Fundraising Tips for Small Businesses

The Best Fundraising Tips for Small Businesses
September 8, 2022 AirFunding Infomations 4 comments

You don’t have to be an expert in raising money for your start-up business. Many people who aren’t financial experts have raised millions of dollars for their business dream. There’s Jan Koum (Whatsapp), Howard Schultz (Starbucks), Oprah Winfrey, Ralph Lauren, Steve Jobs (Apple), and Sam Walton (Walmart) – to name a few.

Whether you are raising funds for a new business venture or thinking of expansion on your current one, several fundraising techniques will help you reach your capital goals. Here are Airfunding tips to get you started.

Tips for Raising Money for your Start-Up

1. Start with a plan.

Before asking for money, make sure you have thought through what you need and why you need it. It is important to think about what you would do with the money once you receive it. Having a plan makes possible investors or supporters believe that the money they sent is worth every penny. Be prepared. If you are going to ask for money, make sure your pitch is ready. That means having a clear message, a compelling story, and a well-written proposal.

The best way to do this is to make a list. Write down everything you will need to raise money for your crowdfunding campaign. Check out Yazmin Atencio from Mexico and how she listed all the materials her business needs. Her detailed description of where the money will be used helped her raise $711 in two months.

2. Reach out to your network.

Reaching out doesn’t only mean asking for money from your family or friends. You can reach out to them to get advice as well. Find out what other entrepreneurs like you are doing to raise funds. Don’t wait for the money to come to you. Be active in finding creative ways to raise money through the help of others. That is literally how crowdfunding works!

Building a strong team to work with helps a lot. A good team behind you will help you succeed. They already share your vision and values. They also understand how to work together and be able to communicate effectively. (Bonus tip: join the Airfunding Worldwide Community!)

3. Make them say “Yes!”

Entrepreneurs are known for their being passionate. And, if you are passionate about a business idea, you surely won’t just take no for an answer. If a friend cannot support your fundraising project financially, how about asking them to share your project link instead? A small gesture of sharing your project will come a long way. Offer them a variety of ways to help your small business.

Efren from the Philippines did just that. Through the help of his friends sharing his Airfunding project, he amazingly raised $1,563 in one month!

Олексій from Ukraine did it differently. Instead of making the supporters think they are only donating for business capital, he instead offered to exchange their donations for a cup of coffee. Brilliant, isn’t it? And it helped him raise $614!

4. Receipts.

As you crowdfund your business capital, remember to check in with your current supporters. Providing them updates gives them a little push to donate again. You can do this in different creative ways like a blog, direct message, photo update, or video summary. Sharing these milestones will help you on your crowdfunding journey.

Here’s a guide on how you can provide updates on your Airfunding project.

5. Keep on learning.

Knowledge is right at your fingertips. Many resources online will help you boost your fundraising activity. Learn from different people and sources every now and then. First to check out is Airfunding’s YouTube channel! Learn what crowdfunding is and how Airfunding works through our videos. Get also amazing tips from success stories from around the world.

Ready to start your business?

Sourcing funds will be hard at the start. But crowdfunding will help you take the first steps toward your financial goal. So start your crowdfunding journey today in Airfunding!

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5 Top Crowdfunding Platforms in Japan

5 Top Crowdfunding Platforms in Japan
September 8, 2022 AirFunding Infomations No comments yet

Are your passports ready? Japan joins the movement as one of the economies with active international exchange. The country has recently announced the relaxation of its border controls to boost tourism. The lingering COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect poverty in Japan severely.  Opening the economy to more tourists will boost the economy and bring back livelihood for the Japanese in need.

Why travel to Japan?

Japan is an amazing country full of culture, history, and natural beauty. It has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. From the snowcapped mountains of Hokkaido to the lush green forests of Kyoto, there are so many places to see. One can go from shopping to eating – there is something for everyone. Whatever the reason you may have, one thing is for sure – you need funds to experience the rich culture in Japan!

Crowdfund your travel to Japan

Travel is fun with friends along with you! Did you know you can start the fun when you crowdfund for your travel money? Crowdfunding allows you to raise money for a project or cause with the help of multiple people. They can be your family, travel buddies, or your community. Getting your friends to chip in for your travel is going to be a fun experience and a memorable one.

Top Crowdfunding Platforms in Japan

Now, you would be wondering where to start crowdfunding. Here are the top crowdfunding platforms you can check out to fund your holiday trip or any project in Japan:

For Travel and More

1. Airfunding

KiHeiTai is the company behind Airfunding. They started in the crowdfunding industry by providing people the opportunity to travel to their dream destinations. With the success seen in this space, the company decided to expand more to other types of projects to raise funds through Airfunding. More than 657,000 individuals and organizations have raised funds globally on the platform. Almost 20,000 are related to travel. Others are crowdfunding projects on medical assistance, education fund, business capital, and more.

2. ReadyFor

ReadyFor, like Airfunding, opens its platform to any type of project beyond funding your travel. The only difference is their crowdfunding methods: (1) all or nothing and (2) all in. The first option is available for any project owner. In this method, you need to achieve the goal amount on your fundraiser to receive the donations. Otherwise, supporters get a refund if they go below 100%. The second option is exclusive to registered organizations. It allows them to receive raised donations regardless if they achieve the target amount or not.

Beyond Travel

If you are already in Japan and looking to fund a project, here are other crowdfunding platforms you can check out that are focused on a specific niche:

3. Makuake

Makuake is Japan’s go-to platform for innovation. The platform itself is innovating how crowdfunding works. It allows creators or innovators to crowdfund their business idea while allowing supporters to shop like in an eCommerce marketplace. So if you have this great new idea, pitch it via Makuake.

4. CAMPFIRE

CAMPFIRE boasts itself to be the largest crowdfunding platform in Japan with more than 68,000 projects supported. It plays in the same space as Makuake focusing on crowdfunding for business ideas. What sets CAMPFIRE apart is the holistic experience it provides to its users. Not only do they have a platform to raise funds, but they also encourage further learning to project users with its CAMPFIRE Academy Program.

5. GREEN FUNDING

If you want your fundraiser on a product idea to go a long way, GREEN FUNDING is the right choice for you. The platform utilizes its parent company to promote project ideas to its subsidiaries like Tsutaya Bookstore, Tsutaya Home Appliances, and TSUTAYA stores. But like ReadyFor, GREEN FUNDING uses the all-or-nothing method. It is understandable because of all the benefits they receive in promotions.

Crowdfunding in Airfunding

Airfunding helped countless people and communities around the world. Check out Kate from Kagoshima (raised $7,432) and Shinobu Hasegawa from Hakusan (raised $3,679) who both achieved their financial goals in two months. You can do that too!

Start fundraising for your incredible dream vacation or any project in Airfunding today.

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Fundraising Tools

6 Online Fundraising Tools That Will Help You Raise More
August 25, 2022 AirFunding Infomations No comments yet

Crowdfunding your financial goal is going to be a long journey ahead. In Airfunding, we want to make sure you are not alone in this journey. We understand how difficult it will be for you if you are to do things alone. It is the very opposite of how crowdfunding is. Crowdfunding works best with more people coming together and helping each other achieve the same goal.

That is why we want to share with you fundraising tools that are easy to use and proven to work. Use these tools to effectively raise money through online crowdfunding so you can focus more on what matters most.

Tools to create your fundraising story

1. Airfunding Guide to Writing a Good Crowdfunding Story

Do you have a good cause for your fundraiser but don’t know where to start or how to describe it? Airfunding has created a short video guide with easy-to-follow tips you can use to write your project story. Other tutorial and success story videos are available also on the Airfunding YouTube channel. Check them out to get inspired for your own crowdfunding story.

2. Grammarly

English is the international language for communication, especially in online media. We understand that not all may have the right competency to converse using this language. Grammarly is a free tool that helps you type accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar in English. It also provides suggestions to make your content clear, compelling, and easy to read. The best thing is it works well in Airfunding. Just download their app to your computer or smartphone, and you’re all set.

3. Canva

If you have watched the video we shared above, you already know the importance of including photos in your crowdfunding story. Canva is a space for those with zero experience in photo editing. They have millions of templates you can use to help you express your story better. It has photo editing tools that are easy to use with a few clicks. Videos can also be created in Canva if this would better show what you are fundraising for. You can include videos in your Airfunding project via the Updates section.

4. Airfunding Customer Support

If all else fails, you can always reach out to any of the Airfunding Customer Support to help you publish a crowdfunding campaign for you. Email support@mail.airfunding.ladesk.com with the details of your fundraiser, and the team will take care of it for you! Just make sure you already have a registered account in Airfunding. Not yet? Sign up here!

Tools to raise funds

5. Facebook

Who doesn’t have a Facebook account, right? We’re pretty sure everyone you know is on Facebook. So why not use Facebook as your venue to share about your fundraising activity? They have lots of tools you can use:

✔ Messenger: Sending a personal message to your friends will be more effective. In this way, you get to approach them in a way that you know they would be willing to understand. Remember, no shoe fits all.

✔ Private Group or Public Page: Gathering your supporters in one online community would be easy for you to manage. It will allow you to share updates about your crowdfunding campaign with one post instead of sending individual messages.

6. Google Meet

Sometimes things are better explained in person. However, it would be costly if you travel from city to city to talk to your friends or possible supporters. Video conferencing using Google Meet is a free tool you can use to meet with multiple people at the same time. One hundred people in a conference? Definitely, yes!

Start crowdfunding in Airfunding today!

Whichever tool you are comfortable with using, just go for it. Remember that being passionate about your crowdfunding project is the best tool you already have. Use that passion to have a successful fundraising experience. So take advantage of your passion and start fundraising in Airfunding now!

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Help With Airfunding: Top 5 Crowdfunding Questions

Help With Airfunding: Top 5 Crowdfunding Questions
August 18, 2022 AirFunding Infomations 378 comments

Choosing to crowdfund may take some time and requires lots of information to help in the process. In Airfunding, we want to give you all the help you need at every step of your crowdfunding journey. Here we answer the top questions we receive from project owners worldwide. We hope it will help you too to have a successful fundraising project.

Top 5 Crowdfunding Questions in Airfunding

1. What is Airfunding?

Airfunding is a donation-based online crowdfunding platform with a worldwide presence. More than 653,000 community members have joined in to raise funds in Airfunding. Anyone with a financial need can create a crowdfunding project in Airfunding – medical, business, education, travel, pets, and more.

Through Airfunding, you can raise funds to $1,500 or more and access more than 136,000 supporters from around the globe. All you need is your compelling story, goal amount, and account information where you will receive the raised funds.

2. How to register and create an Airfunding project?

Signing up is easy! All you need is an email address or connect using your Facebook account. Then, go to airfunding.net/login to get started.

Airfunding provides an interface with easy-to-follow instructions. You can also select your preferred language for a better understanding of what to do in each step. Just prepare your project story and photos to add to create your fundraising project. If you want to start now, here’s a guide to creating an Airfunding project.

If you missed a piece of information to be included in your story, don’t fret! You can still edit them as long as you have not received any donations yet. Here’s a guide on how to edit your project after publishing. You can also add them in as updates. Updates give a positive impression to your supporters. It tells them that you are actively working on your project to raise funds.

3. How to receive donations in Airfunding?

Now that you have created your Airfunding project, your next step is finding supporters to fund it. Projects are private at the start of the campaign period. It is a security measure we have put in place against fraudulent activities within our community. We want to make you and your supporters have a safe and enjoyable crowdfunding experience in Airfunding.

Thus, only those who have the link to your project page can view and donate money to it. So, remember to share your project link with family and friends to raise more funds. Follow us on all our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube) to get tips on how to reach your goals.

Supporters can donate using a credit card. For some countries, bank over-the-counter and eWallet donations are accepted. If your supporter is having problems donating, check this guide to find out possible error reasons.

Once you have received support from at least THREE (3) UNIQUE individuals, your project will be reviewed. If eligible, it is upgraded to the Worldwide Stage. On the Worldwide Stage, your project is published on the Airfunding website and can be viewed by anyone, anywhere. You no longer have to worry about having a few friends who can support you. You also get access to the Worldwide Stage community and learn tips from other project owners.

4. I received a donation, but it’s not showing up on my Airfunding project. I am being asked for information about the supporter. What do I do?

Airfunding reviews all donations coming in through our platform. Once we detect that the donation seems suspicious, we immediately investigate to verify the legitimacy of the support. The Fraud Team will ask for information like the supporter’s contact information. It will help them get in touch with the supporter to verify the donation.

If the transaction remains unverified after THIRTY (30) days, the donation will be released to your project funds. You may read all about it from our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

5. How do I receive my funds?

Raised funds are processed for transfer once your project has ended. Partial withdrawal, while your crowdfunding project is ongoing, is no longer available. So if you need your funds sooner, you can request to end your project via email.

All funds will be processed for transfer regardless if you reach your goal amount or not. Note that a minimum amount of $9 must be met for funds to be transferred. Also, funds are subject to an 8% platform fee. If you raised $100, you will receive $92 in your bank account.

Airfunding transfers funds in various methods depending on the country set on your account. To find out which method is available for your account, visit the Bank Transfer Guide upon logging in. Once you’re ready, head over to the Personal Identification settings to verify your account and provide your bank account information. If you get lost, follow this guide to help you.

Need more help?

Airfunding has 24/7 Customer Support to help you any time of the day. You can reach us via email at support@mail.airfunding.ladesk.com. Responses may take 1 to 2 business days (excluding weekends and holidays). You can also check out the Frequently Asked Questions page.

If you’re all set, start crowdfunding in Airfunding today!

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Crowdfunding Platforms in Turkey

5 Top Crowdfunding Platforms in Turkey
August 13, 2022 AirFunding Infomations 2 comments

The participation rate in entrepreneurship by both men and women varies among countries. In Turkey, the gender gap is large where women are at the low end of the stream. Women-owned businesses represent 40% of small to medium enterprises (SMEs). To make things worse, only 15% of these women-owned enterprises have access to capital financing.

Challenges of Turkish Women Entrepreneurs

Despite modernization in the country, women entrepreneurs still have more challenges accessing business know-how and networks than men. These challenges block their business growth and sustainability for years to come.

  • COVID-19 pandemic economic effects. The pandemic affected everything and everyone’s lives – thus, affecting the world economy. It made it even more challenging for businesswomen in Turkey now. They must think about informal competitors, political instability, transportation, corruption, and electricity among others (on top of finding business capital!).
  • Constructed role in Turkish society. The patriarchal social structure in Turkey causes gender discrimination. This household structure type shapes women’s decisions about whether to pursue entrepreneurship or not. If they go with the latter, women often join the labor force as unpaid family workers or occupy lower positions in private companies. It shows their work as less qualified than their male counterparts.
  • Finding business financing. Women-led SMEs are part of a billion-dollar industry in Turkey that financial institutions have not taken advantage of. Turkish women entrepreneurs have little to no support from the public and private institutions. They also have no access to finance their businesses relative to their male counterparts.  This financing challenge imposes a significant obstacle to the growth of female-owned businesses.

Sources of Funding in Turkey

Sources of working capital in Turkey are the same for all businesses regardless of their leadership gender. Internal funds and bank borrowing are the top sources of funding for most SMEs in the country. The third source of funding is supplier financing which is most prominent among women entrepreneurs. It is sector-driven. It is because women-led businesses are more into textile, clothing, and chemical manufacturing.

Finally, borrowing from relatives and crowdfunding is also a source of funding for entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs in Turkey. But what is crowdfunding?

What is Crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a great way to raise funds for anything from a business venture to a personal cause. It is a popular method of raising money in Turkey. Whether you are looking to fund a new business idea, pay for medical treatment, or support a friend or family member, you only have to share the details of it online and receive small donations from a large number of individuals anywhere in the world. So if you are a woman starting a business in Turkey, where can you raise funds online?

5 Top Crowdfunding Platforms in Turkey

No. 5 Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF)

TPF is the only crowdfunding platform based in the United States (US) focusing on the Turkish community. The organization operates quite differently from the usual online crowdfunding platforms. They only work with universities, foundations, and non-profit organizations (NGOs) with economical, social, and environmental challenges. One cannot publish a crowdfunding project on their site without proper screening. So if you are an individual with personal causes, TPF may not be a good choice for you.

No. 4 GlobalGiving 

GlobalGiving is a crowdfunding platform open to community-led NGOs searching for financial support. It has been operating worldwide in more than 175 countries, including Turkey. The platform also provides support in form of training workshops. It is open to NGO-related projects much like TPF. Individuals can fundraise if their advocacy is for a community rather than a personal cause. If you are a social entrepreneur, GlobalGiving might be a good fit for you.

No. 3 Honeyfund

When we say crowdfunding is fundraising for just about anything, we mean it. Honeyfund is a crowdfunding platform for lovely couples looking for financial support for their wedding or honeymoon. Sounds fun, right? But if you’re building a business, we don’t think having a honeymoon is part of the strategic plan.

No. 2 Make-A-Wish Turkey

Make-A-Wish Foundation is an international NGO originating from the US but has expanded over time around the world. Now, the foundation is making wishes come true for Turkish children. Unfortunately for adults, they only grant the wishes of children with life-threatening diseases. Like TPF, Make-A-Wish Foundation screens every submission. Not all can receive a guaranteed donation immediately.

No. 1 Airfunding

Okay, we’ve let you ride the roller coaster too much, and yet no answer for your business venture capital. We give you the save-the-best-for-last crowdfunding platform fit for your capital financing (and more) – Airfunding! Airfunding is a crowdfunding platform for a worldwide community needing to raise funds for themselves or their loved ones. It welcomes anyone who needs financial help to join the Airfunding community. So if you are an entrepreneur looking for funds, Airfunding is for you.

Crowdfunding in Airfunding from Turkey

Beyond fundraising for a start-up business, there are other reasons to be part of the crowdfunding community in Airfunding.

✔ More than 652,000 individuals and NGOs from Turkey and other countries have joined Airfunding to make their dreams come true. The support of thousands of supporters globally guarantees successful fundraising in Airfunding. Öznur from Turkey had been saving stray cats and dogs for years. Due to the economic crisis in the country, she could no longer continue to fund this charity work out of her pocket. She launched 14 crowdfunding projects in Airfunding and raised funds totaling $7,414 (₺133,086.56) starting in 2021.

✔ Creative fundraising tips are available at your fingers. You can also reach out to your peers within the Airfunding community to give you helpful ideas to gain more project supporters.

✔ Crowdfunding tools are available throughout your crowdfunding journey. The tools will help you showcase more information about your cause. A 24/7 Customer Support team is also available to help you throughout your crowdfunding journey. Adem Sigva lives in Turkey – leaving his wife and family in Ukraine. Upon eligibility of his crowdfunding project to be on the Worldwide Stage, his project was translated into multiple languages. It allowed him to raise more funds beyond the borders of Turkey. He raised $1,643 (₺29,493.02) within a month.

Set up your Airfunding project today!

If you need to raise money for your business start-up or loved ones, crowdfunding provides the opportunity to connect with possible investors and supporters. Check out Airfunding today, and remember to sign-up!

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