Have you considered sharing short video content as a membership recruitment strategy?
If you haven’t explored short video to promote your Rotary club, you may be missing out on a perfect opportunity to connect with a wider audience over social media.
But, I hear you ask, is video really possible for my little ol’ Rotary club? Absolutely! Nowadays you don’t need professional gear, expert editing skills or software. You don’t even need to be super-confident in front of the camera – all you need to do is tell a story. When you look into the lens of the smartphone camera and you talk directly to your Facebook fans as if you’re in a room with them, this creates more intimacy and connection.
Film impromptu, personal videos to get some great engagement on your Rotary club Facebook fan page. Keep the videos short in length – one to two minutes is fine – and don’t worry about getting it just right, usually the first take is the best. So, what do you film? Film a real personal story that is unique to your club, perhaps the reasons why you joined. Film your members in action on a project; maybe even the process of how you cook the world’s greatest Rotary sausage!
Interviews are another great way to bring people to watch your videos. Perhaps after your guest speaker has spoken to the club take them aside and record a small summary interview about what they just presented. Remember, the more interesting and unique your interview is, the more likely people will share it across their own social media network.
Remember, though, not all video content needs to be produced by you; instead, guide your audience to videos that help communicate Rotary’s objectives. A search on YouTube will provide you with plenty of Rotary related video content.
Lastly, what do you want your viewers to do once they’ve watched your video? Present a distinct call to action, like: “Learn more about joining our club by visiting our website” or “Donate towards our fundraising appeal”.
As online video continues its huge rise, hopefully you’ll find plenty of inspiration about how you can use it to show off the best side of your club!
Article by Evan Burrell