Increase Engagement at Your
Next Family Meeting
In today’s digital age, video has become an extremely powerful tool for communication and engagement. With the rise of platforms like YouTube and TikTok, people of all ages are turning to video for both entertainment and information.
Regardless of size, companies are dedicating increasingly large portions of their marketing budget to creating video content. It has proven to be an invaluable asset within the marketing portfolio.
But what about utilizing video internally as a family?
Utilizing video content at your next family meeting is an effective way to actively engage family members across all generations, and ultimately help ensure the success of the family business for years to come. Video content is incredibly versatile. Here are five ways to implement video into your next family meeting.
Historical Videos
Historical videos showcase the roots of a family business, whether the business spans one generation or many. Showcasing the achievements and milestones of the business through videos helps create a great sense of pride. Younger generations are able to learn about the business foundation through a medium they connect with, which can help motivate them to continue building a successful enterprise.
Video can also foster a sense of appreciation and recognition of where things began and how the business grew, struggled, and prospered. This kind of reflection from founders as well as other family members who are part of the business gives them the opportunity to share their unique stories and experiences.
Recap Videos
Recap videos, particularly for younger generations, are a great way to have them thoughtfully reflect on their accomplishments of the past year. Whether it be in school, internships, or through direct experience working with the family business, recap videos give older generations a peek into the lives of those who may one day take the reins.
These videos often spark conversations that may otherwise never have taken place, not just about work or school but drilling down more meaningfully into who they are as individuals and the kind of adults they are growing into.
Educational Videos
Using video can be an effective way of conveying complex information. Many families have structures in place like trusts that have certain rules and parameters surrounding distributions that can cause confusion.
One of the benefits of educational videos is that they can help to simplify these complex topics, making them easier for next-generation family members to understand. Breaking down the complexities into short and digestible clips allows younger generations to slowly absorb the information without becoming overwhelmed.
Spotlights for Key People
Family businesses often have a number of independent directors sitting on their board. They help family businesses navigate the unique challenges that they face and ensure that they are operating in a way that is sustainable and responsible for the future.
Spotlight videos are a great way for younger family members to get to know both the personal and professional sides of these independent directors and feel more connected to these individuals that play an important role within the family and the business.
Meeting Documentation
Lastly, we highly recommend documenting your family meetings, beyond the standard meeting minutes. There are various ways to accomplish this, from hiring a professional you can trust, to assigning a family member to handle the filming.
The purpose of filming these meetings is to capture not only the presentations that are being shared but also the reactions and conversations that take place. Once the meeting is completed, the raw footage should be stored on a hard drive and a backup. Documenting your family meetings can be a great tool for both history and planning purposes.
Sharing video content throughout the course of your family meeting can increase participation, streamline discussions, and ultimately help to ensure the success of your family business for years to come. Next time you plan a family meeting, don’t forget to explore adding video content to your agenda.
Interested in learning more?
