TL;DR: “If you want budget for video, focus on three things: belief, proof, and solutions. Believe in the value of video and communicate that confidence clearly. Bring proof through data and real examples of how video supports enrollment, fundraising, and branding. Then offer solutions—show where the budget can come from and how it can be implemented. When you combine conviction, evidence, and a practical plan, the conversation shifts in your favor.”
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to once again present at the Small Schools Leaders Conference hosted by our friends at Easy School Marketing. My topic was “Funnels, Strategies, and Styles,” focused on the planning stages of video production for small independent private schools. Toward the end of the presentation, I was asked a question: “How do I convince my head of school to give me budget for video production? It feels like I’m pulling teeth!”
At the time, I was a little startled and taken aback by the question—not because I didn’t know the answer, but because I was concerned by the idea that a head of school wouldn’t want to use video for marketing, enrollment, or fundraising. A lot of schools struggle with video because even though it’s 2026, video can still feel new compared to other mediums. There’s also a strong perception that video is expensive and out of reach. Let’s look at how you can convince your head of school to budget for more video, whether that’s something in-house or outsourced to a videographer or video production company that way you can h.
I think the first thing you have to really hone in on is believing in video. You can’t treat video as a checklist item just because your competitors are doing it. You have to genuinely believe, this is something you need in your arsenal because it works.
When you’re presenting the idea of using video, you need to collect data. In many ways, you’re similar to a salesperson from a video production company.
I’ve done a lot of training in sales and marketing for my own video business, especially since it wasn’t a skill that came naturally to me. I was a creative by trade, then I moved into running my own business and had to learn how to sell.
One of the first things I was taught was: “Bring the value up front. Show the data. Explain why you’re using video.”
When you’re gathering data on why your school should invest in video, I recommend doing some quick Google searches or using AI search engines like ChatGPT or Gemini to find data points that are tailored to schools (either k-12 or even higher ed).
There may be broad statistics that apply across the board, but you’ll want to focus on how video performs compared to other mediums and how it can support marketing, enrollment, fundraising, or whatever your goals may be.
Another option: if you have a video partner you’ve worked with before, consider bringing them in and saying, “Can you help pitch this for me?” They likely have the expertise, knowledge, and first-hand experience to explain why your school should invest in video.
As you discuss the value of video production and video marketing, your head of school might say something like, “We’re already at capacity. If we add video, the water bottle overflows.” And that might be true.
So the next question becomes: Is there something you can reduce or replace to make room for video?
You may not need to eliminate something entirely, but you might scale certain efforts down. Maybe you reduce print. Maybe you cut back on radio. Maybe you adjust billboard spending or other traditional marketing tactics. You don’t have to remove them completely, but trimming each by 20–25% could free up budget for video. Whether that’s DIY or hiring an outside videographer depends on your numbers, but at least it gives you a starting point.
Overall, there are two main things to consider:
- You need to clearly demonstrate the value of video and how it can serve your school. Focus on the human element. Video humanizes your organization; it’s the closest thing to an in-person experience.
- You also need to think creatively about the budget. How do you keep the water bottle from overflowing? Maybe it’s not about adding more—it’s about replacing some of what’s already there with video (almost like one of those fountain mixing soda machines…except healthy for you!).
You may also be in a position where your school isn’t struggling with enrollment, branding, or fundraising. In that case, your head of school might ask, “Why change tactics if what we’re doing is working?”
That’s where you position video as preparation.
Look at the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools that already had video content generally fared better than those that didn’t. When in-person tours and campus visits became impossible or severely limited in 2020, schools without video were scrambling.
Investing in video isn’t about predicting another pandemic. It’s about being prepared when something unexpected happens. You don’t want to be caught off guard. Video gives you a way to maintain communication and momentum when circumstances shift.
If you want budget for video, it starts with conviction and ends with clarity. Believe in what video can do for your school, back it up with data, and present it as a strategic shift—not an extra expense. Whether it’s for enrollment, fundraising, branding, or long-term stability, video positions your school to communicate at a higher level. When you show both the value and a realistic financial plan, the conversation changes from “Why would we do this?” to “How soon can we start?”
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions at joe@monzomediapro.com
