Video Roadmap
No plan? You’re probably not getting your money’s worth.
Video is an expensive, high-risk investment. Not only that, production is a complicated process with lots of moving parts. When you go in without a plan, you can easily end up wasting resources, missing chances, and dealing with totally unnecessary mess and stress.
It’s worth a little preparation to maximize the chances of a successful result.
Regardless of whether I’ll be filming or editing the video for you, I’m available to sit down and put together a roadmap to make sure you’re ready to work smart and deliver results.
What goes into the plan?
Goals: What’s the purpose of your video? That’s the single most important factor in deciding what stays and what goes. For example, an honoree video should inspire others to step up (and increase their gifts); a tour of your facilities should make prospects feel at home (and ready to complete their registration). As we plan the video, we’ll keep coming back to this question to ensure that the end result sends a focused, powerful message.
Concept: Based on the goals we set, I’ll devise a story or narrative for your video, highlighting the key points you need to capture
Production Day Bible: Instead of wasting resources and sanity trying to improvise, you’ll go in with a well-coordinated plan for all visuals, locations, lighting, and on-screen talent
Utilization: How and where should you post the video? How can you make it easy for viewers to respond to the call to action?
Deliverables
✓ A report outlining the above.
✓ We’ll meet and review for 45 minutes. I’ll take any additional questions at that time.
✓ There is no obligation to work with me on the production of the video.
✓ 7 days of email support to answer additional questions.
The most valuable deliverable is clarity: With this report in hand, you can convey your precise needs to vendors and receive an accurate price estimate in response.
Starting at $499
Timeline: 1 to 2 weeks
“We craft every minute of every activity so as to provide a unique and meaningful experience, and a light bulb went off when Josh challenged us and said, “Why aren’t you doing that exact same thing for the video?” He helped us understand not only how to produce a better video, but really about the mission and core values of our organization.”
Ben Gonsher, Chief Relationship Officer, NCSY
Ready to start roadmapping?
To keep our first meeting focused and productive, tell me a little more about your project.
FAQs
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Most of the time, people are reluctant to make big decisions on the spur of the moment. After all, information and planning offer the best chance of success. That’s why I’m constantly surprised by how many organizations are willing to take on huge, expensive video projects without doing any legwork. The very notion seems to take them off guard.
These organizations create videos because that’s what their communities expect, but the videos are not given a practical purpose. If they result in a profit, that’s a happy coincidence.
This seems wasteful to me. Even if you’re content with how it’s worked out so far, why throw that money away? Why risk taking a shot in the dark when you could let in some light and aim directly at the bulls-eye?
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There are four stages involved in making a video: planning, filming, editing, and distributing. While they’re all important, my years of experience have taught me that planning is the most significant, and by a huge margin, too. Without a solid plan in place, your filming, editing, and distributing will all suffer; they’ll be haphazard, inefficient, chaotic, maybe even useless, no matter how much money you put into them.
When you’re faced with limited resources, prioritize planning. It will make everything else better, too.
It’s also worth considering that video is an inescapably costly investment. If you’re not prepared to make a serious commitment, it may not be right for you.
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Sadly, they probably won’t.
Most production companies bring a different kind of expertise to the table. They’re adept at the technical elements of making a film, maybe even the storytelling if they’re really good. They can create something that looks attractive and that holds the viewer’s interest for a minute or three.
But keeping in mind your organizational goals? Planning the concept and visuals with this purpose in mind? That kind of marketing strategy isn’t in their wheelhouse. Neither are the logistics of production — you’re the only one who can make sure your people and locations are ready and waiting for their debut.
If you want all this planning handled, you’ll have to take the initiative. While you’re at it, I’m happy to lend you a hand.