Too busy to make a video? What’s holding you back?

When I approach nonprofits to discuss video marketing, I usually deal with directors of development, recruitment, or marketing.

I’ve seen firsthand that you’re all busy people with staffs to oversee, boards to answer to and concrete goals to meet for every quarter — ensure this much growth, or bring in this many dollars.

A video marketing campaign can be a huge asset in achieving and even surpassing these goals.

The problem, however, is that it’s hard for many of my contacts to imagine adding a new commitment on top of everything they already have to manage.

When we talk, it’s easy for them to understand how video can help make their lives and their jobs easier. But once the meeting is over, the daily grind slows the project to a halt.

Tell me if any of this sounds familiar: Your boss agrees to sit down with you and make a decision about video, but weeks pass and you’re both still too busy to find the time.

Or, you want to get budget approval, but a full-scale video marketing campaign is so different from anything your organization has done before. There’s no provision for it; you’re going crazy trying to jump through all the hoops, cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s, and explain why the funds allocated for a basic video aren’t enough.

How long do you keep trying before you give up?

There will be roadblocks to initiating this process. That’s a given. You have to really want it to push through and get it off the ground. Often, it just seems easier to stick with the status quo. You have so many things on your to-do list, and you’re managing fine without video, aren’t you?

Aren’t you?

Or do you just not know what you’re missing?

In all my years in the business, I’ve never had a client regret initiating a video campaign.

Getting the ball rolling seems to be the hardest part — taking that intimidating first step toward commitment. The mental hurdle is actually a much bigger deal than the practical challenges.

Some organizations choose to be personally involved in video production, even with their staff’s hectic schedules — and through all the ups and downs of the process, they’re still left with the awareness that it was worth it. Others prefer to rely on a full-service firm that will take care of everything from start to finish. If you’re worried about the demands of the project, it might help to remember that this latter option is open to you.

How much effort are you exerting in your current recruitment or fundraising efforts? What kind of return are you seeing for it?

It’s worth considering that there’s an easier way. The benefits of video are certainly well-documented, and a comprehensive marketing strategy will give you direction, focus, and effective follow-through.

You may have talked about it before. You might be interested, or even excited by the idea.

So what’s holding you back?