Don't let the young face fool you. Ryan Chaffin is a crowdfunding expert and startup advisor. He has helped 100+ crowdfunding projects raise over $3 million, blowing past their funding goals.
Ryan has consulted countless small and medium business, from startups all the way to companies that are decades old, helping them increase revenues while reducing expenses and building sustainable, lasting businesses.
Ryan helps take brands from concept to reality. He knows creating and maintaining a brand that customers will love and endorse isn't easy. He has helped several businesses, from start-ups to international brands, create business names, logos, and marketing materials from the ground up to capture their target audiences' attention and engage customers.
Over the years, Ryan has found himself repeatedly being tasked with tackling challenging problems. The creative and innovative solutions Ryan offers are well received, leading to improved performance from personal to corporate levels.
Ryan knows being the founder of a startup isn't easy. Sometimes you just need someone to bounce ideas off of and provide a little encouragement. Ryan has helped several founders and startup leaders push through challenging obstacles and gain focus when lost and confused.
Whether you're getting ready to launch your Kickstarter (or other crowdfunding) project, or you already have, Ryan can help you reach your funding goal. Ryan has personally consulted on 50+ crowdfunding projects, with over $2 million raised from 40,000+ backers. Ryan's own Kickstarter project funded in just 10 hours and was more than 900% funded in the end, raising over $100K in just 30 days.
I would add being direct. Let them know why you chose to reach out to them specifically and what you specifically need help with.
Also, provide them their talking points. Creating the narrative for them increases the likelihood of them blogging about it in the first place. On the other hand, if you do not, and they decide to blog about it, the narrative they write may not be what you were looking for, and could even be negative.
A common tactic is to first collect a form of payment, and then the users can start their trial period. This works well for both customers and businesses. Customers get to test drive the product and the majority forget to cancel before the trial ends, leading to paying customers. A 14-day trial is typically sufficient.
If you're looking for another crowdfunding platform, Indiegogo has the second best platform and user base, after Kickstarter.
I've personally raised capital, as well as helped several other companies and projects raise funds. There are many factors that play into selecting the right method for your venture. I would need more details to offer you a really good answer. Feel free to set up a call and we can talk through it.
This is such a crucial step that must be done right. We are currently navigating this stage on one of our projects. One way to identify the right prescribers is using targeted ads in networks like Facebook or LinkedIn. These networks allow you to be very specific in who you target. Twitter as well. Running a simple campaign on each platform can land you a decent list if prescribers. I'd be happy to chat with you in more detail if you'd like.
Having personally designed and produced direct mail pieces for several B2C brands and companies, I've seen what works and what doesn't. You want to make sure the name is easy enough to identify and understand, but not generic enough that consumers cannot discern the name from the product offered. There's a fine line that should not be crossed. I'm happy to discuss this more. Knowing the names you've already tested, and the results from your testing would be great.
Best advice I've ever received:
"Never throw in the towel because of exhaustion. Throw it in because the model doesn't work."
Until you prove the model doesn't work, keep going.
I nearly gave up, without proving my model did not work, weeks before I raised $100,000 in funding. I'm glad I listened to this advice and kept pushing, even through the tough and discouraging times.
It's easier said than done, I know. I've been there. You know how to reach me if you need me.
Two of my favorite Mark Cuban lines:
"You have to crawl before you ball" and "Sales cure all."
Go after smaller clients that are easier wins. Deliver an excellent product and service, and collect testimonials. When you approach the bigger clients, your real target, you'll have the proof larger clients want to see (a long and growing client list and other people's words). Put in a little extra work and show some patience and you'll get there.
I consulted Ryan on 2 occasions, and in my experience there's always something new to learn from him. He gives convincing reasons why doing one thing is better than the other. For a beginner like me Ryan is a delight to talk to. Thank you so much.
Great chatting with Ryan! Very personable, listened to what I had to say even if I rambled & provided great feedback/advice. Will definitely be in touch again.
This was my second call with Ryan, and it was fantastic. I'm in the middle of my Kickstarter campaign and he's been a tremendous help.
Ryan was great. Well worth the money. He answered all of my questions and helped me focus on what I should be doing, and not what I think I should be doing. As a newbie that is being pulled in many different directions, this is invaluable!
Had a great conversation with Ryan. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to crowdfunding and giving advice when it comes to helping me with my startup. I would highly recommend Ryan to anyone working on a startup.
Thank you Ryan. Another excellent call and great feedback.
Ryan was solid. Ton of knowledge. Got a lot out of a short call.
I have a difficult Kickstarter project I am working on and Ryan has been amazingly helpful to lead the way for me to understand the process and get it right. He shows good common sense and insight on what will work.
Ryan is awesome. He helped me before and during my campaign to make it successful. I enjoy bouncing ideas off of him and trust his advice. I highly recommend him.
Ryan is awesome. I always tend to go over a bit on my time, because I am getting so much out of each consultation (this of course, is my choice). He has guided me through nuanced aspects of Kickstarter and I am so happy to have had his help. Highly recommend!
It was awesome chatting with Ryan about an upcoming Kickstarter campaign. Will definitely ask for his advice again!
