Fail to plan and- that’s right- plan to fail. But despite its dire importance, planning isn’t a simple or straightforward process- especially for nonprofits. It’s a process of landmines and overseeable errors that can have a massive impact during execution. But, in order to prevent these pitfalls, you first must be aware of them. So, without further ado, here are 4 common mistakes nonprofits make when creating a video content plan:
Failing to Get Specific Enough
A major way to trip yourself up in the planning phase is being too broad with your goals. Statements like “increase awareness” may seem specific, but ask yourself- what does that actually look like in execution? To maximize your results, get specific with SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. For example- “From this campaign, we want to see a 5% increase in newsletter signups this quarter.”
Analysis Paralysis
Though planning should be done with time and care, don’t get caught up in chasing perfection. Sometimes, planners become fixed on the idea that more data will miraculously make everything clear. It’s important to remember that your strategy is a living entity- you are always free to pivot and add detail at a later point, but don’t let that stop you from developing a plan to execution.
Plan Around Key Dates
Capitalize on opportunities by releasing your messaging at strategic times. You’ll make the most progress interacting with your audience when they’re interested and open. A major mistake nonprofits make is planning in a bubble- don’t just think about what’s on your calendar, consider what’s on everyone else’s calendar! Are there awareness days or months that bring attention to your cause? Your content may gain more visibility if it is related to topics that are trending. Did you plan early on for the holidays? If not, your organization could be missing out on countless donations and volunteers inspired by the giving season.
The Call To Action
This one’s deadly. Your ‘Call to Action’ or CTA is absolutely critical to craft strategically. Afterall, (to put it bluntly) it’s the part that tells people what the hell they’re supposed to do. Navigating CTAs can be tricky for nonprofits, as they’re trying to inspire action on a vicarious scale as well as an individual one. When strategic planning, make sure to consider the specific steps that you want people to take after receiving your message. It’s alright for some content to call for a larger change, but if none of it provides viewers with a path to action, it’s unlikely any action will occur.
Now our call to action is to use these 4 steps to guide your strategic planning for your non-profit. Strategic planning- at least in our eyes- is the most critical stage of the production process. This is true for any organization, but especially nonprofits. Failing to get specific enough, getting paralyzed by the data, ignoring critical dates, or not fully hashing out your CTA are just a few mistakes nonprofits make in pre-production- but there are many other pitfalls to avoid. We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Failing to plan is planning to fail. And we don’t want you to fail.
Contact us to learn how you can create an actionable Non-Profit video that fits your brand and your mission here.