How to Create Independent School Marketing Videos for Less (and why you need to do it)

Hey friends, 

I love this topic! Why? Because it's 1) easy, 2) cheap, and 3) vital to your marketing plan.

So, let's jump in. Today's video is about how to capture video when your school lacks resources and time. 

If you're unfamiliar with my philosophy about quantity over quality then listen to my video about team strategies.

But here it is in a nutshell. In order for a small school marketing team to succeed in this digitally focused world, they need to produce at a huge level. 

This is where the "B- Effort" philosophy enters. I encourage all my teams to embrace quantity over quality: Produce as much content as you can as fast as you can.

Now this doesn't mean mistake-filled work but it does mean you leave your perfectionist pants at home. The more we produce the better chance we have for success.

And this is especially true with video. Video is more important now than ever before. Schools struggling to attract and retain families need to show their authentic selves, need to give parents a glimpse into the lives of staff, faculty and students.

And not through a gleaming (and time-consuming, $$$) video, but through short mini-videos taking families behind the scenes, warming them up to you and connecting them to the heart of your school. 

There's no way you can continue to produce the quantity of videos you need at a high quality level.

 So, this means lots and lots of video. For social media, vlogs, parent email newsletters, etc. You need it!

Ok, so you're probably thinking. We can't do this! We're a small school with limited resources. 

No worries. I've got you covered. This is cheap and easy. 

3 Things Every School Needs to Produce Cheap, Easy Videos!

What tools do you need? 

No affiliate links!

1) iPhone 8 and above (I'm not going to link - just know you need a good phone!)

2) good Microphone (Yeti) 

3) Camera Stand/Phone Stand (like this one)

What videos should I capture?

Anything informal that shows the life of your school. That warms your audience up and shows the behind the scenes of your school and staff. Some examples:

• Teacher interviews
• Staff interviews (why they love the school, highlight of the week, etc.)
• Head of school birthday
• Students talking about their day
• An art class
• Specialists explaining their work

Tips for capturing good video

• Batch-produce videos. Select a time when you'll have teachers on campus, like work week before or after the school year ends or during staff meetings. Stake out a corner and send an email in advance giving faculty and staff notice this is going down and what you'll be asking them. Explain the importance behind it. 
• Make videos warm and light. It doesn't need to be about heavy topics. Think of a favorite book their reading, someone's birthday, their favorite part of working at the school, a student they saw transformed, who inspires them, etc.
• Pair people who are uncomfortable with those who are better on camera.

Watch the video for more great information on how to produce videos fast and cheap. 

Enjoy!

Aubrey

Founder, Easy School Marketing

P.S. Connect with me on LinkedIn - I'd love to hear about your favorite tips!

#privateschool #schoolmarketing #easyschoolmarketing #independentschools