Is your association reaching as many potential members as possible? Are you looking for ways to increase your membership numbers and drive engagement? 

One of the best ways to reach your target audience is by producing high-quality videos. For professional-quality videos, you’ll need a special microphone called a lavalier mic, and the appropriate cables to connect it properly. 

In this article, we’ll give you a primer on using lavalier (or “lav”) mics for top-quality audio. We’ll also help you find a professional video company in case you decide you’d like to outsource this task. 

How to Use a Lavalier Mic Properly

Whether you’d like to create video for lobbying, member success, or continuing education, it’s vital to have professional-quality audio. Videos are the marketing outreach tools that keep on giving; more than 90% of all videos on social media websites like Facebook get shared, meaning your video is likely to get free publicity from sharing if you can make it interesting. 

Videos, especially entertaining and engaging ones, can reach millions of users. You don’t want to put the time into making one only to realize that you’ve limited its potential with poor sound quality. 

So how do you use a professional-quality lav mic? To pick up the subject’s voice, attach it to their clothes somewhere around their chest or neck. Generally, it should be between six and eight inches away from their mouth. Make sure to do an audio test before you actually start shooting to ensure that it’s picking up their voice clearly, with minimal background noise. 

If you’re making a video, you’ll probably want to conceal the microphone’s cable. To do this, simply attach the lav mic to the subject’s shirt and run the cable back under it. You may want to make a small loop out of the cable and attach it to the same clip as the microphone. If you can’t hide the mic under their clothes, try concealing it under a tie or pin. 

If you’re shooting video or audio outside, you should always install your microphone upside down; this blocks background noise and minimizes the potential for wind interference. 

Types of Cable Connectors

As you learn how to use your lav mic, you also need to invest in the right cabling. You don’t have to purchase a ton of expensive equipment, but at minimum, you need to make sure that your cable is long enough to connect your microphone to your computer or camera. 

The main varieties of cables are TS, TRS, and TRRS. TS cables have one black ring and allow you to record in mono. TRS cables have two rings and allow stereo recording, and TRRS cables have three rings and a hard-wired microphone option.

Before you buy any cables, get familiar with the specs on your camera. Which type of cable does it take, and will you need an adapter? Some older video cameras only accept TRS cables, while your lav mic might come with a TRRS connector.  

Fortunately, lav mics come in both wired and wireless versions. If you need freedom of motion to shoot your videos, you can plug your mic into a portable power pack and transmit your audio to your camera wirelessly. 

Find a Professional Video Company

You may find the setup and use of lavalier mics a bit overwhelming. The good news is that you can outsource your video production. Whether you need explainer videos to educate your membership, lobbying, or legislative videos, or even networking and outreach videos, we have you covered. 

Our writing, editing, and filming professionals can offer a tutorial or consultation, no matter where you’re located. We’re here to help you produce the videos your association needs to expand and thrive. Not only will you have complete creative control, but you’ll also have the final say on what content makes the cut.  

You don’t have to do it all yourself. Let us help you with member outreach, testimonial-driven videos, and social media-friendly video and audio content. To order videos, just give us a call. We’ll match you with a team that will execute on your vision and help you reach your association’s long-term goals.