Question :How to get and manage non-strategic multiple customer investment?

I am looking for people who have had success in converting customers into angel investors. I am *not* referring to strategic investors like Cisco.

Background:
I have a pitch that works very well when talking to customers. Prospects get and understand Amplafi and can’t wait to use it. VCs and other techno-philes types (who are *not* our target customers) hear the same pitch, their eyes glaze over and they tune out. Clearly a bad match if the investor does not understanding the customers!

I am seeking angel level investment ( > $1M ) and would really like to turn a set of happy customers into investors.

My ideal situation would be 20 customers investing $10K each. So a customer council with skin in the game. These customers would be non-traditional angel investors. ( not the Ron Conways of the world )

Obviously, I would be then taking on a investor expectations management project. But compared to managing a traditional investor’s lack of understanding of my target market, how can it be any worse — at least they are customers!

[Update: also posted to LinkedIn]