Most crowdfunding campaigns are decided before they go live. The money in a successful campaign arrives early, from people the founder had already reached, and that early momentum is what convinces strangers to back it later. A campaign launched to an audience that does not exist yet almost always stalls.
This is a practical playbook for running a campaign. If you are still deciding whether crowdfunding suits your business, or which model to use, start with our guide to how crowdfunding works in South Africa, which covers the models and the legal side.
Six weeks out: build the audience
Treat the weeks before launch as the real campaign. Build an email list and a group of people who have said they will back you on day one: customers, suppliers, friends, your community and anyone who has followed the business. Tell them the launch date in advance and ask them directly to commit.
A useful test: if you cannot name enough committed backers to reach a meaningful share of your target in the first few days, you are not ready to launch.
Set a target you can defend
Work the target out from what the money has to do, not from what would be nice to raise. Most platforms take a fee, and payment processing adds another, so build both into the number. On all-or-nothing platforms an unrealistic target costs you everything, so a smaller, achievable target that you exceed usually beats an ambitious one you miss.
Cost every reward before you set the tiers
Reward campaigns can fail after they succeed. The common trap is discovering, once the money is in, that each reward costs more to make, pack and deliver than the pledge that paid for it. Before you publish a tier, cost:
- Production of the item itself
- Packaging and printing
- Courier or postage, including to outlying areas
- Platform and payment fees on the pledge
Keep the number of tiers small. Every extra tier adds a product line you have to deliver.
During the campaign: keep the momentum visible
Campaigns usually slow in the middle. Plan updates in advance so there is something new to share every few days: a production milestone, a new supporter, a behind-the-scenes look. Reply to every comment and question quickly, because visible activity reassures people deciding whether to back you.
After it funds: deliver on time
Late delivery to hundreds of backers is a public problem, not a private one, and it is the most common way a funded campaign ends up damaging the brand it was meant to build. Set conservative delivery dates, tell backers early if anything slips, and fulfil in the order people pledged.
Choose the right platform
Platforms differ on fees, all-or-nothing versus keep-what-you-raise rules, and the audience they attract. Our comparison of the top crowdfunding platforms in South Africa sets out the options. If you are considering equity or lending-based crowdfunding, check that the platform is authorised with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, since those models involve regulated activity.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start preparing a crowdfunding campaign?
Several weeks before launch. Building an audience and securing advance commitments is what makes the first days succeed.
How do I set a crowdfunding target?
Work back from what the money must pay for, then add platform and payment fees. An achievable target you exceed beats an ambitious one you miss.
What is the biggest mistake with reward tiers?
Not costing production, packaging, delivery and fees before setting the pledge amount, so rewards end up costing more than they raised.
How do I keep a campaign going in the middle weeks?
Plan regular updates in advance and respond quickly to backers’ comments and questions.
What happens if delivery runs late?
Tell backers early and honestly. Late, unexplained delivery is the most common way a funded campaign harms a brand.
Originally published in February 2018. Updated September 2026.
