An equity crowdfunding campaign gives founders an opportunity to promote their business to potential investors who can potentially change the future of a business or brand.
When embarking on an equity crowdfunding campaign, there are a number of different elements to consider to increase your chance of success. Of all these elements, a well-created campaign video is one of the most important. But what does that mean? Here are some points to consider when scripting out, and producing, an equity crowdfunding video, along with some practical examples of Seedrs-funded campaign videos to bring the tips to life.
Clearly outline what the business does within the first 15 seconds
Every founder would have heard the term ‘elevator pitch’ – a short amount of time in which to convey what the business does and its USP. Use this elevator pitch right at the beginning of your video in order to pique viewers’ interest; you can then build upon this strong start in the rest of the video.
Let your brand’s personality shine through
Every company has it’s own unique style, and conveying that through your video is a great way to differentiate your brand from competitors and other videos on the platform. This may be done in editing, production or in scripting, but it’s important to make sure that the brand’s essence shines through.
Promote your business’s successes
Beyond the emotional appeal of your startup, having concrete evidence of what your business has achieved will give an extra layer of credibility to your potential investors. Presenting awards you have won, recent client wins, press coverage or positive revenue figures are just a couple of ways in which you can do this.
Utilise other people outside of the business
Much like the previous point, having people from outside of your business will further validate your idea to viewers. Interviewing external influencers such as current clients, VC’s who have backed your business or others in the industry who see value in your business will likely increase the chances of gaining investment.
Ensure your video flows well
Much like a movie or TV show, your video should seamlessly flow from shot to shot. Too many cutaways can be distracting or annoying, and they will restrict the amount of information you are able to convey throughout your video. Try scripting out a story in advance of shooting to ensure that you’re telling the right story to investors.
There are a lot of resources online which can help you with this; alternatively you can hire a professional videographer or ask your team members to be a part of the process – they know the story well!
Utilise graphics as visual aids
Even the simplest business concept can sometimes be hard to convey in a short space of time. With more complex businesses it can be even more challenging. Incorporating visual imagery within your video will make it simpler to convey the more technical aspects of your startup, ensuring that viewers are not left confused. Perhaps use charts to showcase growth, animations to show processes or cartoons to show users what you’re planning.
Show your face!
Just as viewers want to know the personality of a business, they also want to know the personality and vision of the founders and team. Make sure that you are seen within the video, expressing why viewers should invest in your business and expressing the passion you have for growing the company. There is something powerful about showing your enthusiasm, conveying your knowledge and expertise, and diversity of skills sets within your team.
Explain why your business is investable
An interesting idea is great, but an interesting idea which has a chance of making investors a return is far more appealing for viewers. Viewers need to know how you plan to increase the profitability of your business and how they could possibly see a return. This can be done in a number of ways and will largely depend on your own business strategy.
Finish with a strong call to action
If you have followed all of the points listed above then it’s highly likely that your viewers would have made it to the end of your video. This is a great sign, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t finish with a great call to action to ensure they actually invest. In the last 30 seconds of your video, be sure to recap on all the major points of why viewers should invest in your campaign and invite them to be a part of your journey.
Give yourself options
Create different snippets of the video to share on different mediums and for different audiences. Maybe a super-short version for Vine, slightly longer for YouTube, a bit longer for your own website and the final one for Seedrs. And think about shooting multiple videos – one that showcases the investment proposition and business, and the other that showcases the product or brand story.
