Videos are a great way to build your brand while helping supporters to get a better feel for your nonprofit’s work. It also educates your followers on why it’s so important to help you reach your service goals and advance your mission.

One reason why more nonprofits don’t utilise video in their storytelling is that they worry about the cost. If hiring a professional photographer is beyond your NFP’s budget, keep in mind that many smartphones now allow users to capture candid shots and shoot short films on the fly.

This makes it easy and affordable for even very novice users to produce great-looking videos for a fraction of the cost of professional photo services. If you’re still not sure that videos are a wise investment for your nonprofit, consider the following three ways that it can strengthen your messaging and improve your relationship with donors, volunteers and other stakeholders in your community.

Enhance Your Training

Your staff and volunteers are the face of your organisation, so it’s essential that everyone is on the same page when it comes to how they interact with your community. One mistake or error in judgment, or, even an accidental miscommunication, can damage your NFP’s reputation, and undo in an instant, years of hard work and effort. Videos can help both visual and auditory processors to pick up important concepts quickly.

That’s why they are a great way to help your entire team learn and remember key takeaways when it comes to the practices, procedures and policies that they should follow in the course of carrying out their duties. Don’t just tell your team how to do the job but use video to show them!

Show and Tell to Build Trust

Another benefit of videos is that it gives your nonprofit an opportunity to show others that may be unfamiliar with your organisation just what exactly you do to make a difference in your community. Consider capturing a typical day at your nonprofit on video to give your supporters an insider’s view on what goes on at your facilities. Film special events and service days to inform others about what you are doing to help them and increase their trust in your organisation.

Not only does video improve your reputation, but it can work to motivate others to join in your efforts! Fundraising activities, as well as recruitment drives for staff and volunteers, all benefit when you use video to increase awareness about the issues in your community.

Increase Your Emotional Connection with Your Supporters

Videos make it easier to tell a compelling story, which is the key to getting others interested in your work. This is an especially useful technique when you want to call attention to a specific campaign or drive, as videos make our messaging more meaningful and stirring. After all, it’s much harder to look away or ignore a call to action when you include short spots of your members and other service beneficiaries talking about how much your work has improved their lives!