Founder Content Solutions, writer for Entrepreneur.com & Forbes. Featured in the Huffington Post and American Scientific. Built my last business from $0- $25M evaluation in less than 2 years.
For a successful campaign, you need a great cause, great video and good content. You need to do a custom video explaining what you need the money for and who your company will benefit. I would always recommend doing a giveaways opposed to equity, as you will it makes for a cleaner campaign. For getting the word, I would involved a press release, local media, contact friends and family and leverage your network. Hiring an expert can be a good idea but pay them on a pay per performance basis (i.e. X% if we hit our goal of $XXXX). Make sure to have a plan and strategy before you go live with your plan. Preparation is KEY!