Crowdfunding Expert: Drop Studio

Drop Studio is a crowdfunding marketing studio offering video production and accelerator programmes for Crowdcube and Seedrs campaigns. We spoke to Founder, Steven Williams to find out more.

What led you to set up Drop Studio?

Drop Studio was born out of ambition; my own desire to chase new heights and to support entrepreneurs reach their potential. After gaining substantial experience working with Burberry, it was then, in 2014, I made the decision to become a self-employed filmmaker and managed to win and create some exciting projects with big corporate brands such as Nokia, Shell and TEDx. Whilst these were extremely fun and certainly something to be proud of, it did not compare to the satisfaction of working directly with the entrepreneurs of much smaller businesses. By chance, I was introduced to the concept of crowdfunding by Seedrs and was asked to produce a crowdfunding video for one of their clients. I knew then, without a doubt, I had found my passion. I founded Drop Studio to support like-minded entrepreneurs and help them grow and put their business on the map.

What services does Drop Studio offer?

Over the course of 5 years, I’ve grown the team from just myself to 14 experts with a variety of creative and business backgrounds. Loyal to our roots, we still focus heavily on crowdfunding video production, however, we have since expanded our services to include consultations, online courses, pitch deck designs and most recently helping entrepreneurs find and connect with potential investors within their business sector. At Drop Studio, we are continuously developing and perfecting our services to become the go-to agency for businesses looking to skyrocket their growth through a variety of fundraising methods.

What types of businesses do you work with?

We have experience in working with a vast array of businesses, from the beautifully simple and insanely complex, across almost every sector you could imagine. As long as the business shows good potential and the people behind the scenes are passionate, determined and willing to put in the effort that is required for a successful raise, then we are confident our collaboration will be fruitful. As of August 2020, we have raised over £18.5 million through crowdfunding across more than 50 campaigns.

What are your top tips for equity crowdfunding success?

My advice when it comes to launching your crowdfunding campaign is to be prepared. Know your business plan inside and out, know your strengths and weaknesses, know how you’ll approach potential investors; be your very own expert. It’s important to realise that once you’ve sent off your pitch to the crowdfunding platform, that’s when the real hard work begins. Navigate and look for every opportunity that will drive engagement to attract potential investors, aim to keep that buzz! Use tools like social media, traditional press coverage or meet-ups to continuously boost your campaign. If there’s one thing I’d push for, it’s not giving up. I know from experience how exhausting it can be to keep trying and trying and not seeing results, but just don’t stop campaigning! The more you keep trying, the more likely you’ll succeed in achieving your fundraising goals.