How to Utilize Crowdfunding & Donations in Your Business

By Kelly Forst August 11, 2021

Whether you want to leave behind your 9-5 or earn a little extra from a side hustle, there are so many creative ways to make money these days.

You already know all about selling products and services from your landing page.

Maybe you’ve considered setting up a membership service and selling subscriptions.

Or maybe you’ve set up payment plans to allow your customers to pay in installments. 

But, have you considered crowdfunding and donations?

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a means of raising funds for a specific project, business or product through small financial contributions made by a large number of people — usually friends, family, fans, followers and others — before launch.

Ultimately, crowdfunding is a means of providing financial support for a venture or entrepreneurial cause you believe in, and helps the creator achieve their goals.

These small financial contributions can either be donations or up-front payments for early access to the product or service. Some entrepreneurs even offer rewards for those who contribute to their project. 

Traditionally, business owners who wanted to tap into crowdfunding as a means of capital investment turned to sites like Kickstarter, GoFundMe or Indiegogo. However, using AWeber Landing Pages, you can set up a crowdfunding campaign right from your own landing page.

What does a crowdfunding landing page look like?

Take a look at the crowdfunding landing page template that AWeber’s professional designers put together for you to use:

Let’s break down what this template does well:

• Provides a space for the creator to share their story, building empathy and connection between the supporter and the creator
• Transparently explains the risks and challenges that they will face launching their project, making it clear what the crowdfunded money will go toward
• Provides a space to answer frequently asked questions and address any concerns from potential backers up front
• Clearly lays out the different tiers of support available and what the backer will receive if they fund up to a certain amount
• Explicitly states when the project will launch to set expectations on when the backer can expect to see the fruits of their funding pay off

Want to use this template? Get started by selecting the “Crowdfunding” template right inside your AWeber account!

Why should I accept donations?

Another means of financial support from fans and followers come in the form of donations.

Many creators accept donations from their loyal fans and followers. Those who love the creator’s helpful content often want to give back and find a way to support their meaningful work. Donations are an easy means for those who see value from your work to support you. 

Historically, creators took donations through sites like Buy Me a Coffee — but now you can set up similar donations right on your landing page.

See how we created a landing page (in this case for podcasters) to easily accept donations toward the podcast: 

What this landing page does well:

• Clean and simple design introduces the podcast topic and includes an embedded clip where new visitors can hear first-hand about your show
• Simple sign up for for the newsletter that sets expectations about what subscribers will receive
• A clean and nicely designed box to support the podcast with different donation tiers
• It includes a space to write a brief blurb about the creator, and social media buttons so visitors can easily follow

Want this designed landing page? Copy it into your AWeber account now!

Earn money with AWeber when you create a landing page today

Crowdfunding and donations are not the only ways to make money with AWeber. You can collect one-time payments, set up recurring payments via payment plans, or even sell memberships and subscription services.
Learn more about ways to earn with AWeber today.