Are you utilizing video as a key piece of your fundraising communication strategy? If not, you’re missing out on an opportunity to have personal, impactful engagement with donors and prospective supporters.
Because, Science!
Did you know that when we view images that trigger an emotional response, our brains get cued up to empathize through a release of oxytocin? That means the stories and messages we share in video form have a greater impact than if they were shared in writing. Since video is a tool that helps donors emotionally connect with your organization, make sure you always follow up a video with a call to action – this could be making a gift, signing up for the newsletter, or learning about becoming a volunteer.
Use Video to Keep Online Engagement Up
The changes the pandemic has brought about have forced us to get creative and find new ways to stay connected with donors. For many organizations, this has included greater digital engagement. Video is a great way to continue to engage larger and more active followings on social media and to keep people interested in the emails you’re sending out. Plan out your video content ahead of time, ideally when you’re developing your annual communications plan. Make sure you’re taking a multi-channel approach and using video for different parts of the donor engagement cycle. Video is a great way to say thank you to donors after they’ve made a gift and is as easy as recording a message on your smartphone! These kinds of authentic videos feel genuine and heartfelt and don’t come with a significant price tag.
Making Video Work with your Budget
If you are working with an outside company to produce video content, maximize your budget by having them get extra footage – make sure it’s flexible enough that you can use it in other ways. Communicating with the videography team and coming up with a plan before the day of production will help ensure you are prepared to get the most out of the video shoot. When it comes to incorporating great video into your communications, remember – plan, plan, plan! Planning ahead will help you identify good content (like powerful storytellers or organizational champions), ensure you are using the right channel to share it, and that you are timing it out to complement – not compete with – your other communications.
Check out LakeFX Media to learn more about how they may help you tell your story!