If your organization has recently received funding or if your customers have enabled you to hit a significant milestone, why not express your gratitude with a ‘thank you’ video? In this post, we’ll share some tips for giving thanks using online video.
Keep it short
Make sure the video is focused. It can be entertaining, but ensure that the core message is one of thanks – the audience must understand that you are grateful for their support.
Remember exactly what you’re thankful for
Be specific about the positive developments in your organization and how your funders or customers contributed. You should give details about how the money will be used and the changes people can expect to see in the near future.
Show the impact of your supporters
This is an especially effective approach if your organization has received funding that will make a visible difference to a group of deserving people. If someone who will directly benefit from the donation agrees to appear in the video, this will really help your donors feel the joy of giving.
Share the job title of everyone who appears in the video
It might seem impersonal, but realistically your audience won’t know the key figures in your company. Making it clear that the CEO is taking the time to express their thanks makes the message much more effective than if an actor has been hired.
Don’t be afraid to go off script
Having a clear plan of what you want to say is important, but being a little creative at certain points makes the video come across as genuine and heartfelt.
You don’t need an all-singing, all-dancing production
Sometimes, less is more. A stripped back video, with the speaker looking directly at the camera and explaining the impact of the recent funding injection (or whatever positive development has taken place) can be incredibly powerful.
Be inspired by these thank you videos
The organizations below have created thank you videos that will give you food for thought. They’re unambiguous, heartfelt, and engaging.
You’ll notice a common thread – they make the viewer want to learn more about the organization. A good thank you video just says thanks; a great one is the gateway to building a lasting relationship between company and customer.
Asha House
Asha House – an orphanage in India – urgently needed to raise $5,000 in just one week. They raised it in just 20 hours, and the organizers produced this video to express their gratitude. Not only did they feature children who benefited from the donations, the children named some of the donors.
University of South Carolina
This fairly low key video sets out to donors exactly what their money has done – given the student featured (as well as hundreds just like her) a bright future. It is well scripted, allowing the student to communicate her message clearly and quickly. The B-roll footage of Hillary laughing and pulling faces brings the footage to life.
Infectious Disease Research Institute
At almost two minutes, this is a long thank you video, but there are plenty of great ideas in it. The subject matter is complex (how donations have facilitated breakthroughs in curing and controlling infectious diseases), but by holding up placards of no more than a few words, it has been made comprehensible for every viewer.
Watch out for moments where the hospital staff show their sense of humor. Infectious disease is a serious topic, but this video shows that you can make a light-hearted thank you video, whatever your organization’s background.
charity: water
This video tells the story of charity: water. Not just who it helps and how it helps them, but the ethos of the organization and its staff. If you want to make a thank you video that expresses your gratitude for the donations you have received, as well as let the audience catch a behind the scenes glimpse, this will inspire you. There are no special effects, just some great editing and a heartfelt message.
Did you know that World Gratitude Day is on September 21, 2016? There’s still time to produce a thank you video to express your gratitude for any kind of assistance that your organization has received. It will make you and your audience feel good, as well as encourage them to become invested in your cause.
