Last updated January 10, 2023* Reach back out to everyone asking them to invest or increase their investment, update every day, and emphasize the closing date. #### When does Closing start? When you've reached at least 65% of your goal, it's time to plan a date and time around **1-2 weeks out** to end your Community Round. Once you've decided the date and time that you'll close your campaign to further investments, you'll work with your Account Manager to put a countdown clock on your campaign page while preparing to get that final bump in investments to bring you to 100% of your goal. #### Post an update every day Generally, every campaign sees its biggest spikes in investment volume at the very beginning (launch day) and at the end. Take advantage of the end by **posting every day to your channels and following up with every 1:1 contact that ever expressed interest.** In every single communication you send out, celebrate the success of your campaign. Use the below template across your campaign Updates. #### Subject: *{X days}* left to invest in *{company}*'s Community Round! Our Community Round closes in *{X days}* on *{date}*! Invest before we close our round *{link to page}*. If you invested in this round, from the bottom of our hearts, **thank you.** Your contribution will be fundamental for *{company}*'s continual growth and success as we work to *{insert mission statement}*. Optional: Each day, add a blurb on **one** of the following to mix it up: 1. Key accomplishments in the past month, quarter, or year 2. Key plans in the next month, quarter, or year 3. Notable investors in your Community Round 4. Market trends in your favor 5. A sincere note of gratitude 6. A recap of your mission 7. A final call to invest #### Text every investor who ever expressed interest Make time to follow up with everyone you {{LINK|https://guides.wefunder.com/soft-launch/send-personal-outreach-to-50-people|reached out to 1:1}} during your Community Round. Send a text to any larger investors that expressed interest but haven't invested yet. Make sure they know the campaign is wrapping up. Make time to chat with them. #### Ramp up your promotions If you've already set up paid ads, activate and ramp up what's working in this last 1-2 weeks. #### Go all out (again) on the last day On the final day of the campaign, cycle back through all of these channels with one last reminder that this is it. Read more: https://wefunder.com/playbook/closing/how-to-close-strong --- ## Templates - [Validating your community round](https://wefunder.com/playbook/templates/validating-your-community-round) (1 min read) - [Asking for feedback on your pitch](https://wefunder.com/playbook/templates/asking-for-feedback-on-your-pitch) (1 min read) - [Marketing your fundraise in TTW (9 emails)](https://wefunder.com/playbook/templates/testing-the-waters-fundraise-marketing-emails-9-part-series) (7 min read) - [Marketing your fundraise post-Form C (9 emails)](https://wefunder.com/playbook/templates/post-form-c-fundraise-marketing-emails-9-part-series) (6 min read)