How to convert your network

One of the strongest tools for your equity crowdfunding campaign is leveraging your professional and personal network to build momentum for the campaign.

Want to send an explainer video to your community on what equity crowdfunding is and how FrontFundr can enable them to be investors in your company? Send them this video.

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Converting you Network 🤝

The great part about reaching out to your network to convert them into investors is that you already have an established relationship with them. We find that it's best to engage your personal and professional network through email, phone, and by LinkedIn.

When sending emails, be sure to be personable and thoughtful in communications. We have outlined seven steps to a great email pitch:

1. Start off with a personal introduction
2. Briefly summarize your elevator pitch
3. Highlight the traction of the business
4. Announce your equity crowdfunding campaign and explain what it means
5. Include a CTA to invest and a link or QR code to the campaign page
6. Attach your pitch deck
7. Let them know how to get in touch

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Through LinkedIn, you can send an InMail with a direct ask for investment or ask if they can share your campaign with those in their network to amplify the network effect.

We've included an example of both an email communication and a LinkedIn InMail for reference below. In the LinkedIn version, Hardbacon kept the message short and succinct. Another great strategy is when the campaign is in private-link, to send messages to those in your network asking for feedback on the video or the campaign page. This can create engagement and enable those in your network to take a look at your campaign materials. Bucha Brew's email does a great job of summarizing the pitch, highlighting the traction, announcing the campaign, and has a CTA at the end to learn more. 

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Why is Leveraging your Network Important? 🤔

Before you publicly list on FrontFundr, you'll need to hit a private-link threshold. In this private link, you'll need to raise a minimum of 20% of your funding target. The objective of this phase is to build momentum for the campaign so when you go live on the platform, there is already traction established, creating a social proof point.

Inviting your friends, family, business associates, and those in your immediate networks both professionally and personally to invest in the private link can create a strong community of brand champions. Using language that emphasizes the opportunity as being "exclusive" for your close network is a huge driver to get in those early investments. You can introduce the page to your network by asking for feedback on your campaign materials, sourcing testimonials, and testing different call-to-actions.

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Activating your Network’s Network 🌎

Once you've converted your network, you want to activate their network. it's Having a network of supporters who can help amplify your company is a great way to capture attention beyond your immediate network.

One strategy we've seen work well in the past is engaging your advisor in an online webinar. Advisors are generally well-regarded and have large circles of connections, enabling them to have a great deal of influence, especially on LinkedIn.

In addition to an interview with your advisor, another path to amplifying your campaign is to ask your network to share news and upcoming events relating to your raise to gain visibility with their networks and help you get in front of a new network.

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Caary had their advisor, Peggy Van de Plassche, host interviews with their CEO, John Mackinlay, and other key team members. It was a great way to leverage everyone's LinkedIn networks in an engaging and collaborative way that created credibility for the investment opportunity.

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Mastrius had a well-known industry figure and potential investor sit down in a Q&A to answer anticipated questions and create a conversation around the opportunity. While it wasn't necessarily an advisor hosting the webinar, having someone well-known in the industry created an opportunity to share the video with larger networks.