One of the keys to running a successful crowdfunding campaign is choosing the right perks to offer. The right perks can attract funders to your project, and ensure that you receive adequate funds for your project.

But how do you decide which perks to offer?

What Do You Have to Offer?

Your first step is to figure out what you have to offer others. If you are trying to fund a project with a tangible outcome, you can offer your product. My current Indiegogocampaign is meant to help me raise money to self-publish a book I’ve written, Confessions of a Professional Blogger.

Since it’s a book, it’s possible to offer electronic format and hard-copy format as perks. You can do this with artwork, jewelry, clothing, and other tangible items. Offer your work as a perk to those who support your project. If you are working on a line of products or designs, you can offer more “expensive” or “high end” items for those who contribute more.

Consider ways to personalize it as well. Offer “limited edition” items, or offer signed copies. One of the funding levels in my campaign includes a signed copy of the book, personalized with a writing tip.

But what happens when you don’t have a lot of tangible products to offer? There are only so many funding levels you can create with a book, or some other single item. If this is the case, you can start throwing other items in. Since I am a freelance writer, some of my funding levels include free content. Additionally, I also add in a consultation perk at the highest funding levels. If you are an expert, offering consultation can work particularly well.

You might even think to include a “surprise” perk. I’ve got a surprise perk offered for those at higher funding levels, aimed at those who want to help promote the book after it is released.

Think about what you have to offer, and how you can make it interesting for your funders. You might be surprised at how others value you.

“Pricing” Your Perks

Next, you have to think about pricing. With my book, I made a conscious decision to “price” the PDF version of my book for less than what I will sell if for. Basically, the Indiegogo campaign serves as a pre-sale for the ebook. And, to sweeten the preferred pricing at that level, I’ve thrown in two extra, previously unreleased ebooks, that will also be useful to aspiring freelance writers.

You want your funders to feel as though they are getting good value in exchange for supporting your project, but at the same time there has to be a bit of balance, since if you give away too much, your project won’t be cost-effective for you – and the point is to try and raise funds so that you can make something happen.

Think about simple ways you can add value to your project through the funding levels offered by your campaign. All of my funding levels offer a slight discount on what I would normally charge, whether it’s for bonus ebooks, social media promotion, content, or my time during a consultation. Add it all up, and I think that recipients are getting a good value.

Choosing perks and funding levels can be a little bit tricky. Look at similar projects on Kickstarter and Indiegogo to get an idea of what others offer, and what seems to be successful. That way, you can adjust your own campaign in a way that increases your chances of a desirable outcome.