From Indie GoGo to Indie Oh NO!

Today’s Ask The Expert Post is from Dr. Letitia Wright America’s Crowd Funding Strategist!  Be sure to Join us for at Stiletto Wealth Experience 2012 In November where Dr. Wright will be sharing her crowd funding know how on our financial resource panel.

There is nothing wrong with Indie GoGo and using it for crowd funding. But what happens when it all goes wrong? What happens when no matter what you do, you just don’t raise the money? This is really what this article is about. There have been plenty of successful people on Indie GoGo. If you follow a few rules, you will find success there too!

Understand what crowd funding is: Many people think crowd funding is just a bunch of people on social media handing you money. You just put the link on your social media and if 10% of the people click and give, you would be a millionaire! I am not sure how that rumor started but that is NOT how it works. Social media is a part of it, but only a part. You have to understand the strategy behind a successful campaign. You have to know what they did and be able to duplicate it. For example, if someone tells you they had a mailing list of 10,000 and they send each one three postcards. You have to look at your situation and figure out if you have the budget to do the same thing. If you have the budget, you must then find out what they had on each post card and how far apart were the mailings done. If you can’t duplicate that, then that strategy won’t help you as much as it did the other person.

Create a specific plan: For most people the plan is the basic 2 x 2 x 2. You know this plan. They have 2 websites to choose from- Indie Go Go or Kickstarter, They have 2 sets of people to share with- Their family and everyone else, They have 2 ways to get the word out- Emails and Social Media. That plan won’t work, as the millions of people who have tried it. Many people go into crowd funding without a budget, so the 2 x 2 x 2 plan is the only one they can afford. Your plan has to be more specific than that.  There are over 500 websites to choose from and the list grows daily. If you only know of those 2, you have not done your homework. If you are only going to do a few emails and social media then you are making it hard. Most people do not have a large enough list for that to work.

Be sure you can deliver on your gifts: After you raise the money you have to perform. Currently, this is not a huge problem. There are some people who have not performed but no real scandal has happened in the industry. You don’t want to be the first one either! This is your tribe, if you scam them, it’s about you and your brand that is damaged. Almost no one does this intentionally. Be sure you budget enough money to do what you say you are going to deliver. There are a lot of hidden costs to doing crowd funding.

 

Dr. Letitia Wright is America’s Crowd Funding Strategist and has created a video series for those who are about to start crowd funding. You can access these videos at www.acflife.com

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So….Who’s Gonna Pay For That?

The Money is Already Here! It has not left the planet.

Contrary to popular belief and the financial doom and gloom stories you here on the news, Money HAS NOT left the planet. The biggest objection I hear from people working with me is, “I would love to, but I don’t have the money”. AND I know it is the biggest struggle you have when landing clients, as well. Out of all the objections for people to get the help, support, coaching, or consulting they need, money is the biggest. I have spent a lot of time finding ways to coach people into reality. The reality is two things:

1) We always have the money to do the things we REALLY want to do.
2) You always get exactly what you need when you need it.

If you believe Universal Truths of Abundance you will know the money is always there. Now, I do know some people do not know where to look for the money and that is where I come in. I thought it would be very helpful to share this with you for two reasons:

First, you might be telling yourself you can’t get the support you need because YOU don’t have the money.

Maybe this will help.

Secondly, it will help you in speaking to clients who say they don’t have the money.

So, here we go – 10 ways to get the money you need every time!

1) Business Loan. There are many small lending institutions (especially locally owned banks) that want to help finance small business because the  entrepreneurs are doing well in this economy.

2) “Business Loan.” This is what I call a job or part time job. I think if you TRULY believe in your dream then you must do whatever necessary to realize that dream. A stream of income will help you go from NEEDING clients to wanting clients. And do not look at it as a job – it is a business loan to fuel your start up.

3) 401ks and other investments. Your accountant will probably tell you this is a horrible idea but is very possible to used some of your retirement as seed money. That money can definitely be used to grow your business. With so many retirement accounts shrinking with the craziness in the market be very aware that one very good investment you could make is an investment in YOU. There are even ways to roll the funds into your business with NO penalties.

4) Low Interest Rate Credit Cards. We have a really messed up view of credit in this country. Debt has been made to seem evil (I could go on for days about this), but good debt is a very useful tool. In fact when structured properly business credit cards will not show up on your personal credit report so there’s no negative impact to your FICO score for having to much debt.  Good debt is debt you incur to finance a project or dream that will give you a return on investment and you have a plan to pay it back. You are using it to learn, grow, and develop to bring in revenue from your business. No one really blinks at student loan debt, but we all get nuts when we, say, put a coaching program or mentor on a credit card. What’s the difference? There isn’t – at all! One has just been conditioned by society to be okay. Check out the Cash Flow & Capital Secrets course.

5) Got Junk? I have had clients (actually right now) finance their dreams by selling gold, putting cool stuff on ebay, or selling a car they no longer wanted or needed. David Neagle, first financed his dream by selling a boat. Suzanne Evans spent a year selling yard sale finds on ebay to pay for a vacation AND her coaches. See how creative you can get?

6) Get Started NOW! Many of you are waiting to have everything perfect or in place to get clients and make money. I guarantee you know enough now to start working with people. Maybe you will have an introductory rate or special for the first 5 clients you work with, but there is no need to wait. You can start making money now!

7)The Bank of Friends and Family. Many times friends and family are happy to help and will charge you a much lower interest or no interest. If you are in the UK, Australia or South Africa, Richard Branson has made this very easy with www.virginmoney.com He has created a program that helps friends and family create loans and have tracking, accountability, and make them professional and organized. He calls them social loans. Crowd Funding is a more widely used term.

8) Make a Cash Flow Change. Look at your full budget and spending – I have never seen one person or family that didn’t have something they could tweak to find money for their business. Is there a tweak that could be made to your daily spending? Hobby spending? Where is there waste in your weekly budget?  Are there services you haven’t used in 60 days or longer that you pay for every month? If so, cancel them. You can always start them again if you need them in the future. It can be amazing how easy it is to find $100 or more a week with small changes.

9) Apply For a Home Equity Line of Credit. Some banks offer home equity lines of credit that let you borrow up to as much as 85% of the appraised value of your home. Depending on the value of your home and what you still owe in other mortgages, that can put a significant chunk of money at your disposal for starting your business. The downside: you’re putting your home at risk. This is not an option for everyone, but it is a great option for some. Always understand your risk and all the details.

10) Make The Decision. You or your clients do not need the money for coaching /mentoring/support until they make the decision to get support and play a bigger game. Anything is possible when you make a decision. Many people think they have made a decision, but here are the facts. A decision is ONLY when there are no other options. There is no failure or stopping buckets to put your balls in. You do whatever it takes. And you will get the support you need to make it happen because when you decide, heaven moves to support that decision.

There is divine provision waiting to fund your dream! Heaven is ready to move on your behalf. The money is already here!

Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?

No problem! But here’s what you MUST include:

Shameca Tankerson, is a Speaker, Trainer, Author, and Cash Flow Success Mentor to entrepreneurs and service professionals. Using a proven system, she opens a candid dialogue about money that teaches her clients how to breakthrough to their next income level and expand into a cash flowing business with a new collaborative business model that is liberating, Inspiring and Powerful.  To Get your F.R.E.E. “Spark Your Cash Flow Financial Success Kit”  – Making Room For Money: 5 Financial Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make That Sabotage Their Cash Flow (And How To Avoid Them). Visit: http://www.MakingRoomForMoney.com

Unlimited Funding This Coming Wednesday

This Wednesday is going to change how you look at funding your business forever.

http://cashflowandcapitalsecretsmichelle.simplelander.com/

Hint:  It has nothing to do with lists, nothing to do with business plans, having a big business, or perfect credit;  and nothing to do with you walking into a bank at all.

In fact, you are about to learn how to get the money you need to do what you do best and take your business to the next level.

Meaning? Your Funding Problems are FINALLY REALLY OVER!

You need to be at on this call if you:

1)   Are short on cash and can’t find money to start or grow your business quickly

2)  Don’t know where or how to get the cash

3)  Feel sick because you lost out on a great opportunity to sponsor and event and watched as other business owners took the opportunity and put profits in their pockets

4)  Lack the confidence to raise money

5)  Are frustrated and feel stuck

Wednesday April 18th at

6 p.m. PST

7 p.m. MST

8 p.m. CST

9 p.m. EST

Get Your Spot Here:

http://cashflowandcapitalsecretsmichelle.simplelander.com/

In this 90 minute call, I’ll open the door for you to receive an unlimited amount of money for your business – so you can finally kiss these problems goodbye:

1) No Cash

2) Losing out on lucrative business opportunities

3)  Maxing out and Paying high interest rates on personal credit cards

4) Using Up Your Savings and Retirement Accounts

Were going to show you how to get in under the normal business lending radars and get exclusive, fast-pass access to funding for all your business needs (without ever having to walk into a bank).

Looking forward to it,

Shameca

P.S. This strategy has made all the difference in the world in my clients’ business.  Now you can do the same.  Get registered and we’ll see you Wednesday night:

http://cashflowandcapitalsecretsmichelle.simplelander.com/

 

Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine?

No problem! But here’s what you MUST include:

Shameca Tankerson, is a Speaker, Trainer, Author, and Cash Flow Success Mentor to entrepreneurs and service professionals. Using a proven system, she opens a candid dialogue about money that teaches her clients how to access unlimited business capital,  breakthrough to their next income level and expand into a cash flowing business with a new collaborative business model that is liberating, Inspiring and Powerful.  To Get your F.R.E.E. “Spark Your Cash Flow Financial Success Kit”  – Making Room For Money: 5 Financial Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make That Sabotage Their Cash Flow (And How To Avoid Them). Visit: http://www.MakingRoomForMoney.com

Are You Really Ready to Quit Your Day Job

Business startup funding is an absolutely critical element in launching a successful business.  If you assess your personal and business expenses, eliminate the extras where possible, and asequately plan for sources of alternate capital then you should be able to secure adequate business startup funding.

Business startup funding is always a huge worry.  Do I have enough money to start? Can I quit my job to concentrate full time?  Will I be able to cover my monthly expenses?
   
When the time comes to actually launch your business you must have done your homework regarding your business startup funding needs.  The truth is you need to be prepared so that if the opportunity to accelerate your launch presents itself, you’re ready.  
   

Assess Your Personal Finances

Take  out your checkbook and credit card statements and review all of your personal expenses.  Total up your personal expenses. Have you ever heard the saying, “how we do one thing, is how we do everything”?  If your personal check book is out of whack, chances are your business check book will look the same.  If managing finances is not a strong suite, then you may want to outsource that part of your business.  That will be an additional expense you will need to account for.  
   
Take Inventory of your personal credit.  If all three credit scores are not above 720 or you have high balances on your credit cards, you have work to do.  Develop a plan to pay your balances down and begin taking steps towards improving your credit.  Get educated and learn as much as possible about how these areas affect your ability to get funding.

Evaluate Your Business Expenses

Another element of business startup funding is your minimum business expenses.  Luckily, coaching, consulting, and service based businesses are  not a capital intense ventures.  You will have business expenses to cover though, so you must analyze what those are and figure them into your business startup funding needs.

Do the Math

Total up your personal and business monthly expenses. To launch a successful business you need to have at least six months of cash in the bank OR an alternative source of affordable capital.  Many people won’t have 6 months cash to cover their business startup funding needs.  If this is you, you will need to find, or keep, a job.  

   
Securing adequate business startup funding is one of the most challenging aspects of launching a small business.  You don’t want to minimize its importance though.  Inadequate business startup funding is at the root of many business failures.  

   
The Bottom Line on Business Startup Funding

 Having enough business startup funding means being prepared and applying to all the funding you need early.  You have to know where your money will be  going and have enough to cover 6 months of expenses.  Be really clear on this. There are plenty of practical ways and opportunities of securing the funding you need. There is money available you just need to learn how to get it.