Best Books on Crowdfunding: Our Top Picks

As entrepreneur Jim Rohn once put it, “Reading books is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.”

However, when it comes to crowdfunding books, it’s hard to know the best ones to choose.

For example, a quick search on Amazon for “Crowdfunding books” gives a total of 567 books.

Sifting through these choices to figure out which is worth your time might take just as long as reading them.

So we’ve gone through this extensive collection and handpicked the best for you.

Each book in this list has earned its spot and provides a unique perspective on crowdfunding, offering practical advice, innovative strategies, engaging anecdotes, and lessons learned from real-world experiences.

Here are our top picks:

1. Crowdfunded: The Proven Path To Bring Your Product Idea To Life by Mark Pecota
2. Your First Kickstarter Campaign by Vilius Stanislovaitis
3. Kickstarter Launch Formula: The Crowdfunding Handbook for Startups, Filmmakers, and Independent Creators by Salvador Briggman
4. Equity Crowdfunding: The Complete Guide For Startups And Growing Companies by Nathan Rose
5. A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide by Jamey Stegmaier
6. The Crowdfunding Bible: How to Raise Money for Any Startup, Video Game or Project by Scott Steinberg
7. Step by Step Crowdfunding: Everything You Need to Raise Money from the Crowd for Small Business Crowdfunding and Fundraising by Joseph Hogue
8. The Kickstarter Handbook: Real-Life Crowdfunding Success Stories by Don Steinberg

For a deeper dive into the authors and what the book is about, continue reading.

Crowdfunded: The Proven Path To Bring Your Product Idea To Life

Topping our list, of course, is Crowdfunded, written by our CEO at LaunchBoom, Mark Pecota.

Mark has been a leader in the crowdfunding arena with LaunchBoom, raising over $100 million for hundreds of entrepreneurs on Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

Mark’s deep knowledge of crowdfunding, digital marketing, and scaling companies is the result of years worth of trial and error and he distills all of the lessons learned through that process into an easy-to-digest strategy.

This book is perfect for entrepreneurs and businesses looking for a tried and tested strategy for launching a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Many entrepreneurs launch their campaigns blindly. They are not sure whether the campaigns will boom or go bust. Crowdfunded provides the answer to this uncertainty.

The book is a comprehensive blueprint for crowdfunding success, a roadmap that guides you through every stage of launching, managing, and scaling your crowdfunding campaigns.

Through years of extensive experience and expertise at LaunchBoom, we came up with a framework we call the Test. Launch. Scale. Framework.

This framework divides the crowdfunding campaign into three categories:

• TestBoom – This is the testing stage
• LaunchBoom – This stage is divided into pre-launch, launch, and scaling
• Post-campaign – This is the final stage of the campaign

One notable top tip in the Crowdfunded book is building a pre-launch-qualified email list.

This key insight lets you gather interested and engaged individuals before your campaign goes live, ensuring a strong start.

“The goal of the Pre-Launch Email List is to drive sales immediately to your campaign once you launch. Ideally, the traffic from this Horseman alone will be enough to get your campaign funded.”

The book provides step-by-step guidance on creating and growing your email list effectively. Mark shares his tried and tested methods, including:

• Utilizing social media
• Using a reservation funnel
• Optimizing landing pages
• Nurturing potential backers by using a VIP Facebook group

In addition to the pre-launch phase, Crowdfunded covers every aspect of the crowdfunding journey, from testing your product idea to navigating the launch and scaling stages.

If you’re not sure how to apply the tips in the book, don’t worry. Our experts are ready to provide personalized guidance, help you craft compelling campaigns, optimize your strategies, and navigate the complexities of crowdfunding.

We have successfully launched some of the most notable campaigns on Indiegogo and Kickstarter. A few standout projects include:

• Lomi: Turn Waste To Compost With A Single Button – We raised over $7 million in 14 days
• Pepper Cannon: The Pepper Mill for Pepper Lovers
• The Neck Hammock

“Raising a lot of money in a short amount of time is great and all, but it’s not really why I do this. The real gift is literally watching our clients’ lives change.”

—Mark Pecota

Your First Kickstarter Campaign: Step by Step Guide to Launching a Successful Crowdfunding Project

How about first testing the methods that you preach? That’s exactly what the author, Vilius Stanislovaitis did. The ideal preach water and drink water.

Vilius used Kickstarter to crowdfund his first book, How to Start a VoIP Business. He raised $12,191 against a goal of $5,000.

This success inspired him to share his success with others in his second book, Your First Kickstarter Campaign. The book contains his experience and knowledge from other successful crowdfunding project creators.

Your First Kickstarter Campaign is tailored specifically for Kickstarter newbies and first-time entrepreneurs who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to navigate the crowdfunding landscape.

From the outset, the book emphasizes the importance of thorough preparation. With a minimal budget, you will learn how to lay the groundwork for your crowdfunding campaign by utilizing personal efforts and delegating tasks to others.

The book focuses on campaign preparation. It delves into essential topics such as:

• Setting effective crowdfunding goals
• Analyzing successful campaigns as reference points
• Defining your target audience
• Utilizing free methods to gather a crowd of potential backers

Vilius, like Mark Pecota, emphasizes the pre-launch stage. He says, “The one thing is pre-launch. Ask any crowdfunding creator, and they will confirm that it is the key to success.”

The book doesn’t stop at preparation. You’ll learn the best practices for selecting eye-catching project images, creating a captivating project title, and crafting an engaging project video.

Finally, the book covers the crucial aspects of launching and managing your Kickstarter campaign:

• Understand the significance of project launch timing
• Learn the necessary steps to take on the launch day
• Effectively communicate with your backers through project updates and direct messages
• Leverage Kickstarter’s traffic sources to gain visibility

Kickstarter Launch Formula: The Crowdfunding Handbook for Startups, Filmmakers, and Independent Creators

Salvador Briggman has helped over 400,000 individuals crowdfund their projects. He is the founder of the blog CrowdCrux and the podcast Crowdfunding Demystified.

He founded his blog in 2012 and has been consistently sharing tips and insights to help entrepreneurs crowdfund on Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

His podcast has 450 episodes as of July 2023. Here he hosts successful creators to share insights to help those who are looking to get into crowdfunding.

Salvador went further to write his book Kickstarter Launch Formula to guide creatives and start-ups looking to raise funds by overcoming barriers imposed by traditional media gatekeepers.

Salvador has written the book with easy-to-understand tactics to help you triumph on Kickstarter.

He also delves into some “Jedi Mind Tricks” that most marketers are unaware of.

“You see, we’re at the beginning of a movement as transformative as the industrial revolution. Never before in history have authors, musicians, artists, and film producers been able to connect with massive online audiences and get funding for their creative work. The outdated media gatekeepers are quickly disappearing. You can now get funding directly from your fans and distribute your content online. If you’re a creative type, this is the BEST time to be alive.”

This book is simply a summary of insights from over 400 podcasts, the community on KickstarterForum.org, and more than 700+ blog posts.

Equity Crowdfunding: The Complete Guide For Startups And Growing Companies

The author, Nathan Rose, is a finance professional focusing on early-stage ventures and alternative finance.

His main focus is on equity crowdfunding, which differs from what is offered on crowdfunding platforms Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Nathan Rose says this is “A Hybrid of Venture Capital and Kickstarter.”

The book explores the distinguishing features of equity crowdfunding in contrast to venture capital and traditional crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

With equity crowdfunding, companies offer shares of themselves instead of pre-ordered products. This broadens the scope of businesses that can leverage this method.

Equity crowdfunding raises higher amounts than the Kickstarter/Indigogo-type of crowdfunding.

The Equity Crowdfunding book discusses strategies to gain traction for your campaign. It details how one company managed to raise £1 million in 96 seconds!

For those struggling with their campaigns, the book offers strategies to revive a stalled offer and re-ignite momentum. It also shares insights from past campaigns on what they wish they knew before starting.

The book features the best strategies from 20 real companies that have raised millions and expert advice from 12 leading platforms at the forefront of equity crowdfunding.

This book is ideal for audiences even outside of the US. It features contributions from countries like:

• United Kingdon
• New Zealand
• Germany
• Estonia

“Equity crowdfunding is a fresh alternative to Silicon Valley venture capital. Hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, can be raised by offering shares in your startup to members of the public.”

A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide: Build a Better Business by Building Community

Jamey Stegmaier has raised over $3.2 million from his seven Kickstarter campaigns.

His Scythe campaign raised $1,810,294 from an initial goal of just $33,000. This clearly shows that his methods work.

If you want to create a campaign in the games category, go with this book. Jamey’s best three campaigns have been in the games category.

In his book, Jamey offers a comprehensive guide to crowdfunding, demonstrating that it can be a powerful way for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by building community and putting their customers first.

“No matter how great of a product you think you might have, it is the people that support it that make it truly great.”

The book includes over forty stories of successes and failures. Stegmaier skillfully demonstrates the dos and don’ts of preparing for a campaign, cultivating a devoted fan base, crafting a compelling pitch, and attracting new backers.

“As someone who is new to Kickstarter-type crowdfunding and who is currently in the process of having her first card game playtested, this book was a fantastic find. While the book is heavily focused on games, it also discusses products outside of that category. Anyone who is interested in crowdfunding to support a new idea or even those who wish to back projects will benefit from reading this book.”

Stegmaier intertwines practical advice with compelling real-life examples to equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to secure funding while cultivating a thriving community of engaged supporters.

The Crowdfunding Bible: How to Raise Money for Any Startup, Video Game or Project

Scott Steinberg, The Master of Innovation, is an accomplished author and recognized business strategy and innovation expert.

He is a thought leader, consultant, and keynote speaker, offering invaluable insights to individuals and organizations seeking to thrive in the marketplace.

Apart from The Crowdfunding Bible, Steinberg has authored several influential books. His publications, including The Business Expert’s Guidebook and Make Change Work for You, provide practical advice and strategies for navigating the challenges of the modern business landscape.

The Crowdfunding Bible is ideal for both beginners and experienced crowdfunders.

In the book, Scott says, “To improve chances of success, you want to build a project or product where you think you’re filling a hole. Part of the trick is showing people things that they either a) haven’t seen in a long time or b) things they haven’t seen before.”

You will learn how to capture the media’s and the public’s attention.

Engagement plays a vital role in crowdfunding. The Crowdfunding Bible explores techniques for engaging the audience authentically like:

• Running targeted Facebook Ads
• Collecting leads to implementing effective communication strategies

You also get to learn how to captivate and maintain the interest of potential backers.

In one review, Janette says, “Mr. Steinburg explains both the pros and cons of crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is not easy. It puts you and your ideas out directly in front of the public. Crowdfunding is not for the faint of heart or the terminally bashful.”

Step by Step Crowdfunding: Everything You Need to Raise Money from the Crowd for Small Business Crowdfunding and Fundraising

The author of Step by Step Crowdfunding, Joseph Hogue, is an experienced crowdfunding consultant who has helped many entrepreneurs and small businesses successfully raise money through crowdfunding for years.

He founded the blog Crowd101, which gives insights on all things crowdfunding.

This book serves the audience looking to crowdfund a small project needing just a few thousand dollars or a startup poised for equity crowdfunding. It’s also the perfect book if you plan to launch on Kickstarter.

In the book, the author, Joseph Hogue, dives straight into the actual crowdfunding process — from pre-launch to fulfillment.

“I skip all the history of crowdfunding and why it is a great tool for your business to go straight to the point, how to put your campaign on the path to beating its funding goal.”

He provides a blueprint for how to:

• Conceive your campaign idea
• Calculate how much you can potentially raise
• Scrutinize previous campaigns to gauge a realistic target

Joseph also talks about the power of networking. He details how to engage with journalists, bloggers, and influencers who can magnify your campaign’s reach.

One thing that also stands out in this book is how it advocates that every entrepreneur should harness the power of crowdfunding, even if they don’t immediately require the funds.

The Step by Step Crowdfunding book also covers non-profit organizations and charities.

The Kickstarter Handbook: Real-Life Crowdfunding Success Stories

Don Steinberg, the author, is a business journalist. He interviewed several creators and artists who had launched successful crowdfunding campaigns. He then compiled all their voices into The Kickstarter Handbook to help other passionate creators.

So, what makes this book one of the best? It’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide on leveraging the power of Kickstarter to finance your passion projects.

The author says, “Kickstarter is one of those rare so-crazy-it-just-might-work ideas that did, in fact, work. Who would’ve imagined it?”

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

• How to craft a captivating visual story that engages and resonates with potential backers
• Innovative ways to market your projects
• How to attract and engage donors
• How to create reward tiers that inspire and entice potential donors to support your campaign
• Learn how to capitalize on a best-case scenario.

Using the story format, Don lets you see yourself and hear from the horse’s mouth.

One reader left a review saying, “Brief, to the point, and entertaining with numerous case studies. A good reference. Recommended to anyone considering funding a project.”

Which one should you start with?

Our top picks above provide comprehensive coverage of the crowdfunding landscape, each tackling unique aspects — from crafting winning strategies to comprehending the equity crowdfunding sphere and diving into step-by-step execution for small businesses, personal projects, and even charities and non-profit organizations.

However, if you are at a crossroads and unsure where to begin, we recommend starting with CROWDFUNDED.

Authored by Mark Pecota, a veteran in the crowdfunding world, this book distills years of experience and expertise into a no-nonsense guide. It provides in-depth insights and practical advice.

Happy reading!