Have you ever had a good idea but needed funding or other people to help you get it kick started? Then you should look into something called crowdsourcing.  Crowdsourcing is the process of obtaining information, input, or funding by enlisting the services of a large group of people, paid or unpaid, typically through an online community.  You can simply think of crowdsourcing as a method of ‘outsourcing’ as you are basically calling upon other people to help you with specific project or task.  A famous example of crowdsourcing can be seen by wikipedia who has taken advantage of public contribution by allowing the entire world’s online community to add or edit information to their archives which has ultimately lead to the worlds larges online encyclopedia.

So what type of crowdsourcing is right for you? Well there are various types of crowdsourcing and the first, most popular type, is Crowdfunding.  Crowdfunding involves asking a large group of people to donate to your idea, project, or cause.  For example, If you have a awesome idea for an app but you don’t have the start up capital to get the project in motion, then you can use crowdfunding as a means to get you the capital that you need. Crowdfunding typically starts by setting a financial goal as well as a deadline as to when you want your goal to be met.  The catch to this is that if the goal is not reached within your deadline then all the money goes back to the donors and you get nothing.  Although this seems like a negative, this is actually a positive because if people aren’t contributing to your app idea, for example, then maybe it’s an idea that you should stay away from.

The next type of crowdsourcing is called crowdsource design.  Crowdsource design is exactly what it sounds like; it is the process of getting a large group of people to create various designs.  Someone would use this type of crowdsourcing if they are looking to get a high quality, but low cost, design created in a short amount of time.  Crowdsource design can be extremely helpful when trying to generate logos, branding, product packaging, or even a new design for a website.

The last type of crowdsourcing is called open innovation.  Open innovation is often used when you are unsure as to where to begin with a business concept or project.  For example, if you have a basic idea for a start up company but you need help generating more of the finer details, then you can use open innovation crowdsourcing as a means to obtain a wide range of feedback and or input.  A process like this will not only help you generate key information, but it will also help you decide what direction you want to go in.

All in all, crowdsourcing is an excellent way to get any business or project off the ground.  Whether you need help with capital, design, or idea generation, crowdsourcing can help you take your business or idea from zero to hero!  What would your idea be?