In Big Money Fundraising we teach you how to create a full featured fundraising video, formatted in a specific way in order to achieve your capital campaign goals.  However, there is another way to use video which is beneficial and easy!  I call them daily video clips.

Daily video clips don’t really have to be daily, but the name implies an ongoing update using video.  These would be the kinds of clips you can easily capture using your smartphone and do not require the same kind of production value.  For example, let’s say your charity runs a fundraising luncheon, sponsors a public art project, or performs at the state capitol to promote the mission; by placing a 1 or 2 minute clip of the event on your website, you do several things:

• Keep donors up to date on the missions’ progress so they SEE how their money is being spent.
• Keep donors abreast of WHAT you are doing in the community.
• Provide a feeling of momentum for your charity to those checking you out for the first time.
• Offer an up-to-date peek inside the workings of the organization to those considering getting involved.
• Upload it to your Facebook page to allow followers a chance to comment and engage with you.
• Increase you SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by posting new content on a regular basis.
• Create more opportunities for people to discover your charity by finding your videos on YouTube.
• Populate your website with current content which creates an image of relevance to visitors.

Just as people love to scroll through their Facebook news feeds to see up-to-date information and video about people they follow, a steady flow of images and information can keep your mission front of mind and therefor maintain an enthusiastic support base.  New video content has almost become the language of the internet.  It is expected and appreciated by those who live online.  Why not harness this cultural trend to your benefit?

Unlike the Video Case Statement in which image quality and sound are critical to making an impression which will lead to donations, these videos can be rough, short, and medium quality.  They do not need to follow any format, or you can open and close each clip with an introduction by someone in the organization.  If you want to do a little more production, you can add a voice over or still photos to convey a more complicated update.

The goal is to make interested visitors to your website and social media outlets feel like they are in the middle of your activity, to be inspired by what they see, and to provide them a greater context for what they are participating in.  As I teach about fundraising using video, SHARE the good outcomes your charity creates with the world, don’t hide it.  When people SEE it they also get to FEEL it.  What simpler way is there to make a donor feel good than to share with them the happiness they helped create?  Daily video clips can be a great tool for doing just that!

-Christian Shimer