We’ve created dozens of short attraction videos, and literally hundreds of video projects over the years.
Sales Video Best Practices Workflow…
- Copy the questions below into a new doc or google doc and just answer the questions initially right into the doc
- Rewrite that into a basic script
- Find some patient friends who barely know what you’re talking about and read it to them. Are they confused? Do they glaze over and not care? Your goal is just that they understand, and that things are explained quickly and succinctly with benefits (not features) clear
- Last, copy into a 2-column table and on the right side, include notes about what will be on screen. (note: your video producer may do this, but it’s standard to the industry for industry video production outlines).
The outline we use internally – copy and paste this into a Google Doc or Word Doc or SwiftCloud Doc to get started…
TIP: Here’s a fun video for reference… this one video cost a few grand to produce and generated literally millions in revenue as it went viral, introduced the company to millions of men, was easy to share online, explained concisely what they did, and why the audience should care i.e. clearly what’s in for them:
Start copying here….
- What’s your product? Lead in with it – short, sweet, punchy. Imagine your dream client just asked you what you do, but only has 30 seconds.
- Who’s it for? In this case, guys who shave… maybe it’s people who want a home but have bad credit. Maybe it’s for parents of small children. Whatever it is, include this in as few words as possible.
- Why care? I don’t know you, and don’t owe you attention. So why should I care? What’s in it for me?
- What’s the alternative? What if I do nothing, and ignore you, ignore this offer, and just keep going about my life? You want to interrupt my momentum… why should I change and why was my previous assumption or course of action a mistake that you’re now helping me correct?
- Call to Action. Ok, so I’m in. What’s next? What do I do? Click the button? Fill out the form? Call us? Checkout online? Make it absolutely, unquestionably clear.
- If you’re making a 30 second spot, stop here. If you want a slightly longer web-video, here are a few more optional add-ons
- De-Risk it. Tell us how privacy is assured, show some SSL logos, endorsements, celebrities, a big money back guarantee, your A+ BBB rating
- Testimonials, from people like us. Short & sweet, and video is best if you can get it. Stay FTC compliant though!
- More benefits, if you didn’t have time to list them all before.
- Close with another 2nd CTA – Call To Action.
End copying here.
The old classic buying cycle from the Mad Men days of TV advertising is AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
- First, we have to get the message seen / head / read – that’s attention
- Next, we capture interest by showing benefit and/or pouring lemon juice on their wound. If they’re in debt, tell them how this debt will keep growing til they die penniless in a gutter eaten by cats. Ok, so that’s a bit much, but make their problem worse, and show the glimmering land of oz possible if they just buy your product
- Desire – this is futurecasting. Car commercials do it with handsome, virile men who look financially comfortable with beautiful women and nice houses. TV ads like to throw in emotion-association-hooks like bandwagon appeal (millions of subscribers can’t be wrong!), aspiration (you too could be young, rich, and good looking if you just buy X), kittens and puppies (most of us are hard-wired to respond, but it also implies love, comfort, family connection).. in short, make us want it.
- Action – what, precisely, do you want us to do? Type your credit card information into the comments below.
Just kidding. Don’t do that – but do be that clear and direct. In the video above the implied CTA is to go to their website, where it’ll be unquestionably clear you need to subscribe.
Now to you…
Have any questions or feedback? Contact us and we’ll update this article.