Leverage every channel you have.

• Have a YouTube channel? Create a video to announce your campaign and ask for support.
• Part of a club, association, or other social group? Let the members know what you’re up to.
• Extra credit: If you’re part of many clubs or organizations, consider creating some crowdfunding bookmarks to give out, so that people know what to look up when they get home.
• Owner of a vast email list? Use it! (But don’t abuse it, nobody likes spam.*)

Be smart about how you promote. Use the channels you have and don’t create new ones just for the campaign. (Creating a Twitter profile three weeks before crowdfunding will likely be a waste of your time and effort.)

Start early. If you think you’re going to crowdfund, start planning now. The earlier you start, the more opportunity you have to grow your network and make some fun, creative ideas happen.

Launch your campaign on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Oddly, campaigns that launch on these days are more likely to succeed. Beyond that, be conscious of your timing. If you launch a campaign during December, most people will have already spent their spare cash on holiday gifts and might not have any left over for your campaign.

Keep your supporters in the loop, especially after your campaign ends. They’ll want to know what’s happening with your book project and when they can expect to receive it.

*What's the line between friendly emailing and spam? Put yourself in the shoes of your friends and family. How often would you want an email from your crowdfunding friend asking for money? Even though you love your friend, you may not want constant updates cluttering your already full inbox. One a week is a good bet, or (if you want to follow our suggested timeline) four over the course of your campaign.