One of the first things I ask when I meet with a new client is, “Why do you want to make a video?”

Frequently clients talk about how they need to disseminate information or explain something.

Usually, it’s information that already exists on their website, newsletters or some other marketing piece. So why do they want to cover the same information again? The thinking is that people aren’t getting it so they need to make a video to capture attention. The real power of nonprofit video production is its ability to inspire and motivate. If you can inspire someone, they will be motivated to seek out other kinds of information you have for them.

A recent example to put this concept into practice.

An Early Childhood Family Center wanted to do a video to explain their various programs and how they worked. They had pamphlets and a website that already covered this but they felt like people still weren’t getting it. After talking with the Program Directors, I realized the foundation of all the programs was the importance of the early childhood development period itself. To be honest, I have two small kids and I didn’t quite realize how important it was. So we started to shift our focus away from the programs and toward the idea of early childhood development and why it’s vital for future success. If we could nail this, surely parents would read their brochures and spend some time researching the programs on their website.

So how do you shift the focus from information to inspiration?

Ask questions that delve into the deeper meaning. Here are some examples of how you can translate an informational question into an inspirational question.

These questions will get entirely different answers. Can you tell me about this organization will get something like, “We are an early childhood development center and we have the following programs....” Why is this organization important might get something like, “Early childhood is the most critical development period. Kids need to develop vital skills during this period to be successful later in life.”