Climate Showcase Communities
   Local Climate and Energy Program
                                Effective Practices for Implementing  Local
                                Climate and Energy Programs:
                                Testimonial Videos
 Lessons Learned by Communities for Communities
 The views expressed in this document are those of the Climate Showcase Communities grant recipients. U.S. EPA does not endorse any
 products or commercial services mentioned.
WHAT IS IT?
Testimonial videos communicate to your target audience from the perspective of "someone
like them" who has participated in program activities and can speak to the benefits and
motivations of the activities your program is promoting.
WHY DO IT?
•  Testimonial videos add credibility to programs and reinforce program messages.
•  Videos can tell a complex story in a short time.
•  Videos can go viral on the Web and be used for months or years.
•  Videos can connect with new groups by featuring some of their members.
•  Videos can effectively convey brand and personality beyond just "the numbers."
WHAT WORKS?
•  Have a story to tell and make it short, sweet, and fun.
•  Be interesting and inspiring.
•  Focus on one idea and don't try to cover too much ground.
•  Invest in good lighting and sound.
•  Tell your story in logical pieces so that it is clear why your project is important.
•  In video interviews, ask open-ended questions. Spontaneous answers can capture the
   essence of the program's benefit.
•  Post videos to YouTube and other sites, put them on your website, and use them at
   marketing events.
WHAT SHOULD YOU WATCH OUT FOR?
•  Avoid jargon.
•  Use engaging and passionate people in your videos.
•  Avoid talking heads. Use a combination of people, text, and images.
•  A boring video is no more compelling than boring text. It is worth the additional time it
   may take to produce an interesting and well-made video.
•  Professional video services can get expensive. If you use volunteers, be sure to give
   them discrete tasks and clear schedules.
WHAT RESOURCES HAVE PROJECTS FOUND TO BE USEFUL?
•  Interns with passion and talent
                                                                 "Videos tell the story
                                                                 better than you can on
                                                                 your own."
                                                                 Sharon, Neighborhood Climate
                                                                 Prosperity Project, Denver,
                                                                 Colorado
                                                                 "Watch out for videos that
                                                                 you personally like, but
                                                                 that don't connect with
                                                                 your target
                                                                 demographics—one size
                                                                 doesn't fit a II."
                                                                 Keith, HEAL Program, Little
                                                                 Rock, Arkansas
£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                                         April 2015
EPA-430-F-15-017

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