Week #1 of Our Campaign Complete: Lessons Learned
Posted: February 1, 2014 Filed under: My Crowd Funding Campaign | Tags: advertising campaigns, carved in grain, carving, crowd funding, decorations, displays, furniture, indiegogo, plaques, signs, wood, wood carving, woodworking Leave a commentWell, its been a long time since I’ve spent so much time on my computer. Keeping up promotion activity is a lot of work over many social networks. We did have a slower than anticipated start for our launch, but we have a few more advertising campaigns coming into play soon, so we aren’t losing faith yet! Here is what I’ve learned from this experience so far.
1. Don’t assume anything! When building a campaign, there are many factors that you have to consider: who is your target audience for your product, who will be most receptive to your campaign and would want to help out and/or contribute. Being that I’m an Army Veteran, I thought that communities that support Veterans starting their own businesses would be a prime target for advertising the campaign. The calculation that I didn’t put into the equation is that these communities are usually sponsored by organizations that are specifically set up for the purpose of helping Vets become entrepreneurs. The organizations that I researched before starting the campaign that I gathered contact information for, I neglected to contact until my campaign launch announcement.
What I found was a lot of non-response regarding the assistance/permission I was looking for to help promote to their following. At first I was getting frustrated, but when I sat back and looked at it from their point of view, these are organizations that rely on contributions to run their operations. Advertising for, or allowing a campaign to advertise within their network can divert funding from their project to another entity. It’s most likely a conflict of interest. So, if you are a Veteran that is trying to start a crowdfunding campaign, talk to these organizations first before launch, so you know what to anticipate. I did get some very positive feedback and assistance from a few organizations after launch, such as VSBAF, Veteran Ventures, and Command Your Business (Links below).
2. More and more social media pages, groups, websites are establishing rules specifically targeting crowdfunding campaigns and refusing to allow posting on their sites advertising your campaign. Make sure you check all the rules of any particular site before you launch so you can keep an accurate list of those who will allow you to promote, and those who will not. Crowd Funding is still a gray area for many sites. You are asking for contributions, but you are not a non-profit organization. You might be a business, but if your not actively selling a product for purchase, then you don’t qualify to be listed on most sites that allow you to post your products for sale. Contact the moderators to see where you fit in with them. If you do have a product to sell while you are crowdfunding, then advertise your product, and just make sure that the link that leads customers to that product also has a visible campaign message as well.
3. Regardless of how the campaign turns out in the end, as long as you are actively participating in pushing your campaign out, the one thing you will guarantee to receive is exposure. While communicating with the public, I’ve already had people asking me if I can make a specific product for them after launch, I’ve gotten an invitation to a craft show, I’ve drastically increased my followers on Facebook, any of which can be a potential sale when I start advertising the start of production. Campaigns are free advertising all over the internet. Just look at it from that point of view so you won’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t go well.
So, in conclusion. Although having a rough start, and a slower than anticipated contribution level, I do feel like we’ve come a long way in promoting our business, and I know good things will transpire from that exposure. If you have any questions, comment below, and I’ll do my best to answer them!
It is the mission of Veterans Small Business Association Foundation (VSBAF.ORG) to help our veterans build and own a business of their own.
Command Your Business Podcast interviews successful Entrepreneurs and Senior Business Leaders who have served in the Militaries throughout the world. Find out what they learned serving in the Armed Forces and how you can use it to Command Your Business!
Transitioning Veterans to Entrepreneurs and Supporting Veteran Business Professionals.
~Strength Through Adversity
DOWN BUT NOT OUT: DISABLED VET REINVENTS HIMSELF
Posted: January 25, 2014 Filed under: Press Releases | Tags: carved in grain, carving, crowd funding, decorations, displays, furniture, indiegogo, plaques, signs, wood, wood carving, wood working Leave a commentDOWN BUT NOT OUT: DISABLED VET REINVENTS HIMSELF
Suffering from a rare muscular disorder, former Army medic reevaluates his capabilities, starts his own business.
(Saint Robert, Missouri-January 25, 2014) All across the country, millions of people suffer from a wide range of rare diseases, some of which are disabling, while many others proving fatal. Many of these inflictions remain elusive as to their cause, and due to their complexity, results in a lack of understanding of how they attack the body. This leaves many patients with no effective treatments or cures. According to NORD (National Organization of Rare Disorders), “In the U.S., a disease is considered rare if it is believed to affect fewer than 200,000 Americans. There are approximately 6,800 such diseases… they affect nearly 30 million Americans or almost 1 in 10 people”. SGT Louis Colasanti, a former medic for the U.S. Army, is one of these Americans. He suffers from a disease known as Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome, leaving his muscles weak and fatigued, while causing him constant cramping in his extremities.
SGT Colasanti’s condition forced him into medical retirement in September, 2013, since he could no longer maintain his physical military standards. He was also left with a dilemma; he was no longer strong enough to qualify for civilian positions related to his training as an EMT and a physical therapy tech. “On its own, the transition from the military to civilian life can be challenging for a great number of people” says SGT Colasanti. “When service disabled vets make that transition, there are sometimes even greater barriers before them due to the fact that their skills and training that they would normally put into their resumes, are now beyond their physical capabilities, forcing them to have to make a brand new start.” For many disabled vets, this can be a disheartening reality.
After evaluating the difficulties that faced him, SGT Colasanti decided to take his separation from the military and turn it into an opportunity. “I needed to take another look at my skills, my hobbies, my passions, and determine what I was still capable of regardless of my limitations”. Before joining the Army, SGT Colasanti had spent many years learning art, computer design, and 3D graphics. Later in life, SGT Colasanti and his wife Marilyn began delving into woodworking and wood carving. “I really got to enjoy working with wood, and especially enjoyed the concept of wood carving” says SGT Colasanti. “Unfortunately, I could not work for long periods of time without my hands cramping up on me, preventing me from using that passion to start a new career. Then, I found my answer.”
SGT Colasanti began researching CNC wood carving machines. These machines utilize computer software to create a 3D image which can be transferred to the CNC machine. The CNC machine will interpret this model and carve out these images into wood, creating very intricate 3D designs. “For me, it’s the best of both worlds. I can utilize my computer design and 3D modeling skills to create elaborate designs and allow the machine to transfer these images into wood without having my muscle problems get in the way of the finished product”. Thus, Carved In Grain, LLC was formed. SGT Colasanti has started a crowd funding campaign to help finance the expense of the equipment and programming required to produce his product. Crowd funding is a means of pitching your business plan to the general public in the hopes of finding contributors to help you reach your financial goals. In return for contributions, campaigns offer “perks”, which are products and/or services offered in return for the contribution. “My personal goal is to reach my funding goal by February 28, 2014, which is Rare Disease Day”.
Rare Disease Day is a worldwide event to help bring about awareness regarding rare diseases. According to RareDiseaseDay.org, “The main objective of Rare Disease Day is to raise awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients’ lives.” Originally starting back in 2008 by EURORDIS and its Council of National Alliances, more than 1000 events have occurred around the world. RareDiseaseDay.org welcomes everyone to visit their site and learn how you can help spread the word to your communities.
If SGT Colasanti’s vision becomes a reality, he plans on using Carved In Grain, LLC to produce custom wood carving to both homes and businesses by creating custom made signs, plaques, decorations, and furniture, while building a new life for himself that he will be proud of. SGT Colasanti says that if can build a successful business, he hopes to bring in other disabled vets to train them in new skills that will be more viable for their limitations. If you would like to contribute to the Carved In Grain campaign, or if you would like to share his campaign with others, you can go to http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/carved-in-grain-llc-custom-3d-wood-carving/x/5712866 to read more of the story behind the business. You can also connect with Carved In Grain, LLC on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/carvedingrain
Carved In Grain Crowd Funding Campaign Goes Live!
Posted: January 25, 2014 Filed under: My Crowd Funding Campaign Leave a commentToday is the day. We have launched our new crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo.com. We’re excited and nervous about this campaign because it is the first time we’ve attempted something like this. I’ll be posting periodic updates as to how the campaign is going, as well as what I’ve done to help and try to get the word out. You can view our active campaign at anytime by clicking on the “Carved In Grain Indiegogo Campaign” image to the right.
Please take some time to check it out and tell me what you think!
Carving Out Your World?
Posted: January 21, 2014 Filed under: Carved In Grain Updates | Tags: carved in grain, carving, crowd funding, decorations, displays, furniture, indiegogo, kickstarter, plaques, signs, wood, wood carving, wood working Leave a comment
This is a computer generated concept for displaying stamps. Why not find a unique and creative way to display your passions by adding some flare to your collection displays?
So, what do we mean by that slogan? Although Carved In Grain, LLC will be offering standardized carvings for sale, we want to be able to go the next step for our customers. Perhaps you are a fisherman, and instead of mounting your prize bass on the wall with a standard wooden plaque, you might want an underwater theme carved into the wood, or perhaps you want to display a family photo in a frame carved with the family name and imagery related to where that picture was taken? Or perhaps having that family photo being displayed within a carved family crest (if you have one of those!)?
The point is, that everyone is different. Everyone has their own life experiences. Everyone has their own collections and themes in their homes. It can be difficult sometimes finding pieces that might compliment what you already have. Does a display shelf have to simply be a nicely crafted piece of wood, or can the display shelf have carved out images that incorporate what you want to display? Perhaps you served in the armed forces and you would like a coin or flag display with your unit insignias carved into it. If you like dragons, why can’t your address sign outside have a nicely carved dragon wrapping around your address numbers? We want to help you come up with these solutions by finding out what YOU truly love, and working with you to come up with ideas for your home or business that will truly represent who YOU are.
We’d also love to work with businesses by taking their 2D signs and creating them into 3D pieces of art that they can proudly display inside or outside their business.
We still have a little bit of work left to do to put everything in motion, but as things come together, we’ll keep you all updated on all the new products we will be able to offer!
We look forward to serving you soon!
Louis Colasanti
Owner of Carved In Grain, LLC
https://plus.google.com/u/0/118351386962281850605?rel=author
The Crowd Funding Experience
Posted: January 21, 2014 Filed under: My Crowd Funding Campaign | Tags: carved in grain, carving, crowd funding, indiegogo, kickstarter, wood, wood carving, wood working Leave a comment
Our Crowd Funding Campaign should launch on Indiegogo.com on January 25 2014. Like us here, on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter for updates!
For those of you who have never heard of Crowd Funding, or have never dove into the Crowd Funding world before (like me), I will tell you that it is an eye opening experience. Crowd Funding is a means of raising capital for a business start up, business expansion, to fund artistic projects such as movies, music, painting, and so much more. With Crowd Funding, you put together a campaign as to why you want to raise money and use that campaign to sell your idea to the general public in hopes of getting public contributions to reach your funding goal. In return for these contributions, you establish different levels of “perks” to give to the contributors, based on contribution levels that you set. For example, if you have a band, and you are trying to raise money to record your album, for a $5 contribution you might put up that persons name on your band’s “Thank You” page for their contribution. But, if they offer up $25 dollars, you might offer to send them a completed CD or digital download.
Sounds pretty easy, right? Well, that was until I started researching more in depth about why some campaigns succeed, and why some fail. Preparation for a campaign takes a lot of work, and some good community support. Building the campaign page on Crowd Funding sites (such as Indiegogo or Kickstarter for example) is a crucial part. When people look at your page, they have to believe in you, believe in what you are trying to accomplish, and truly feel that their contribution is going towards something great (great doesn’t have to be BIG, but something that means something to them, as well as to you). Researching other campaigns in these sites that have both succeeded and failed is very important. What kind of information did these campaigns highlight, and what did they neglect to express? Did they include a video pitch for their product or ideas? Did they include imagery that caught the eye, or was it just a big wall of text? Did they justify their financial goal? If you want $20,000 for your project, what is that money going towards? If people think you are being unrealistic, chances are they will move on. Break down the costs and how you got to that number. Make it realistic and believable so that possible contributors feel you are legit.
One of the most important aspects beyond your page, no matter how fabulous it might be, is your friends and family. Of course, not everyone you know and love can afford to donate big bucks to your campaign, but if you can’t even attract some of them to be excited to help you out, why would a total stranger? Whether friends and family can or cannot donate funds is only a part of how they can help. Your campaign needs exposure. Sure, I can share my campaign on my Facebook page, or send out a tweet, but I need that announcement to keep running past my wall. Take time before you launch your campaign to find people that you know for sure will be a part of your message. Have a group of people standing by so that when the big release happens, they will share that release on their walls, that they are re-tweeting to their followers, that they are sharing it in their blogs, and make sure they are requesting that their friends help share the word.
In all honesty, you can go to a Crowd Funding site and set up a campaign in a day and hit the launch button. But, just like any other business plan, it’s the pre-campaign work that will make or break you. Even with all that work, there is still no guarantee for success, but you want to give your project the best chance possible at succeeding. I’ll be posting some updates after my launch as to how things are going, and in the end, I’ll do my best to point out my own successes and failures through the campaign.
Carved In Grain, LLC 
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