Translating Advocacy into Measurable Member Value : Video Production for Associations

The Association Executive's Mandate:

Strategic Video, Controlled Budget

Many Association executives recognize that video is a non-negotiable tool for building trust, humanizing your mission, and raising awareness. However, the commitment to high-quality video production must be justified by clear strategic returns.

Your core challenge is twofold: achieving cinematic quality while maintaining rigorous budget control and ensuring the final product aligns with a specific, measurable objective, be it engagement, promotion, retention, fundraising, or advocacy. Generic video is an expense; strategic video is an investment.

Every project must be rigorously aligned with your defined association goal.

The Strategic Function of Video:

Solving Association Challenges

For associations, video is not simply promotional; it is a vital tool for solving specific, complex organizational challenges. By carefully choosing the format, you can ensure your video resources deliver tangible value across your mandates:

For Fundraising & Trust: Recommended Video Types are Testimonial Videos and Fundraising Appeals. The key strategic benefit is to encourage donations by showcasing the emotional and direct impact of contributions. Personal story campaigns often raise significantly more funds.

For Member Engagement & Retention: Recommended Video Types are Training/Instructional Videos and Behind-the-Scenes or authentic member testimonials. The key strategic benefit is to Strengthen retention by helping members understand their value, introducing leaders, or streamlining onboarding and policy adherence.

For Advocacy & Public Education: Recommended Video Types are Explainer Videos and short Impact Documentaries. The key strategic benefit is to make complex policy and regulatory issues accessible to the public, motivating people to support a cause or become involved in advocacy.

For Events: Recommended Video Types are Promotional Content and Post-Event Highlights. The key strategic benefit is to support both in-person and virtual events, extending your message and impact long after the event concludes.

Disciplined Video Production for Associations: Managing Risk & Resources

To minimize risk and optimize resource efficiency, every video project requires a disciplined framework. This process ensures strategic alignment and delivers full control to your association:

1. Pre-Production is Strategy: The project begins with elaborating a comprehensive vision and crafting story-driven, goal-oriented scripts. This ensures strategic alignment is locked down before filming begins.

   
   

2. Quality and Compliance: Production utilizes professional, high-end equipment (4K resolution) and techniques to capture genuine content. The Post-production process includes ensuring the final product is AODA compliant for accessibility.

Proof of Impact: Strategic Video in Action

Your association's unique story demands a specialized approach that drives measurable success. Here are just a few examples of videos our team has produced:

• Retention and Compliance: For example, short, focused videos were successfully used by Taekwondo Canada to help get new members into the sport safely during Covid-19, using social media to distribute widely.

  
  

• Public Advocacy and Industry Trust: To address critical industry challenges, video was used to assist the Chicken Farmers of Canada in showcasing the benefits of real chicken versus plant-based alternatives. Similarly, the Dairy Farmers of Canada used video to showcase the journey of milk from the cow to the grocery store, bolstering consumer trust.

  
  

• Credibility in Sensitive Sectors: The rigor required in sensitive fields, such as health and education, is affirmed by testimonials from members for organizations like the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Patient Alumni, noting attention to detail and ability to exceed expectations.

  
  

Conclusion: Investing in Strategic Clarity

For association executives, video production is a mission-critical investment that demands strategic oversight. The successful approach is ensuring every resource spent translates your organization's macro advocacy goals into tangible, measurable member value.

If your association is seeking a disciplined approach to video that delivers cinematic quality while ensuring strategic alignment and resource control, a specialized partner provides the necessary assurance.

To see samples of videos our team has produced for associations, visit our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thewaysandmeansmarketing.

Connect with us to see our full range of video solutions and to explore a strategy that fits your mission: https://www.thewaysandmeans.ca/contact.