Drivers & Catchers: 2026 Edition | Ep. 297

Most creators know they need marketing, but very few understand what actually creates demand versus what simply captures it. In this episode of Crowdfunding Nerds, Andrew Lowen and Sean dive deep into one of the most important marketing concepts for crowdfunding creators: Drivers vs. Catchers. They explain why many campaigns mistakenly attribute sales to the wrong marketing channels, how platforms like Meta, Google, Amazon, YouTube, conventions, and now ChatGPT all serve different purposes, and why understanding the customer journey can dramatically improve your marketing ROI. Andrew also shares his first-hand experience testing the brand-new ChatGPT Ads platform, including real campaign data, click costs, impressions, targeting options, and early lessons learned after spending over $150 on the platform. Thank you to our sponsors! Use Our Pledge Manager Powered By Hive Interactive - 2% Late Pledge Fee + 0% Setup Fee / 0% Campaign Fee: https://pledgemanager.crowdfundingnerds.com/services https://bridgedist.com/ - We recommend Bridge Distribution & Fulfillment for US fulfillment and Amazon fulfillment. We use them for our own projects, too! http://crowdfundingnerds.com/hive - Hive Interactive Pledge Manager - https://www.mailerlite.com/a/6K95GNejWHMV - We recommend Mailerlite for building your community \[Affiliate] https://crowdfundingnerds.com/academy/ - If you are looking to DIY your crowdfunding, we have highly impactful courses that teach you how to build, excite, and prepare a crowd to fund you on Launch Day! Official Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ and join our bustling Crowdfunding Nerds Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ Stay Nerdy! Connect with Crowdfunding Nerds: Website: https://crowdfundingnerds.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crowdfundingnerds/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crowdfundingnerdspodcast