While crowdfunding was originally intended to help fund new business ideas, it has branched out and is available for many personal causes as well. While you may have heard of crowdfunding to cover the cost of a medical emergency or a recent home repair necessity, you may not have considered the new concept of crowdfunding your divorce. A divorce can be expensive, especially if there is a drawn out legal battle or if a person is leaving an abusive spouse. If you need financial assistance to cover the cost of your divorce, you might consider a crowdfunding campaign. Below are five tips to make your campaign more successful.
Get Specific With Your Requests
When you create your campaign, refrain from simply stating the total amount of money you will need to cover the expenses for your divorce. Instead, break it down by specific costs. For example, include the cost of renting a new apartment or the specific lawyers fees you expect to pay during your custody battle. Or perhaps include the cost of a specific vehicle you intend to purchase if you previously shared a vehicle with your spouse. This will allow people to see that you intend to spend the money they are giving you responsibly. It can also help you develop a concrete plan and budget for starting your life after your divorce.
Don't Be Afraid to Get Personal
Going through a divorce can be an emotionally difficult time, and you may not want to open up about your current situation on a public web page. However, sharing some of your current emotional challenges will help people make a connection with you and may garner you more support. You do not have to go into great detail, but you may wish to mention if you are currently in counseling or if you left an abusive relationship. Or you may wish to highlight the relationship you currently have with your children that you are trying to protect through custody proceedings.
Concentrate On Your Future, Not Your Past
While it may be tempting to complain about your past or your ex-spouse, you should spend the majority of your campaign material focusing on your plans for your future. Concentrating on your past too much can alienate mutual friends who you shared with your spouse. However, showing a plan for the future can make people want to support you more. For example, if you are raising funds to return to school after your divorce, people may be more supportive of your plan than if you are simply raising money to prove to your ex that you don't need them.
Decide Who You Will Ask For Support
In general, if you can direct more people who you know personally to your crowdfunding page, you will receive more funding. However, you may want to be careful about who you inform about your crowdfunding campaign. For example, you may not want mutual friends or your ex-in-laws to know about your crowdfunding campaign. Also, if your church is not supportive of divorce, you may not want to seek campaign supporters there.
Before you release your page, make a plan for who you want to inform and who you would rather not know about your campaign. This way, you can let your friends and family know if your campaign can be shared or should be kept private.
Find Creative Ways to Thank Supporters
Many crowdfunding supporters appreciate a small token of appreciation in return for their gift. Although you may not be able to afford extravagant gifts, you can come up with creative, inexpensive thank-you gifts for various levels of support. For example, you may be able to cook dinner for supporters or send a hand-written postcard to them.
Crowdfunding your divorce may seem like a strange concept at first. However, it can be a great way for friends and family to show their support and help you through a difficult time. So keep these tips in mind and start researching the best personal crowdfunding sites to use.
