If You’re a Nonprofit, Here’s How We Fit In

Face of young adult from Best Foot Forward

Nonprofits Are Essential To Our Communities. If You’re a Nonprofit, Here’s How We Fit In.

Every nonprofit has a story. Nonprofits usually fill a very serious need in our community; and one of the biggest challenges nonprofits face is the need for money. Money that helps the nonprofits satisfy the need and pay its employees. When we talk to Executive Directors of nonprofits, they share with us their frustration of telling the story effectively and efficiently so as to bring in as much money as needed to fill the gap. This is not an easy task.

Imagine if you could tell the story without having to sound like it’s been told a hundred times. What if the story could be told using the faces of those who benefited by the nonprofit? Wouldn’t that be the best way to tell the story? It would…In fact, a video can do exactly that.

The person(s) who benefited from the nonprofit would be the best person to tell the story. It’s a first person account of the difference the nonprofit made in their life. Without the nonprofit, where would they be? By having them tell your story, a possible donor can see the how their donation will help make a difference. Powerful stuff.

But, Plum Productions doesn’t just do the video; we help you reduce the cost of the video by working with your corporate sponsors. We all know companies that want to help their community, but they also want the community to know how much they impact their surrounding area. One way to work together is to let Plum Productions work with your Corporate Sponsor(s) to off-set the cost of your video.

A powerful, emotional video can bring in donations beyond expectations. We fit in because we want to tell the story. The story of how you, the nonprofit, helps our community. Below is a sample of just one of our nonprofits we’ve highlighted. Take a look…and try not to cry.

Office Tours – Showcase Your Space!

empty office

Looking For a Video Idea?

If you work in a field where customers come to your office, you probably keep it looking pretty spiffy.  The level of comfort your clients have in your space is likely important to them, and in turn, you. Virtual Office Tours have become really popular on websites for this exact reason.  A potential client can have a look around the office before they schedule an appointment.  If you run a hotel, medical facility, or even a spa, virtual tours are a really valuable selling tool.  Today, most virtual tours are created with still photos and software that “seams” the shots together giving a 3D effect.  It’s a great tool, but we at Plum Productions think it’s a missed opportunity.

A Video Tour Can Do Everything a Virtual Tour Does – With a Much Greater Marketing Impact.

  • Firstly, they’re narrated.  The viewer can actually hear information about the space they’re seeing.
  • Second, in the narration, they can also hear about different services that are provided in the different spaces.  It’s a marketing video and video tour in one.
  • Lastly, if you feature someone prominent from the office, it also becomes a “Meet the Doctor” or “Meet the Staff” video.

Recently, we created a Video Tour for a local medical office. The video was hosted by the doctor, so patients got a look at his beautiful office, and an idea of who would be providing their treatment.  You’ve have to take a look:

Every business looks for ways to save money, and combining an Office Tour, Marketing video and Meet the Staff video is a great deal. Happy Video Marketing! Jenn

What Can TV Teach Us About the New Video Revolution?

old time television

TV went through a revolution some years ago. Remember when cable first began? Remember when people were asking, “Why do we need a channel just for weather?” or “Why do we need a channel with 24 hour news?” 20 years later, we know we can’t live without the 24 hour news cycle (well most of us). Given this, what can we learn from history when it comes to video? Here are a few things we can pull from the history playbook.

TV History – A Big Lesson

In Video, Content is King!

Throughout history of television, there has never been a shortage of ideas. Television went from sitcoms to reality TV and back to sitcoms. Television has gone through drastic changes, only to come back to where it began. Not surprising. People like stories. People like to watch reality and sitcoms. They’re very similar in nature.

What does that mean for you? Since content is king, you’ll need to focus on how to create content. Think of Google as the masses (the millions of TV viewers)…constantly looking for something new, better, and entertaining. Your goal should be to continue to come up with new material to share. Whether it’s a marketing video, an informational/testimonial video, demonstration video, a training video, or just a recording of an in depth discussion about a topic relevant to a specific niche, new information (content) is king.

Your Action Item: Take approximately 30 minutes to play on YouTube. First, develop a list of keywords to search. See what you find. Watch 5 videos, but only for 30 seconds each. Write down notes about what you learned from each video. Next, search through the most popular videos and channels. Do the same thing, watch for 30 to 60 seconds. What did you learn/experience? Keys to pay attention to are the format each used, the techniques they used (sales), the techniques they used (production), the length of each video, etc. Use this information to come up with new approaches to video and to content.

Got an idea for a great video? Let us know. Want help coming up with one? Let us know.

Simple Video Blog Ideas

projector graphics

You’re probably reading this because you want to improve your website’s SEO. You’ve heard that video on your website can help SEO, but you’re looking at your computer and decided, you need a topic. You could write about your topic, or you could do a video. While we’ve given tips about How To Set Up Your Video Correctly, coming up with the topic can be a little difficult. This blog post is about picking a topic and running with it!

The How-To-Video

Videos that describe how to do something can be very helpful for your potential customer. After all, they need help. Why not be the solution? For example, about 4 weeks ago I needed to learn how to hang a flat screen television to a wall. The directions that came with the hardware wasn’t helpful, so I Googled it. I found hundreds of videos, but I selected the one that was titled correctly and after a few seconds began to teach me how to successfully hang the TV. (Side note, the TV is still hanging on the wall — Success!)

ScreenCasting

A different version of a video How-To-Video, but an important one. If you have something to show or describe on your computer screen, use ScreenCast or CamStudio. They capture what you are doing on your computer screen. I have used this program when I need to show someone how to set up an account on a website or how to make changes to a computer setting for better video viewing.

Video Interview

This is where we can come in to compliment your activities. Conducting interviews of clients or important people in your field of business can add value to your website. We’ll help you make the interview look professional and insightful. We’ll make sure you stay on topic and relevant to your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do you have a list of questions that potential clients ask frequently? Or do you have a list of questions that existing customers ask? Put together a list of frequently asked questions for them to refer to before sitting down with you. For example, a dentist might answer questions such as, “How do I prepare for my root canal operation?” or an Estate Planner might do an FAQ video about, “What documents do I need before I meet with my Estate Planner?” These can assist in SEO as well as help your customers/clients.

These are just a few options when deciding on what type of videos you can use for a blog and how you can use them. If you would like us to help you plan some of these out, simply give us a call.

How Long Should My Video Be On My Website?

stopwatch

Length of Video

Did you know that 50% more people will complete a 1 minute video than a 2 minute video? That’s significant considering most businesses want to post longer videos. We tend to recommend that if you want to post a video, that it be under 1 minute…and if you have more to say, let’s find a way to break it into smaller, bite-sized pieces. This allows the viewer to continue to click through the important portions of your videos (education) while also identifying what is important to potential customers…or what is not said efficiently somewhere else on the website.

So, I Shouldn’t Post A Long Video?

Not necessarily. It really depends on the type of video.

  1. Commercials. Many companies need to education potential customers about what they do or the benefits of the product. This can usually be done within 30 seconds.
  2. How To. Some companies need to educate current customers about how to use a product, such as how to assemble it or how to use it safely. In these cases, the length of the video is less important; however, it is important that the video get to the point quickly or the viewer will think the video will be a waste of their time.
  3. Testimonials. Testimonial videos can be up to 2 minutes. People like to watch other people give testimonials before they buy to help them determine if they are making a good choice. By providing sufficient time for multiple testimonials, the potential customer can watch as many or as few testimonials as needed to help them make a decision.

We hope this helps you make an educated decision on how long your video should be. Whether we produce it for you or someone else, make sure the length of the video is correct for it’s use. Contact us if you have any questions.

 

3 Tips from a Video Production Pro

Want some lessons from a professional video production pro? With years of experience and hundreds of videos created, we can provide some insights into how you can better create a high-quality video on a shoestring budget. Since it would be nice to have an unlimited budget, it is unrealistic. We realize that. So here are a couple of tips that can help you improve your DIY video. Remember, nothing beats a high-end camera, high-quality lighting, and the right audio components; but, you can get some decent video for your video blogs by following a couple of tips:

Know your angle. This doesn’t mean the angle of your story, this means the angle of your camera. So many people use their iPhone to shoot some decent video. With the addition of HD video to many mobile phones, many people believe this provides the best there is. It simply doesn’t; but, it can provide enough for some websites. If you’re going to hold a phone to do a video, please hold it the right way. Think about your TV. Is it taller than it is wide, or wider than it is tall? That’s the way you must hold your phone. In fact, most computer screens are shaped the same way. Shoot your video accordingly.

Steady as she goes. Even the pros use tripods. Holding a camera or phone steady is very difficult. Don’t fight this fact. An expensive tripod isn’t necessary, only something that will hold the camera steady. Remember, people want to watch your video, so make it appealing by making it steady.

Video isn’t all.Lavlier, Audio, Video While it is usually referred to as video, one other important component is the audio. The audio can turn people off very quickly. If it’s difficult to hear, has a strong echo, or the audio is muffled, you’ll want to add a lavalier microphone (or lapel microphone). These are relatively inexpensive (less than $50 at Amazon or Best Buy) and well worth the expense. We like to say that “A professionally produced video can draw clients in just as easily as a poorly produced one can drive them away.”

If you must do your own video, we hope these tips help. Every single tip listed here was inspired by at least one DIY video that we’ve been exposed to when sitting down with potential clients. These are the things that they don’t like about their video and call us to fix. Video is more difficult than it seems, so don’t be afraid to call us for some other tips!

When Video Speaks for Itself

Let’s face it: It’s not often that we get to create a piece on a subject matter so visually amazing that we can let the video speak for itself.  Here’s the story of Robert Wick, a bronze sculptor who draws inspiration from his surroundings in the remote desert of Arizona. This video features classic editing: virtually no graphics, no fancy tricks, just the sights and sounds of Robert at work.  Imaging being there, in the desert viewing his artwork. The attention to detail and the intricate work he does to put his masterpiece to the test of time. This included an interview and some voice over to capture the story of why he works with bronze and how he finds it’s flexibility easier to work with.

If you’re an artist and want to highlight your work, what better way than via a video that tells your story. What makes an artist good enough to warrant a video? Several things. For starters, having work on display for the public provides viewers a sense of awe. When you visit this location, you’ll find you’re in nature.

Sit back and take a break from your busy workday with this one!

OR Click here: Robert Wick, Plum Productions