Advertising to your customers and community usually has the highest levels of success, but broader public outreach can boost awareness and momentum. When advertising, be sure to apply the steps outlined below, observing all applicable Regulation Crowdfunding communications rules.

What you can say off-platform

• Option A — “Tombstone”  (includes terms): Short ads that link to the portal and list only the allowed items. Those items include the fact that you are doing a Reg CF offering, the portal name with a link, the terms of the offering including the amount, security type, price, target amount, closing date, and minimum. You can also post certain information about the business. Nothing else may be posted.

• Option B — No terms: You can share general info about the company and products including a link to the portal. No offering terms can be added to the advertisement. Substantive questions and answers about terms should happen in the portal’s discussion channels. 

Tombstone snippet you can paste
“We’re conducting a Regulation Crowdfunding offering on [Portal]. Learn more and invest here: [link]. Terms: [amount], [security type], [price/minimum], [offering deadline]. Company: [legal name, city/state], [one-line description].”

Company website

You can inform current website visitors that you’re raising—without derailing the user experience.

Do this

• Add a banner or exit-intent pop-up with a tombstone notice and a link to the offering page.

• Create a short “Invest in Us” page that summarizes the business (no terms) and links to the portal.

In-person

Use your retail environment as an efficient channel for directing customers to the offering page.

Do this

• Have a small counter sign with a QR code to the portal page.

• Have business cards or receipts accessible with the tombstone notice and a link.

Tip: Keep conversations factual and direct people to the portal for details.

Paid ads 

Use digital campaigns to reach similar demographics to your current customer base.  These ads should be brief and compliant.

Do this

• Schedule ads to align with announcement windows and planned portal updates to maximize momentum.

• Use a tombstone ad format (headline, brief descriptor, portal link, allowed terms).

• Drive clicks straight to the offering page.

Avoid

• Performance claims, projections, or testimonials in the ad when using the tombstone notice. 

Social media 

Use your existing platforms to inform people of your raise where they already follow you.

Do this

• Post general updates (milestones, community impact) without terms, always linking to the portal.

• If you want to include terms, make the whole post a tombstone.

Influencers / promoters

• If influencers are compensated, they must disclose they are receiving compensation every time they post. Off-platform messages must stick to tombstones. 

Press & local media

Human-interest stories, such as providing local jobs or a community good, can work well—especially locally.

Do this

• Pitch your company’s mission, how many jobs you have added, or another community angle.

• Ask the reporter to include a link to the portal for the offering details. Be sure to keep any on-record statements factual.

Aggregator platforms / directories

Listing sites that specialize in advertising raises for and different niche newsletters can provide targeted reach.

Do this

• Post no-terms blurbs with a link or submit a tombstone where appropriate.

• Track referral performance so you double down on channels that convert.

Pre-launch “testing the waters”

Before filing your Form C, you may gauge interest with testing-the-waters messages that carry the required legend; written testing the waters materials used shortly before filing are later filed as exhibits. This helps line up day-one momentum. 

Legend snippet you can reuse
“We are testing investor interest in a potential Regulation Crowdfunding offering. No money or other consideration is being solicited or accepted, and none will be accepted until our Form C is filed. Any indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment.”

Quick checklist

• Choose Lane A (tombstone) or Lane B (no terms) for each channel. 

• Always link to the portal.

• If anyone is paid to promote, require clear compensation disclosure every time. 

Not legal advice. For official guidance, see the SEC’s small entity guide on Reg CF (especially “Limits on Advertising and Promoters”).