Podcast episode transcript ↓
Josh:
Every nonprofit has powerful stories to tell, stories that invite people in, build empathy, and fuel generosity.
Video storytelling unlocks a uniquely human way to bring those stories to life and deepen connections with supporters.
But doing it well, especially with limited resources, can feel overwhelming.
So, how can your organization create authentic, compelling videos that move people to act without breaking the budget?
And what common mistakes should you avoid to make sure your story lands?
I’m Josh with Anedot, and welcome to Nonprofit Pulse where we explore trends, insights, and resources that help nonprofits accomplish their mission.
On this episode, we’re joined by Pat Taggart to talk about video storytelling for nonprofits.
Pat is the founder of SkyBlue Creative, a video production agency that helps organizations create content that’s both authentic and actionable.
As a documentary filmmaker, Pat takes a human-centered approach, ditching scripts and forced performances in favor of real conversations that feel authentic and alive.
He brings fresh, creative, and customized ideas to help organizations tell their stories in new and impactful ways.
Hey, Pat, thanks for joining us on Nonprofit Pulse.
Pat:
Josh, thank you for having me.
Why video storytelling is a powerful tool for nonprofits
Josh:
Yeah, excited about our conversation today.
We're going to be talking about video storytelling for nonprofits and really the power behind that.
So maybe just starting off, why is video storytelling such a powerful tool for nonprofits?
And even further, really, how can it help organizations connect more deeply with their audience?
Pat:
Yeah, I think people, you know, you often hear in the for-profit world that people buy from people. I think people also want to support people.
So it's one thing to put your mission out there on your website and show some pictures.
But there's a huge difference, I believe, between understanding something and knowing something exists and feeling something.
And I think that really what you want to do to be successful is have your audience, your supporters, feel your mission and feel the impact that you're making.
Video is a tremendous tool to be able to do that.
First of all, we have the ultimate cheat code, which is music, okay? And music often very subliminally tells you how to feel.
I saw this amazing video on YouTube one time, and they took the trailer for The Shining, and they put this, like, really sweet song behind it and kind of recut it.
And all of a sudden The Shining looks like this really silly, like family comedy.
Why? Because the first 10 seconds you're seeing these images and you're hearing this music and it's telling you subliminally how to feel.
So it is the ultimate cheat code for video creators like us. You're able to combine some great imagery with music to tell people how you want them to feel about it without overtly telling them.
But also, the key to all of it is just to be very conversational and genuine with your content.
I learned this the hard way. I started creating content back when I was 22, and I was doing what everybody else was doing.
We were scripting people. We were telling people, hey, say exactly this.
And what did that do? It took the life out of the product. It took every ounce of spontaneity and all the heart out of it, because people were trying to be word perfect.
The goal should not be word perfect. The goal should be genuine and authentic.
And I think that if your heart's in the right place, leading a nonprofit, and if you're doing great work, man, just tell the story and tell it in a very unscripted, genuine way, and you will find that people are going to gravitate to your mission.
Key elements of an effective nonprofit story
Josh:
I love that, and I want to dig deeper into the kind of the make up in what you guide your clients around the key elements of a nonprofit story.
So yeah, just unpack that for us.
What are the key elements that you look for when creating these stories for nonprofits?
Pat:
Yeah. One thing is people sometimes and this is nonprofit, this is for-profit, this is any organization.
They tend to, when they get to a certain level of scale, they stop telling their origin story.
They stop talking about why they started to do this in the first place.
Like what was the need, what was compelling to them, why were they pulled to spend their time doing this and not listen to friends and family that told them they were crazy, right?
Why don't you do something else with your time and talent? Every organization has that.
For whatever reason, we get to a certain size and it's like, oh, we're the largest this or that in Austin or Philadelphia or wherever you happen to be in the world.
And there's a reason why people root for underdogs, right?
Like in the Superbowl, the only people ever rooting for the favorite are typically the people in the favorite city. And it's because there's something really magnetic about pulling for someone that shouldn't be where they are.
So if you could be really humble and say, hey, we saw this need and these folks that weren't properly being helped and we set out on a mission to help them and be real honest about those early days, then I think people are all the more receptive to the success that you've had and the people that you've helped and where you are now.
As far as story elements, I really think obviously you want to talk about what you do, but there's a very good chance that you're not the only nonprofit organization that does what you do.
The more important thing to address is how do you do it differently? How are you different than the other organizations that are out there doing it?
What's your approach? How do you put your special spin on it?
Then listen, I always think that no matter how well you speak about your own mission, there's nothing like having people that you've helped tell their story.
Josh, people say to me all the time, well, we can't really ask people that we've helped to come on to tell their story. Like, we can't do that. That's exploitative.
Well, no, it's not, because all you have to do is ask. They're welcome to say no.
But what you'll find so often is that these people are really looking for a way to give back and say thank you for whatever it is that they've received as far as help goes.
And so give them that platform. That's really what they want.
By not at least giving them the option, you never know if they're going to say yes. And I promise you more often than not they will.
Josh:
Absolutely. And if you're touching people's lives at a deep level, they want to tell others about that.
And I know there's certain ways that nonprofits help that are areas of maybe, shame or they feel uncomfortable kind of platforming that they were in need for this way or this thing.
But just a simple ask, and saying, hey, we want to help more people just like you.
There are people out there who don't know that we're doing this service or there are donors out there who want to give so that we can reach more people like you and your story can really have a big impact.
And there are a lot more yeses than noes when asking for those interviews.
Pat:
Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, people are grateful for that opportunity.
It's one of the biggest misconceptions. I totally understand why there's the hesitancy.
You want to make sure that you're not exploiting the folks that you're helping. It's not exploitation by any means.
How nonprofits can make quality videos on a tight budget
Josh:
So thinking through constraints, Pat, nonprofits most operate on a very limited budget, a tight budget.
And when it comes to video storytelling, that just sounds expensive on the face, right?
Even with kind of democratized video tools we have now from video editing software to the hardware, even just the incredible cameras on iPhones and other devices.
There's still a lot of hesitancy to really resource video storytelling.
So how do you advise nonprofits and your clients when it comes to resourcing that budgeting to really produce a compelling, impactful product?
Pat:
Yeah. So just to reaffirm what you said, about ten years ago, a little less, I bought a video camera for a little over $6,000, and with all the accessories for it, it was probably closer to $8,000.
That video camera is now completely defunct. It sits in a cabinet behind me. I'm a moron for not selling it earlier, but now I can't sell it because nobody wants it.
And the great news for everybody except for me, is that the cell phone in your pocket is a better video creation tool than that all in $8,000 camera that is now my most expensive paperweight.
Technology really used to be the barrier. Technology is not the barrier. It's willingness to put yourself out there, and so the only way to start is to do it.
What I often hear from people, and I think that this is an even bigger barrier than technology is, people will say, well, I don't like the way I look or sound on video. I'm not putting myself out there.
But you will take that same face into meetings, right? To meet potential donors, to recruit people to your organization and use that same voice every single day on calls.
What's the difference? Well, the difference is the video isn't live. And all those other things are.
You can't go into a meeting and do three takes, right? It's live ammo. Same with these calls you're taking.
Here's the truth, the content is not for you.
If you're creating content to consume personally, then you're probably a sociopath. And we have way bigger problems than you not having enough video for your organization.
So if you don't like the way you look or sound, just don't consume your content, right?
And then I think that there's things that you can do to make a whole lot of sense to do with that phone that you can do for free.
Number one, let people into your world.
People are very interested in nonprofits. I am. I've never worked for one. And so while I get an opportunity to talk to great people like yourself, I've never been really on the inside of a nonprofit.
I just come in and work with them, and then I move on. I'd love to know what the daily workings are, what are the challenges?
What are the successes? What are the great stories that come up every day? Why not just record those?
You can take your cell phone, go on Amazon or wherever you like to shop. Buy a simple cell phone tripod, light, and microphone for probably 100 bucks all in.
You take that cell phone to the very next level of production quality and then just start to record stuff.
A video FAQ how many times you you answering the same dang question over and over again for people that reach out.
Take your 6 or 8 or 10 most frequently asked questions. Record a short video around it, put it on your site so people aren't reaching out with those questions, but also use it in your communication with people.
So that if somebody says, hey Josh, was wondering about this. How much of your donations go to support the mission versus taking care of your organization?
You can respond with, hey, we have a video addressing that very thing. Here's a link. Rather than answering that same question over and over again.
Not only is it more efficient for you, but it's a touch point as well.
It's an opportunity to create a real kind of human bond with people so they could see a face and not just a bunch of text.
Now, are there times where you should bring a pro in? I believe, obviously I’m biased, I believe there is for evergreen pieces.
So if you want kind of your real brand identity piece that lives front and center on the home page of your site that's going to tell the story of who you are, how you do things differently, and most importantly, why you do the work that you do.
Probably smart to get that created by a pro that knows how to do these things. That's going to create the greatest impact on viewers. And you're going to use that video for the next 5 or 10 years.
So create once, use many times. Maybe a couple really great case studies with the folks that you've helped. That would work as well.
So evergreen piece is a pro, but man, there's so much you could be doing on your own with that phone.
Common video storytelling mistakes nonprofits make and how to avoid them
Josh:
I love that and kind of shifting over to mistakes and pitfalls when it comes to video storytelling for nonprofits, what do you see kind of regularly in your line of work where nonprofits kind of take a wrong turn when it comes to their video production and planning?
Pat:
Yeah. So, one word: scripts.
Don't script yourself. Here's the absolute truth: every second that you spend scripting out exactly what you're going to say, you're doing a disservice to the final product. Again, people don't want perfection. They want humanity. They want honesty. They want authenticity.
So does that mean go in completely unprepared? Absolutely not. You need to know who you're talking to and what the goal of your video is, what you're talking points are.
But you should be able to speak to those like you speak in a meeting. You should be able to speak to those conversationally.
That's where an editor comes in. And so that's why you should be able to kind of record all this clay, give it to someone that knows what they're doing and let them package it.
Maybe that's somebody within your organization that just has a passion for this kind of thing. Might be somebody's kid.
Like, my kids are editing video. They're 11 and 13. I wasn’t at that age, I didn't have the tools. They all have the tools.
But you're supposed to not really worry about exactly what you're going to say.
Just be genuine, be authentic, tell great stories. Make sure you let your heart shine through, be vulnerable, and then put it out to the world.
Man, scripts are the enemy of great content. I will beat that drum until my final moments.
How to choose video length and format for different platforms
Josh:
Thinking about the product itself, the deliverable, what do you advise nonprofits to execute on as far as the length and the format?
They're obviously going to want to post them on social channels, video hosting platforms, even maybe advertisements, television.
What's your guidance there for nonprofits who are wanting to get into more video storytelling but don't know really about the format and some of the best practices?
Pat:
I have a very simple rule for content length, and it is video should be as long as the content is compelling and not a second longer.
I think that we have gotten too fixated on saying all videos have to be a minute or less.
Well, sometimes that's a disservice of a really great story. If the story stands on its own in 2 or 3 or 4 minutes, that's fine.
But make sure that you're not telling a two minute story in four minutes.
So you want to be economical with the words. But sometimes these things have to breathe a little bit.
So create it, watch it, get honest feedback from people that don't love you unconditionally. Say, is this interesting? Is this compelling? Does this move you?
And if they say, yeah, it's good. But like, I was, kind of lost me a couple times, it could be a clue that you're a little bit longer.
Josh:
That's so helpful and many stories have many turns, and a lot of times those turns are what makes you feel something.
Kind of thinking about earlier, what you said about the purpose of storytelling is to make people feel, not just know or learn.
It's not just information. It's emotion.
And really, I've seen so many videos from nonprofits or ministries where you knew there was more behind that and you wanted to know more, but for some reason, they were constrained by that one minute target or that two minute target.
I think that's just such great advice is let the story breathe.
Let it go where it needs to go and you can edit it later. But don't arbitrarily limit the power of a full story just because of a platform or some type of best practice.
Pat:
Yeah, man. Like, when's the last time you went on Netflix and watched a 60 second video? Right?
We just had the Oscars the other night as we're recording this now, how many 60 second movies were nominated for anything?
People will still watch things that are longer than that as long as it's compelling, right? It doesn't have to be 60 seconds or nothing.
Practical tips to improve on camera storytelling
Josh:
So, Pat, thinking about some practical tips for nonprofits looking to improve their on camera storytelling, whether it's for testimonials or appeals or impact stories, what are some of those practical on camera tips you would give?
Pat:
Well, first, just a really general one, which is the only way you get better at anything in the world is by doing it.
And I tell that to my kids all the time. Like you want to get better at dribbling a basketball? Dribble basketball. You want to get better at doing math? Do math.
You want to get better on camera? Put yourself on camera.
Even if you don't share it with the world, you have to get reps. You have to practice, right?
This isn't the first podcast I've had the opportunity to do. Hopefully I'm a little bit more fluid now talking to you than I was on my first one. And that only comes with repetition, right?
I'm sure if you think about your first time hosting this show, compared to today, you're probably way more comfortable, way more confident, right?
And you kind of have your groove down. You're very good at this. That only comes with repetition.
So you're thinking about when to start, now would be a good time.
Don't forget, if you put out your first video today, the entire world isn't going to see it.
Like the stakes are not that high, right? And so as long as you're being genuine, review the video before it goes out.
It's not live. If you're comfortable with the message, great. If you hate the way you look and sound, have somebody on your team that you trust that can take a look and then put it out there and you never have to see it again.
I think that's a big part of it. Like, if you don't want to see yourself, don’t want to hear yourself, don't be involved in that process.
Then I would say, just be open to what comes along. Sometimes people think that all they can do is tell the story of their organization.
Here's what we do. Man, some of the best stories come from inside that organization.
Things that happen, a phone call they receive, an interaction, right? A situation that seemed like a terrible thing or a mistake that turned around, like be open to sharing those stories.
Stories are so wonderful in a sense that sometimes when you get really granular about your organization, the only people that would maybe be interested in your story are people that have a heart for your mission, for exactly what you do.
But great stories are universal. So if you have a great story that transcends your purpose, don't be afraid to share that because that becomes more shareable.
That's something that's very niche of what you do. Does that make sense?
Josh:
Yeah, that's super helpful. Super helpful.
And yeah, just thinking even about some of, you mentioned the Oscars earlier and I saw an interview recently with I can't remember who it was, but I've heard it over and over from actors about them not watching their own films, right?
So winning awards, and they've never even seen the product.
They've never seen, how they perform.
Pat:
I think Johnny Depp's one of those. I think he's like never seen the pirates movies apparently.
Josh:
Yes. And so it's one of those things that. I love that you said just get started.
Because, look, here's the thing. In two years from now, you're either going to have two years of on camera experience or none because you never took that first step.
Pat:
That's exactly right.
How to measure success in nonprofit video storytelling
Josh:
And there is no getting better without just starting. So just start.
So kind of shifting to the data side, measuring what matters, Pat. A lot of nonprofits want to get started with more video. But they need the resources.
And then coming with that resources is accountability. And there's going to be a conversation around well, we can resource this, but we're going to need to measure it.
We're going to need to show that this was worth the investment.
So, how do you advise your clients to measure what matters when it comes to video? And really show the investment was a worthy investment of those precious dollars.
Pat:
Yeah, I think there's really two camps on this.
So if you really want to measure exactly dollar for dollar what your ROI is on it, then you're probably going to put some money behind a campaign and you're going to work funnels and you're going to be able to track exactly how many people saw the video, how far they follow it into your process, and who ultimately gave if that's your metric, right. Dollars raised to help fund your mission.
The other thing that I would say is anecdotally, if people really understand your story. And chances are you're doing really wonderful work.
If that's not connecting and you find yourself constantly saying among your friends and among your team, man if people just understood, like, why don't people get this? Why don't people really feel what we're doing?
Then that's probably a storytelling issue.
You know that, like there's plenty of people that redo their website. Why do they redo their website? Did they get hard data saying they need to redo their website? Probably not.
But maybe people have said, hey man, your website's not awesome, even though you what you're doing is great.
Or you try to consume your content as a viewer, you try to experience your website as a visitor and you're like, okay, I see, like I see what other people are doing and we're not quite there.
It doesn't feel worthy of our mission. And so in that case, then I think it's like, what would it feel like if there was a video on the homepage of our site, if somebody clicked play, and they felt our mission.
They knew exactly who we are and why we do what we do and who we're helping and the impact we're making on the world, I think that inherently, you know that would probably be helpful, especially if you could spend X and it's going to be useful to you for the next five years.
What's the value of a great first impression? Can you quantify that? What if you can really carefully cultivate that first impression, and that everybody that comes to your page is going to get that same first impression for the next X number of years?
That's kind of what a great video can do. I don't know about you, but I'm not on every day.
Some days I'm not great. Some days I feel great, right?
So I'm sure the first impression that I make as a human being, live ammo every day is not the same on people. Video kind of takes that variability away.
Josh:
Yeah, that's so helpful. And it it got me thinking not everything can be measured or can be measured accurately.
And I would just challenge nonprofit leaders, whether, you have a boss or whether you are the boss and the board is your boss is go to that leader above you and say, hey, we're currently investing or resourcing 0% of our budget into video storytelling.
Can we get that to 1%? Can we get that to 3%?
Just as a baseline, not talking about any type of ROI, but just saying, as a nonprofit in 2025, we need to be meeting people where they're at, telling stories that are compelling, and producing content that lasts.
And as you mentioned, evergreen content, but also content that reaches people on TikTok or on Instagram.
I would start that conversation there, and I think that's a lot easier if you're not doing anything currently or resourcing that currently.
Maybe you are say, hey, we're at 1%, we'd love to go to 3%, and then have another conversation in a year or two.
But I think there's a lot of opportunity for leaders to really jump start and lean into video production in 2025 and beyond by just saying, let's have 1% go to video storytelling.
Pat:
You try a lot of things in your organization and that's kind of how you find out if they work, right?
If they work, you do more of it. If they don't work, you stop and you do something else. I think video falls in that same category.
You don't know until you try. Don't be afraid of it. Don't worry about not being perfect. It's an ongoing thing.
And I put things out there sometimes and I'm like, that wasn't the best, right? I didn't embarrass myself, but it wasn't the best.
I put some things out there, I'm like, okay, I provided real value. I think it's the same thing.
Closing thoughts
Josh:
Thinking of resources Pat, any resources out there that you would recommend to our audience? Guides, PDFs, reports, anything at all?
Pat:
Yeah. I appreciate the question very much. I know that this is the opportunity where people typically kind of plug themselves and things that they offer.
I love to put value out on LinkedIn. I love to network on LinkedIn. I think it's a great place for people to share ideas in a way that doesn't feel very salesy.
But I'd say also, if you're ever looking for inspiration, Skybluecreative.com is our site.
So, you can get some ideas of the style that I think would be really beneficial for you to follow, which is no scripts.
And then also the other thing I didn't mention, Josh, is you don't have to look into the lens of a camera.
Like for a lot of people, that's very unnerving. And so you can do these things documentary style, where you are speaking to someone slightly off camera.
So for the viewer, it's like they're dropping in on a conversation rather than being sold to. And it's a very different experience.
Josh:
Yes, I totally agree. And I've led several video projects in ministry settings where there is something intimidating about a lens staring at you directly.
It's like your bully from middle school for a lot of folks, I love that tip, for sure.
Just kind of takes the edge off and allows the subject or the interviewee to to really just stay relaxed and tell their story.
Last question, Pat. My favorite question of every episode.
If you were standing in front of a thousand nonprofit leaders on stage and you could share one thing, one pithy sentence with them about today's topic, what would you say?
Pat:
This is like the Rumpelstiltskin question, where you have to spin up some gold for people, right?
I would say no one cares what you look or sound like except for you.
Because again, man, that is holding back so many people from doing this thing. And it should not. Like you and I, we just met today.
We're looking at each other over this platform. You look and sound exactly like Josh, and I assume that I look and sound exactly like Pat, right?
But when I watch this video back, I'll be like, ah, my nose or my eyes. I don't know. Is that bothering you?
Because nothing about you is bothering me. It's all these insecurities that we have that are so exclusive to us.
And if that is preventing you from telling the story of the wonderful work you're doing in the world, you are only hurting the people that you could be potentially helping by sharing your message.
So don't let that hold you back. It’s very, very silly. It's very human, but it's very silly.
Josh:
I love that. Thanks Pat for all the tips today, and I really hope that those in the audience will lean into video in 2025.
It's never been easier to start with video.
And, check out Skybluecreative.com to connect with Pat. And there's just so many resources out there.
But yeah, 2025 is the year for video for every nonprofit.
Don't leave this year without having some next step in that area. Video storytelling is where it's at.
Thanks for the convo, Pat. And, as always, you can check out Nonprofitpulse.com to see the show notes.
You can find Pat's LinkedIn there as well as some other resources and links.
Pat, thanks so much for joining us in the podcast, and I hope our audience was blessed with this expert guidance.
Pat:
Josh, this was so much fun. Thank you for having me.
I love the work that you do. Please keep it up for everybody that listens.
Josh:
Hey, thanks for listening.
If you enjoyed this conversation, please share or leave us a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts.
Also, head on over to Nonprofitpulse.com to sign up for our monthly newsletter, as well as check out all the links and resources in the show notes. We’ll see you next time.
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