New Ways Your Association Can Use Video Marketing

Looking for new ways to capture the attention of your members and supporters? Video offers new and interesting ways to do just that. 

Here are 7 fun things associations & organizations can do with video to reach and engage their audience!

1. SHOW THE RESOURCE/RESUME POWER OF YOUR ASSOCIATION

Our world has become increasingly mobile. People move for many reasons – to be closer to family, to live in a city they’ve always dreamed of, or to lower their cost of living.

While previous generations may have worked one job for 35 years, we’re doing well to make it one or two years before wanting a new challenge.

These factors add up to you having more competition than you’d expect at your next interview – particularly from candidates with vast amounts of experience. This can be intimidating for those new to the workforce or making a drastic career change.

Quality videos on the resources, available mentors, and experience your association holds are a great way to show potential members the tangible need they have to become involved as soon as possible.

2. EXPLORE NETWORKING POSSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP

Broken printers and computer viruses aren’t the only challenges we face as working professionals. Sometimes the greater challenges are interpersonal relationships with clients, managers, and co-workers.

How do we gracefully handle trying moments while still communicating clearly? Create a video to show how networking within your association is a gold mine for discussions with people who truly understand both your job and the industry you work in as a whole.

Brainstorming within a membership community doesn’t have to be limited to conflict resolution— it’s a great low-stakes environment for tossing around ideas as well as getting valuable feedback and perspectives from others.

Combine these ideas with the potential of personal friendships and lifelong connections with other members, and you have a convincing pitch for why potential members need to hurry up and get involved. You can also use these short videos to increase member engagement.

3. DISCUSS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Professional development is one way to stand out as a dedicated practitioner in your field, regardless of your age or experience. What better incentive for potential members to sign on than the idea that you’ll dish up all the professional development options they need in a quick, easy-to-digest form?

Use effective video content to show how painless sifting through the options will be when you’re guided by the experts in your association (social media updates, helpful virtual newsletters, etc.) and you’ll be flooded with new members eager to save time and energy while still being informed.

4. HIGHLIGHT A CURRENT MEMBER

Highlighting a valuable member in your association via video is a win-win proposition. The member feels appreciated and therefore interested in using the platform to share their workplace secrets.

When producing videos that highlight members, consider these questions as a starting point:

• How do the members stay productive? 
• Do they have advice for others trying to attain their position? 
• How has the association helped its own marketing efforts?
• What are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions they receive about their profession or role?

When they share insights, your association gains credibility for having a knowledgeable individual using their time and money in your ranks.

It also casts a vision for young hopefuls in your field. Because where do they want to be in ten years? Right where your member is! So what’s the logical first step in attaining that career vision? Joining the successful person’s beneficial professional association, of course!

5. PROMOTE IMPORTANT CONFERENCES

Whether your professional association is hosting a conference or you’re attending one relevant to your industry, this is a great opportunity to use video to display your expertise.

Your call to action could be for people to visit your booth at the ASAE conference. You could also use video to inspire blog posts like “List five reasons why it’s worth the expense of your conference’s attendance” or “Successful video production tips to boost click-through rates.”

These approaches add value to your brand because they present concrete examples of your knowledge, field experience, and involvement in the community of practice.

6. SHOW PASSION FOR YOUR SUBJECT MATTER

Anyone can talk about a topic for 15 minutes. What makes people excited is hearing someone’s enthusiasm about a topic. It’s magnetic!

I know nothing about physics, but show me a TED Talk where the speaker shows his or her passion and makes the topic engaging, and I’ll sit through the full 30-minute video. I might even watch the video over and over again!

You can spice up promotional videos by talking about why you love what you do. How has being in an association made your job better/easier/more fun?

People are engaged by stories, and you’ll have more success recruiting if you use narrative rather than a long list of potential services and capabilities.

7. EMPHASIZE YOU’RE ONE OF A KIND

In an age of endless options, what makes your association the best choice? Use a video to show the individuality that highlights your strengths.

If you’re a creative group, make a virtual office tour featuring your well-decorated desks and quirky culture. Highlight company events that are unique and have an interesting backstory.

If you’re targeting practical members uninterested in pomp and pageantry, show your well-kept archive of webinars, meeting notes, and professional development opportunities for a value-add that sells itself.