One of the things I get asked about, especially by entertainment creators, is if Patreon is worth it and if so – how to best set it up and launch it in a non-sleazy way.

I have always been someone who has never wanted to feel sleazy when it comes to selling or money and I can understand the idea of discussing money can make a lot of creators uncomfortable.

In my experience, I learned that once I was comfortable with my products or services, I felt much more confident in sharing it with people because I knew it was valuable and worth it. It’s like sharing anything else I’m genuinely excited about.

But how do you do that when your service is Patreon/crowdfunding?

I spoke to the folks at Patreon a little while ago and asked them for their best advice for creators who are trying to support themselves through Patreon. Here’s what they had to say.

  1. Have a clear idea of what you want to get out of it. Patreon recommends that every creator launching a Patreon should have a clear, 2-3 sentence idea of exactly what they’re trying to do with their page – similar to a “mission statement”. Of course, if you’re thinking of starting a Patreon, you’re probably needing to generate more income. It’s hard to sustain a strategy when there isn’t a clear benefit for your fans, though. So, it’s important to highlight what your fans get out of giving each month (i.e. music that isn’t released anywhere else, prints, special training/how to videos, etc.) OR share a goal you are working towards that will benefit them in the end.
  2. Engage with fans early. Whenever you’re thinking about launching a Patreon page, it’s a good idea to run it by your viewers/fans/followers before you even set anything up. Run ideas by them. Get feedback. Ask them what kind of things they would like from it. You may get ideas you didn’t even have before and it takes a lot of the guess work out of you putting your time and energy into making this thing and having no patrons in the end.
  3. Really think through membership offerings and rewards. When you start to build your page, make sure you feel good about the page before going live. Put your heart into sharing your story, film a video, draft up your description, and when you get into offerings and rewards, look at other creator’s Patreon pages to get some ideas from them. Use the feedback you got from your fans. AND make sure it is feasible for you as a creator every single month. What is easy for you to do every month to provide to your patrons? Give this step a good deal of time and thought before launching.

Listen to the rest of the episode above to hear Patreon’s observations about successful Patreon creators vs. ones that fizzle out. It made for some very interesting conversation that I think would help you if you’re thinking about starting a Patreon, but it would turn into a VERY long email if I relayed everything in this email. :)

Have you been thinking about starting a Patreon or crowdfunding? Have you tried it in the past?

I hope these tips can help you start off successfully or see where you went wrong if it didn’t go well the first time.

Keep us posted if you launch one using these tips! We’d love to cheer you on. 🎊

Keep changing lives,

Tim