Your nonprofit cause matters. And for your mission to be successful, you know that you have to build meaningful relationships and genuinely connect with your supporters. But it can be hard to inspire and cultivate human connection with real people in a digital world. Your requests for support may go unanswered, or you might feel like people ignore you altogether. Using video can change that. With video, you can help people feel connected to your purpose in a meaningful way. The best nonprofit videos show your supporters that a real person — one they can trust, connect with, and help — is behind the scenes, doing the hard work to make the world a better place.
At BombBomb, we believe in your cause. In fact, we’re also on a mission of our own — to rehumanize the world. Instead of relying on plain text, we know that being face to face is necessary to build meaningful relationships, communicate clearly and effectively, and motivate others.
We feel strongly that in our world, people need other people. And we want to work with nonprofit organizations that strive to rehumanize people who’ve been dehumanized by system or circumstance, by offering free BombBomb Essentials accounts to further their mission.
Watch below to learn about the journey Stu Davis of COSILoveyou has taken with BombBomb.
Building Relationships With The Best Nonprofit Videos
You know that nurturing trust and meaningful relationships with your supporters requires clear, personal, and consistent communication.
Below are some ways to use personal video messaging to communicate with supporters and build those relationships — just like you would in person. Using video messages will allow you to foster the essential trust and meaningful relationships while saving you time and helping you connect across time and distance.
1. Fundraising and Community Event Videos
You rely on events of all kinds to keep your mission going. Whether it’s to invite stakeholders to participate in your mission, provide financial assistance, or for you to gain awareness with potential supporters, these events are essential to your success.
You can use video for event efforts to…
• Thank supporters or participants for their patronage or participation.
• Update participants or attendees on event logistics.
• Ask attendees to complete an action while they’re at the event. For example, take photos and share them on social platforms.
The best nonprofit fundraising videos for your event provide clarity and feel personal. Watch the video below to see how Kevin Murphy of Church World Services does this.
2. Donation and Fundraising Request Videos
As a nonprofit, your organization is likely supported by individual contributions and donations to fulfill your mission. Maybe you need donations for a clothing drive during the winter season. Or perhaps you need assistance when your food pantry runs low. You might even need financial contributions for important projects. Whatever the case may be, your impact relies on the support and generosity of your community.
To create the best nonprofit fundraising videos, start by acknowledging what your supporters do for your organization. Let them know you appreciate them and make them feel seen. After that, explain why you’re reaching out. Then, ask for the specific donation you are seeking. And don’t forget to end your video with gratitude.
Watch how Emily Spear of Portal Bikes asks for donations in the following video.
Because Emily is face to face, the request for donations feels personal. It almost feels as if she’s engaging each potential donor individually. And it’s this deeper level of engagement that makes them more likely to follow through with her request.
3. Personal Thank You Videos
Your volunteers and donors should know how much you appreciate them. In addition, letting them know how big of an impact their contribution has made to your cause can help them understand how valuable they are. Sending personal thank you videos is one way for you to do this.
Creating a personalized thank you video showcases your genuine gratitude, emotion, and vulnerability. It also helps you bridge the gap between meeting in person with every supporter (impossibly time-consuming) and sending impersonal, typed-out thank you messages (easy to forget or ignore).
This is precisely what Cindy Aubrey of Pikes Peak United Way does in the following video.
In less than 30 seconds, Cindy expresses genuine gratitude and joy. She also reminds her recipient of how valuable they are to United Way and the community.
To create a meaningful, one-to-one message of gratitude…
• Don’t use a script — be yourself.
• Be sincere in your appreciation.
• Clearly explain the difference their contribution has made to your cause.
• Be genuine in your emotion.
Tip: More viewers will press play on your video if it’s 60 seconds or less. Get more guidance!
4. General Thank You Videos
Expressing gratitude is key to fostering meaningful relationships. But you may not have time to reach out to all of your supporters individually to say, “Thank you.” Creating a general video to express gratitude is an effective way to reach out to several people or groups. The best nonprofit videos will always feel personalized. And because you’re communicating just like you would in person, video helps accomplish this even when you’re reaching out to multiple individuals at once.
Check out the following video to see how Stu expresses his gratitude to a large group of people…
Even though the video isn’t just for one person, the face-to-face experience makes it feel intimate.
Here’s an easy-to-follow framework to help you create the best nonprofit thank you videos like the one above…
1. Start by introducing yourself.
2. Then acknowledge who you’re reaching out to. (For instance, a faith-based organization, a group of volunteers, or fundraising event coordinators.)
3. After that, say, “Thank you.”
4. In addition, take the time to connect meaningfully. (For example, let them know the impact they’ve made — be as specific as possible to make your video feel more personal!)
5. Finally, say, “Thank you,” again.
5. Project Update Videos
When people decide to support an organization, they like to see where their donation is going. Creating project update videos is one way to show them what you’re actively doing with their charitable investment.
Want to know the secret to meaningful project update videos? Authenticity. Authentic videos that showcase your organization’s real-world work will resonate with your supporters in a meaningful way. You don’t need to spend additional funds on fancy cameras or big productions. Remember, the goal video isn’t perfection — it’s connection.
Check out the following authentic update video to see Portal Bikes’ shelter construction project in action.
Tip: The BombBomb Mobile Application can help you create project update videos from wherever you are. Find out how.
6. Volunteer Engagement and Management Videos
It would be tough to keep your organization functioning without the help of your volunteers. And while you want them to feel comfortable, safe, and personally connected to their work, keeping in touch with each of them can be a daunting task.
Using video can change that. Video messaging allows you to communicate with all of your volunteers in a scalable way. Watch how Stephanie DeMeritt of Dream Centers Mary’s Home does this below….
Because Stephanie is using video, volunteers can see that she’s excited. They can also hear the tone of her voice when she expresses how important it is for her to have the volunteer survey completed.
Below are some additional ways you can use video to communicate with your volunteers:
Review expectations: Things like background checks and important safety protocols can be complicated. Using a tool like the BombBomb Screen Recorder can provide clarity and easy-to-follow directions.
Ask for something important: There are times when you need essential volunteer input. Using video can convey a sense of urgency when you need things done quickly. (For example, you may need volunteers to submit their schedule availability by a specific date.)
Show appreciation: A personalized video expressing your gratitude can go a long way toward showing your volunteers that what they’re doing matters.
Tip: Using an in-video Call to Action will help provide clarity for what you want your volunteers to do after watching your video.
7. Partner and Team Videos
Your team and your partners are some of your most incredible resources and allies. After all, they’re on this journey with you. Communicating with video will help make collaborative efforts seamless. And it’ll also allow you to keep relationships with your partners strong. You can use video for…
Watch below and see how Stu asks his partners for some additional help during the holiday season. His sincerity and genuine concern for his community are easy to see and feel because he’s using video.
Your team and your partners are some of your most incredible resources and allies. After all, they’re on this journey with you. Communicating with video will help make collaborative efforts seamless. It’ll also allow you to keep relationships with your partners strong. You can use video for…
• Organizing collaborative events, meetings, team-wide activities, and more
• Announcements
• Strategic planning
• Updates
• Expressing gratitude
Nonprofit Video Best Practices
Before you start using video, you need to be familiar with a few recommended practices for creating the best nonprofit video messages.
Tell Your Mission’s Story
It’s crucial for your supporters to understand why they should be involved with your organization. And using video to tell your mission’s story can help. You don’t need to share every detail. But letting people know why your cause is important and how it began is a great way to inspire them.
Be Authentic
Being your imperfect, authentic self might feel challenging when you can just hit re-record. But your authenticity will keep the recipients of your videos engaged in your message. This is because you’re showing up as a vulnerable person who’s just like everyone else. As a result, embracing this vulnerability will help you connect with your supporters on a deeper, more human level.
No Complicated Filmmaking or Scripts Necessary
You want your videos to feel personal, inspirational and to foster relationships and trust. And to accomplish this, it’s important to remember to leave room for personalization and originality. Try to refrain from scripting your videos, using over-the-top camerawork or sets. These things can make your videos feel robotic and do little to cultivate meaningful, genuine connection.
Make Supporters Heroes in The Cause
Don’t just use video to talk exclusively about yourself and your cause. Use it to focus on your supporters’ role in your nonprofit, too. As a result, making them the heroes of this important story will likely encourage them to continue participating in your mission down the road.
Ready to Use Video to Build Valuable Relationships?
Now that you understand how using video can help you create meaningful relationships and build the trust essential to your organization’s success — don’t stop here.
BombBomb is now offering free BombBomb Essentials accounts to nonprofits. See our FAQ for more details and to learn how your organization can access the power of one-to-one video messaging and be even more human centered.
Then, you can start using BombBomb and create the best nonprofit videos to connect with and inspire your community of supporters. Claim your free account!