How nonprofits can use smartphones, social media, and simple video to tell powerful stories
Your organization has important work to share. The challenge isn’t finding stories—it’s finding effective ways to reach people where they are.
Today, audiences increasingly expect to see video on their phones, whether they’re learning about a community issue, discovering a nonprofit, or deciding whether to support a cause. The good news? You don’t need expensive equipment, a television studio, or a professional production team to create meaningful content.
This practical workshop will show nonprofit leaders and communicators how to use smartphones, simple editing tools, social media, website content, and opinion pieces to increase engagement and tell compelling stories. Participants will learn what kinds of content audiences respond to, how to capture authentic moments, and how to create simple but effective videos using tools they likely already own.
Whether you’re completely new to video or looking for ways to strengthen your organization’s communications, you’ll leave with ideas you can begin using immediately—and a clearer understanding of how modern storytelling can help advance your mission.
Cost: $25 (free for SLA Members)
Facilitators
Juli Metzger is owner of The JMetzger Group, a strategic communications agency. She’s worked with the George & Frances Ball Foundation, Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity, the 8twelve Coalition, Heart of Indiana United Way, and Meridian Health Services on executive leadership, marketing, fund development and strategy. Formerly on faculty at Ball State University, she also writes on topics of higher education, college access and workforce for the Lumina Foundation. Over a 30-year career as a journalist, she was editor of three newspapers and president and publisher of three others including as Executive Editor for Digital at the Indianapolis Star. A Muncie native, Juli has served on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie, and Project Leadership, for which she received the Fisher Governance Award in 2015. Currently, she is Chair of Project Leadership, and Past Chair of the Indiana Youth Institute Board of Directors.
John Strauss is a longtime Indiana journalist currently on the broadcast news faculty at Ball State University. He has also served as digital director for Lumina Foundation and as nonfiction editor for Booth, a Journal, at Butler University. He has a passion for community journalism and for helping organizations tell the story of their work through multimedia video and other tools.
A former TV news reporter and anchor, public television producer and digital editor for the Indianapolis Star, he has worked with news and PR groups across the country in using multimedia.