The VIC backer rule

The VIC backer rule is one of the 20 golden rules of crowdfunding

You might have heard that old saying (both in sales and marketing) that the customer is king. Well, my opinion is that even that, is not enough in crowdfunding. The backers need to be treated even better than normal customers.

Once the crowdfunding campaign has finished, the entrepreneurs will have new clients. Should they be offered the same products under the same conditions as during the crowdfunding campaign?

The VIC backer rule explained

The answer to our previous questions is a resounding no. The VIC (Very Important Client) rule, tells us that the backers are much more than a customer and therefore, they should be treated even better.

The reason is that your backers are taking a risk, believing in a project that is not yet a reality and pledging their money well in advance of receiving their rewards.

There are several ways to make your backers feel very important. Here are some examples:

• Giving them discounts versus the final RRP, like in this Foldio Campaign.
• Letting them appear in one of your videos, as the guys at the Dice Tower are doing in their latest campaign for their higher rewards tiers.
• Offering limited editions, like the collectors’ exclusive goals in the Kickstarter campaign for Darwin’s Journey.

What’s behind the VIC backer rule?

The backers are looking for an opportunity to collaborate by co-creating, exclusivity, getting the feeling of being part of an idea and contribute to its success. That’s why they’re much more than a client.

To make sure you’re covering all of the bases, make sure you’re meeting the requirements of the GTA rule of rewards and the power of free. In this way, we will be creating rewards that are exclusive, limited, generous, tangible and bountiful that will make the backers feel that VIC treatment.

How do we make sure we meet the VIC backer rule?

• Creating rewards that are generous, tangible and abundant for your backers.
• Giving the backers the opportunity to collaborate in some decisions in the campaign.
• Beating the power of free with exclusive, limited and valuable rewards.

Wrapping it up

Making our backers feel important and valued (VIC) can be quite cost effective and simple with a bit of creativity. And this is crucial to build your community for your current and potential future crowdfunding campaigns.

If you have any queries about designing your rewards or any other aspect of your crowdfunding campaign, please do not hesitate to contact me.