4 Questions You Need to Answer Before Writing Your Explainer Video Script
Your explainer video could end up being the most effective tool in your marketing arsenal...or it could end up being a big waste of time and money.
The difference is all in the approach.
If the only thing you've thought of before you sit down to write your explainer video's script is, "I've got this thing I want to sell," you're not exactly starting with your best foot forward. Answering some key questions first, and using those answers to guide your script and the explainer video itself, will help give you the results you're looking for.
1. What's the Central Problem I'm Solving?
Every product or service solves a problem, especially in the B2B world. And no matter how it's packaged, what you're selling is a solution. You need a well-defined problem, and you need to be able to clearly describe how your solution works and why it's better than anything else on the market.
Resist the temptation to cover every problem your product might solve.
You'll need to address the problem on an emotional as well as a practical level, so don't stop at defining the external circumstances of the problem—delve into your customers' inner lives and figure out the emotional disturbances the outer problem causes. How will your product or service help your customers feel better?
2. Who is My Ideal Customer?
Defining your target audience is key to honing your message for maximum effectiveness—and maximum ROI. There might be a wide range of people experiencing the problem you've set out to solve, but the more specifically you target your sales video the more conversions you'll see.
Unless your product is water, it's probably not for everyone.
Look at demographic information like age, income level, education, etc., but don't stop there. Define your ideal customer's ambitions, insecurities, and desires. What makes them tick? You'll need and answer to these questions before you can tackle the next...
3. What Information Will My Ideal Customer Find Most Persuasive?
A friendly, conversational yet trustworthy tone tends to work best in most explainer videos, but that doesn't mean the information delivered is always the same.
Please DO NOT try and explain every single detail about your product.
Are you speaking to professionals who are worried about the bottom line more than anything else? Numbers and hard data might be most important. Are the people making purchasing decisions about your product higher-level managers? An emphasis on the bigger picture might be best.
Figure out who's doing the buying, and give them the information they need to hear to feel confident making a purchase.
4. How Can I Turn This All Into a Compelling Story?
When you've got the basic details together, you need to ask yourself the most important question of all: how can you bring it all together to tell a compelling story? I don't mean a "once upon a time" kind of story, but something with a dramatic arc and a clear beginning, middle, and end.
On second thought, "Once upon a time" could make a nice start...
Problem-Agitate-Solution is one common technique; introduce the central problem, raise the stakes by showing the emotional damage the problem can cause, then introduce your awesome solution that makes everything better.
There are other ways to make your sales video story work, too—it's a great chance to get creative! And if you're feeling stuck, Wick Video is here to help.