A well-written script can significantly improve the overall quality, reach, and effectiveness of your video marketing campaigns, helping you better engage your prospective customers and turn them into paying customers.

When setting out to make a video for their company, very little consideration goes into the video script itself—if there is one at all. Businesses frequently undervalue good script writing when getting into video marketing, just as they do with many Hollywood producers. Having a bad script can easily ruin a company's video marketing efforts, leaving CEOs and marketing professionals scratching their heads and wondering why their creative doesn't work as it should.

A perfect script can make a big difference in the outcome of your video marketing campaign, helping you better reach your target audience and convert them into paying customers.

Format

The most important thing to remember when writing a movie screenplay of any kind is to format it correctly. Although the rules are simple, they can be very inflexible. If you break them, your script will likely not deliver results. Given the freedom to format their video marketing in any way they like, there is one restriction: the length of the video.

The standard rule of thumb for video script length is that it should consist of about two words per second, however the length of your video is completely up to you. Here at Max Lux Media, we believe that the best marketing videos tend to be between 30 seconds, 1 minute, and 2 minutes long. 

• 30 second video = 60 word script

• 1 minute video = 120 word script

• 2 minute video = 240 word script

It is critical to adhere to this guideline as closely as possible so that you do not write more material than you can fit in your video. This guideline is based on the average reading speed. Your readers could be your CEO, a hired spokesperson, or a hired actor, and they may be filmed in either a talking head interview style or a voice-over, which is recorded separately and played over other visuals.

You should record extra material to go with the interview or voice-over to keep your video dynamic, visually engaging, and representative of the goal you are working towards, regardless of which route you choose. 

 

Framework

Now that you've formatted your video down, it's time to plan out your video script outline or structure of your story.  Most excellent marketing video scripts consist of the same six story elements…

1. The intro

2. The problem (pain)

3. The solution (cure)

4. Your unique selling proposition (what makes you different from competitors)

5. Your team (experience, skills, personality)

6. The Call to action 

All successful marketing video scripts should include these six elements and be concise to create an impact with minimal chances for confusion.

The intro

An immediate and attention-grabbing intro is essential. Your audience won’t stick around past the first five seconds (sometimes even less) if you don’t immediately grab their attention, so be careful not to overwhelm them.

An effective beginning may include an emotional hook, such as a request from animal lovers about the amount of dogs that are neglected every year; a significant statistic about the amount of rubbish in the Pacific Ocean; or a relatable tale, like the one that motivated you to begin your instant laundry delivery service so that no one would ever suffer the same humiliating pizza stain incident again.

The problem (pain)

When you first hook your viewers' interest, you must take hold of the bull by the horns and confront their most pressing question: Why should I care? With so much information and time and money everywhere all the time, your job is to inform them straight away how they will be affected by what you're about to tell them.

A problem must be addressed in order for a product or service to be effective. What is the purpose of your product or service? Why is it so important to solve this problem? How does it negatively affect your customers on a day-to-day basis? Why should they care?

Your video script must address this question, or your marketing videos will not connect with your audience.

The solution (cure)

Assuming your audience has become aware of the issue you want to repair, they should now be very concerned. Even if it does not directly affect them every day, they have been persuaded that it has negative impacts and problems. Right now, it's time to give them the answer.

It's pretty simple: when you write your video script, you're describing the benefits of your solution. Your product is not just a solution; it is the best one, because of these specific features, which you will describe in a straightforward, unambiguous, and simple-to-understand fashion. Keep it quick and stick to the most compelling benefits. You don't need to list every single detail in excruciating detail.  Make it efficient and effective.

Your unique selling proposition (what makes you different from competitors)

Why should the customer pick your solution?  This is the most crucial part of your video script. Your product or service has a special, unique, and differentiating selling point that puts you ahead of your rivals—your secret sauce. This is a crucial feature or core component of your product that is better, cheaper, easier, or more unique and proves once and for all that you are the right choice for the job. Everything might be possible with other products and services, except for this one thing.

The secret sauce should act as the tipping point, convincing the user to pick your solution. However, it's not all about the secret sauce. You also need to give your clients a little bit more information before they trust you completely. That's where the team component comes in.

Your team

Your script should have persuaded your customers about their problems, solutions, and your products or services by now. Now you can build enough credibility to keep them interested in your business. There is no set format for what to say here; just be genuine, authentic, and unique enough to set you apart from your rivals.

Be careful not to come across as overly eager or overly self-promoting in your video script. You still want to come across as approachable. 

 Give your viewers a taste of what makes your company's culture unique and convince them to look closer. Your goal with this part of the video is to nurture your leads, not to sell them. Keep the focus on their needs, revealing just enough to show what you have to offer.

The Call to action

Video marketing newbies often have a tough time figuring out what their video is meant to accomplish, resulting in lackluster outcomes because their messaging was too vague. Tell the viewer what action you want them to take and how taking that action will improve their lives.  A call to action is the last and final piece of an excellent video script outline. 

Be specific in what you want your viewers to do and how it will benefit them in your call to action. If you want them to schedule an intro call, give them a phone number and ask them to book their call now for a free appointment. If you want them to visit your website, provide the link and offer them a limited time discount. Focus on their requirements while making one simple request. Don't try to get them to like, follow, share, subscribe, and pre-order all at once. Try requesting only one of those things and see how much more successful your videos will be.

 

Content

You know how to format your video script and how to outline it. Now, what will you compose? Although we can't provide you with the precise words ourselves (unless you purchase a video package from us!), we do have a list of inquiries you can ask yourself to create meaningful content focused on the 'why.' This is a concept introduced by Simon Sinek's Start With Why that emphasizes all of your marketing materials centered on the core purpose of your company—or your 'why,' as it's known. 

Use the following questions to help develop your script:

• What is your mission?

• What problem are you solving?

• How do your solutions solve the problem? 

• How does this impact your customer’s lives?  (Benefits)

• What makes your solution unique or better than the competition?

• What’s the overall message?

• What’s the feeling that you want to invoke?

• What’s the top 3 things that you want the audience to remember?

• How does this align with your brand guidelines?

• Who is your audience (customer demographic)?

Once you've answered these, you're one step closer to composing your narrative. 

Underline key words and phrases in your answers and use these as the backbone of your script. Be careful and concise. 

 

Production

The first phase in producing your very own video is to create a script. Production involves three stages: pre-production, production, and post-production, and can be difficult if you don’t have the right equipment or are unfamiliar with the process. That’s okay! You don’t have to purchase your own video equipment to get into video marketing. All you need is an idea and a video marketing partner to help you turn that idea into a reality. 

We'd love to meet with you and help you turn your video script into marketing video magic. Alternatively, if you would prefer more guidance before writing a script and want to discuss some ideas, we would be happy to speak with you on the phone.