Giving Day & Crowdfunding Campaign Video Creation Guide

min read

cartoon of a director's chair on a stage with curtains, alluding to campaign video directors

Creating campaign videos can be extremely helpful in engaging your community. Learn how to easily put together an impactful video.

First things first, before you ever hit record you need to write an outline. It doesn’t have to be a script, just organize what you want to say. Your video should be attention-grabbing, short (2-3 minutes), and to the point. Here are the most important elements to include:

Introduction

Introduce yourself and your team and explain why you’re championing this effort. Introducing yourself might seem like a “duh,” but it helps establish credibility. Make sure to speak directly to the camera to connect with your viewers.

Your Need

A budget breakdown is great, but it’s not enough. You need to describe the struggle at the heart of your campaign and how it affects individuals. Even if you’re raising funds for something inanimate like a piece of equipment, give it a voice by telling the story from the perspective of someone who will be impacted.

Your Story:

Grab attention− Your story isn’t boring! Use personal experiences, statistics, relevant quotes, or compelling visuals within the first 30 seconds to hook your viewers.
Position Your Cause − Positioning simply means influencing a donor’s perception of your cause. You must informatively and persuasively answer: what your campaign is, what it does, what it means, and why people should care.
Invoke emotion − Keep it real and focus on creating personal connections to human stories. Don’t just record a Powerpoint slideshow, show a day in the life of someone affected by your cause, what it would be like for someone if your solutions were implemented, or even explain your motivation to create your campaign.
Stress impact − When you talk about the impact, you’re directly connecting potential supporters to the impact they make by donating. Focus on the benefit: how does this make people’s lives better? Give life to your budget items with statements like”$10 will buy a meal for a student who is facing daily food insecurity” or “$800 is all we need to get a 3D printer and learn the job skills we need to change the world!”

Your Timeline

Is there a new, pressing need for funds? Did you recently receive a promise of support that gives you a huge advantage? Connecting your potential supporters to the urgent nature of your campaign will increase their likelihood of donating the first time they visit.

Clear Calls to Action

Potential supporters have more than one way to help you! Ask them to do at least one of these three things: donate, share, or sponsor/donate a reward. To go even further, make each call to action easier by pointing people towards a budget breakdown, social and email templates, and contact information for a team member to discuss rewards.

Strong Ending

Drive your message home with a positive, strong statement. Tie it back to the attention grabber at the beginning, and don’t forget to say thank you!

Once your outline is complete, you’re ready to record. Remember: your video doesn’t have to be flashy or expertly produced. Some of the most compelling campaign videos are recorded with a phone camera. Authenticity is key. Let your passion for the story take center stage!