Best practices to raise money for your project
This article shares best practices for competing in a season of the Artizen Fund and is intended for creators who have had their project curated for our Official Selection. If this is you, congratulations on making something our community loves! Your project is now in the spotlight, and we want to help you unlock as much match funding as possible and hopefully win the prestigious Artizen Prize.
How does it work?
Sell Artifacts: Throughout the season, you sell open edition Artifacts to your fans, followers, friends, and supporters for 0.01 ETH each (~$15).
Unlock Match Funding: The more Artifacts you sell, the more match funding you unlock from our generous sponsors.
Win the Artizen Prize: The project that sells the most Artifacts by the end of the season wins the Artizen Prize and receive a large cash award.
To sell Artifacts focus on the value they deliver
Unlike typical crowdfunding where supporters get t-shirts or mugs, your supporters will earn cultural Artifacts from your project. To sell your Artifact, focus on the value they deliver to your fans, followers, and friends.
Artifacts empower collectors to:
Curate our Official Selection - Artifacts give collectors the power to vote for submissions and help curate our Official Selection.
Join a Vibrant Community - Artifacts give collectors access to a vibrant community of artists, scientists, coders, and creators of every kind.
Invest in Positive Impact - Artifacts give collectors a financial stake in projects that make a positive impact. Think carbon credits, but for human creativity.
How to Promote Your Artifact Sale
It's vital to employ a multi-faceted strategy for promoting your Artifact sale. From social media to one-on-one outreach, each channel has unique strengths. Here’s a breakdown to help you navigate them effectively.
Social Media: Frequent, engaging posts are key. Always include a link to your project page. If you're on X (formerly Twitter), tag @ArtizenFund for a re-share.
Artizen’s Private Community: Join our Console and use this platform to engage with a community that's inherently interested in projects like yours. Regular updates will keep your project top of mind.
Email Marketing: A well-timed, well-crafted email can do wonders. Don't just send a one-off email; consider a drip campaign that updates your supporters at various stages of the season.
Direct Outreach: Personal messages to your most ardent supporters can be very effective. Reach out via text, phone calls, DMs on Telegram, Discord, or any other platform where your community lives.
Virtual and IRL Events: Host live events, both online and offline, to engage with your audience. Spaces on X or Zoom webinars can be highly engaging, and platforms like lu.ma can manage your RSVPs efficiently.
Tap your Community: If you're part of DAOs, Telegram groups, Discord servers, or any other communities, share your project there. However, ensure that your message fits the ethos and guidelines of the group.
Always convey momentum
Whatever the channel—social, email, or direct messages—always communicate progress. New team member? Share it. Overcome a technical hurdle? Announce it. New concept art? Show it off. Keep the energy up and make everyone feel part of your journey.
Make sure your supporters have a wallet
Many of your supporters may not be familiar with crypto or NFTs. We encourage you to help them migrate to web3 and hopefully purchase their first NFT from your project.
Get a Wallet: Supporters need an Ethereum-compatible wallet. We suggest MetaMask and that you share this Getting started with MetaMask help article.
Buy ETH: Supporters will need at least .015 ETH to buy your Artifact and pay for gas fees. We suggest sharing this help article How to Buy Crypto with MetaMask to help supporters buy ETH with a credit card.
Buy Your Artifact: Once your supporters have a wallet with at least .015 ETH, then you can direct them to your project page to purchase your Artifact. We suggest sharing this help article for How to Buy an Artifact.
When do you get your money
At the end of each Artizen season, your project's funding is derived from three primary sources: Artifact sales, match funding, and potentially the Artizen Prize, if your project has the highest number of Artifact sales. Following the season's closure, we conduct a thorough audit to verify the results, which includes processing contributions made via credit card and other methods. This verification and processing period typically takes about 48 hours. However, depending on the season's complexity and various other factors, this timeline can extend to a week or more. Once the audit is complete and all contributions are processed, the funds from Artifact sales, match funding, and the Artizen Prize (if applicable) are disbursed to your project. This process is designed to ensure accuracy and fairness in the allocation of funds to your creative endeavors.
Important Rules and How to Get Disqualified
To maintain your eligibility for match funding and the Artizen Prize, it's crucial to adhere to key principles of integrity and transparency. Ensure that all materials and claims related to your project are true, accurate, and honest to the best of your knowledge. Misrepresentation, whether intentional or not, can lead to disqualification. It's equally important to give proper credit where it's due and avoid overpromising on deliverables. Commit only to what you can realistically achieve. Upholding these standards is essential not just for maintaining eligibility but also for fostering trust and credibility within the Artizen community. Remember, honesty and authenticity are the cornerstones of a successful and sustainable project.
The Artizen Spirit: Competition and Collaboration
Although you're competing for the Artizen Prize, a collective effort benefits all. Share resources, tips, and cheer for your fellow creators; after all, a rising tide lifts all boats.