[Funding Guidebook for Practitioners #9] A Guide for Makers Feeling Lost After Securing Funding

 PlanBro, an official wadiz partner, has published
<FUNDING Guidebook for Practitioners>,
we’ll share post-funding know-how

Be sure to keep this in mind!

• Small brands should use funding to build a fan base for their brand.
• Create special moments in the customer journey and turn customers into fans.
• Efficient growth is only possible when you build relationships with customers that go beyond sales.
  

What does “successful funding” mean to you? Most of you would probably say it’s a funding campaign that raises a high amount. 
Of course, the higher the total raised, the better. I, too, do my best to achieve a high funding total during the project period. 

However, you can’t judge true success based solely on the funding amount. 
Unless you plan to shut down your business after this funding campaign, there are other metrics that are just as important—or even more important—than the funding amount. 

How many fans have we gained?

What a maker ultimately needs to gain through funding isn’t “revenue.” It’s “fans” who will passionately love and cheer for our brand’s products in the future. 
Although large corporations often use funding platforms these days, they are actually a stage designed for small brands. It’s a place where brands go to showcase new products and reach new target customers they haven’t encountered before.

For small brands, a dedicated fanbase that strongly trusts the brand is more important than a large number of new customers. 
Most customers forget about the brand that made the product after they’ve purchased it. But fans are different. 

When people become fans of a brand,

• Customers remember the brand name that created the product. 
• Based on positive memories, they recommend the brand to friends and acquaintances. 
• They always stay up to date on the brand’s news. 
• When new products are released, they’re quick to open their wallets. 

For a small brand just entering the market, a funding platform is a stage where, free from any preconceptions (such as brand awareness, shopping rankings, or existing user reviews), it can turn customers into fans through sheer effort alone. To borrow wadiz’s terminology, it’s an opportunity to meet “supporters.” 

The Path After Funding Ends 

Early in this guide, I compared a crowdfunding project to a “journey.” Do you remember? 
So far, we’ve explored practical tips for achieving success by refining the path where “funding” is the destination. 

Social media ads or in-platform ads or thumbnails (exposure, hooking) → Story introduction (immersion, emotion) 
→ Story’s Second Half (Persuasion, Evidence) → Funding 

Up to this point, every maker attempting a funding campaign does their best. However, makers who continue to grow even after the campaign doesn’t stop here. 
They meticulously map out the path beyond the funding campaign to turn customers into fans. In fact, it’s more accurate to say they’ve been preparing for this phase even before the funding campaign begins.

Funding → Waiting → Shipping → Unboxing → Use → Personal Evaluation → Decision to Repurchase or Recommend

The more meticulously we design positive experiences along the journey our backers will take during the funding process, the more likely they are to become our fans. 

How to Turn Customers into Fans 

In an era where the quality of products and services has reached a high standard, customers won’t become brand fans just because a product is “satisfactory.” 
Receiving a high-quality product when you pay for it is now a given. What is expected doesn’t leave a lasting impression. 

People remember special moments—moments that are unexpected. The special moments a brand creates make customers remember the brand for longer. 
If those memories are positive, customers’ fondness and trust in the brand grow. Once enough fondness and trust have been built up, customers become fans of that brand.

How can you create special moments for customers? Here’s a simple method to help you come up with ideas.

1. First, write down how most makers approach each stage of the customer journey.

2. Describe the results of those actions from the customer’s perspective.  

3. Think about what you can do to enhance the customer’s experience. 
*It would be great if our brand’s philosophy and personality come through here.

Most companies simply meet people’s expectations. If they do just enough to meet those expectations, they’ll at least avoid criticism. 
But if you go just a little bit further, you can create something special. 

Why not create that sense of specialness during the “wait”—the first stage of the journey after funding? 
Wadiz supporters go through two periods of waiting after funding launches: once until funding ends, and again until their order is shipped. 
Think about the special touches we can offer during these two waiting periods. It doesn’t have to be anything grand. Even small, special touches, when accumulated little by little throughout each journey, can add up to something truly special. 

<WAITING Until the Funding Ends>

1. Most makers host events during the funding period to attract new customers through News.

2. Existing backers are exposed only to updates that don’t apply to them.  

3. Why not create a communication channel with customers who have already participated in the funding campaign to hear their voices? 
Ask them how they plan to use the product, if there’s anything they found lacking when they first encountered the Story, 
or if there are any specific requests they’d like us to address (such as split shipments or special bundles not included in the Rewards).

<The Wait Until Delivery>

1. Most makers begin shipping immediately after the funding campaign ends, just like a regular online store.

2. The first contact a customer receives after making a funding payment is likely to be from the shipping carrier.

3. Why not reach out to supporters first via text message or KakaoTalk—even without going through wadiz? 
You could send a message announcing that shipping has begun, along with information on how to use the product or tips from the maker to build anticipation. 

The same applies to the journey that follows. 
From the moment a customer first receives the product, to the moment they open the package, to the moment they use it for the first time, and even to the moments that follow as they use it several more times over time. 
Brands that design these small, special touches to make customers remember them—and those that don’t—will ultimately take completely different paths.

Which of these two brands will achieve more efficient growth with less marketing spend? 

Focus on building “relationships,” not just sales!

If we focus solely on generating sales, customers will only go as far as making a purchase—or they may not even make a purchase at all. 
If we focus on gaining fans, we can win over customers’ hearts. This applies not only to funding campaigns but also to future business and marketing efforts. 

Those who are blinded by sales and stop at nothing to push customers to buy will only experience a brief surge in revenue before fading away. 
Those who generate revenue by consistently building relationships with customers grow steadily alongside their fans.

Building relationships is not something that can be achieved overnight. That’s why solid growth takes time. 
Don’t be swayed by the temptation of those who tout all sorts of flashy skills and techniques, promising rapid growth. 
If you listen to your customers and maintain good relationships with them, the day will surely come when your brand is held up as an example of solid, sustainable growth.

Makers, check out the services you need! 

• Learn how to start a wadiz project
• View [Maker Events] Available Now
• Watch [Wadiz Funding Lectures] led by funding experts
• Launch a project with a [wadiz Expert Partner]
  
  

Post PlanBro Edited by Oh Seo-young