I’m a huge fan of video marketing, and I spend a lot of time studying what works and what does not. Do you know what makes a good video marketing campaign? Why do some video campaigns succeed, while others bomb?
We’re going to discover this right now. This is going to be a two part series. First, we’ll go over what makes a great video and secondly we’ll set up the actual campaign.
You can’t have one without the other.
I know some of you hate the thought of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a video marketing campaign. We do too. We have been on a video set with a fortune 500 company that spent $12 million to create 12 simple videos.
They went nowhere.
Most of you can’t do that, but that should not prevent you from creating a successful video campaign. I am going show you how.
Creating A Video That Works
Who are the Harmon Brothers?
They’re guys that charge $500,000+ for a video marketing campaign because they can. They take on winning products like Chatbooks, Squatty Potty, Fiberfix, and Purple, and accelerate their growth with a video marketing campaign.
They do this by creating a great video and pushing it out through Facebook, Instagram, New Wires, Google, and YouTube. It’s a system that has proven to be very successful.
They don’t just create viral videos. That’s the aftermath of a great video, a great product, and money well spent on ads. We hate the word viral. Millions of views don’t mean that you’re going to sell product.
My kids have a video with 1.5 million views and they’ve never sold a thing or had one person reach out. Forget the word “viral.”
We’re going to focus on sales and growth.
Meaning, we’re able to scale campaigns to where we can spend more on ads and make more money. This should be the focus of every campaign. It’s what matters. It’s not about branding or views, it’s about sales.
Lets assume the life time value of your client is $200 and your video campaign is producing clients at $100. That is scalable. You can increase your spend which will increase revenue. That is the goal. Create a campaign that you can spend $1 in ads and get $2 back.
A great video marketing campaign looks like this;
Create a video (mobile friendly)
Launch the video on both Facebook and YouTube simultaneously
Purchase views, ads, and PR
Make adjustments according to the numbers
Scale up
What about your product?
Are successful video campaigns a success because of the product, or does the video campaign make the product successful?
Both!
Almost all the companies that Harmon Brothers worked with had some momentum and a budget. Very important!
Chatbooks is an amazing idea and a great app. Perfect for moms!
Squatty Potty actually works and was building momentum before their video hit the web.
Purple has one of the best mattresses.
Fiberfix is every man’s dream.
There’s no saving grace for a bad product or service. In fact, a video could accelerate the collapse of a business.
So before you even look into a campaign, make sure you have a great product or service.
It all starts with the script.
Everything starts with the video script.
I transcribed 3 different scripts and you’ll notice they have the same basic pattern of every other successful script…with a couple of exceptions.
Headline
Problem
Solution
Call to action
Wrapped in a story
Exceptions
Guarantees
Social proof
Overall benefit
Daniel Harmon, one of the founders of Harmon Brothers, said their videos are a mix between a branding video (Nike, Apple) and an infomercial (Shark Vacuum). That’s were the guarantee, social proof, and clear call to action come into play. Those are techniques that come from infomercials.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the Squatty Potty script and the Purple script.
H – Headline P – Problem S – Solution G – Guarantee CTA – Call To Action S Proof – Social Proof
You can see how they stick within a simple formula. Their opening scenes and headlines are exceptional. Go back and read the first line of the Squatty Potty Script. It’s a master piece. A Unicorn pooping on an ice cream cone is an attention grabber.
Let’s watch the Chatbooks video so that you can see the formula live.
Something that really stands out in the Chatbooks video is how much randomness is found in the script. If you do a quick break down here’s what you’ll get.
Problem – Making photo books sucks. It takes too much time, is expensive, and hard to do.
Solution – Chatbooks will do the work for you. It’s easy to use, takes no time, and only cost $8.
Their video could have done this in 30 seconds, but it took well over 3 minutes.
Why?
They needed you to buy into the story.
This is where the difficulty lies.
When creating a video script you must know your target audience and get them to buy into the story. If you can make this happen in 30 seconds, great. If not, don’t worry about the length. Do what it takes.
The message should dictate your video length. The length should not dictate your message unless the video has a time restriction. Like a 30 second TV commercial. Everyone says our attention spam is getting worse and nobody will watch a 3 minute video.
That’s simply not the case.
Nobody will watch a 3 minute video that is boring and does not apply to them. Big difference!
Creating the right message takes time, collaboration, and a great team.
Who do you think wrote the Chatbooks script? It was written by a woman who grew up in a crazy house with a lot of brothers and sisters. Here she is.
She nailed the message perfectly for mothers. What mother doesn’t see herself in some of those same situations?
Know your target audience and speak to them.
Here’s your takeaway.
Use the formula above. Headline, Problem, Solution, Guarantee, Call To Action, Social Proof, all wrapped up in a story.
Grab attention in the first 5 seconds. (woman fully clothed in the bathtub).
Figure out your exact target audience and speak to them.
Pick a character or story your target audience would relate to.
Once the script is wrapped up, send it out to a couple of people and get some feedback. Don’t expect to nail it on your first time. You will have to adjust headlines and call to actions. This is how you optimize a campaign.
Now you’re ready for production. I am not going to dive into the production process. We will leave that up to the creators, editors, and producers
The one piece of advice, to owners and CEOs, is to step aside and let the creatives do what you hired them to do.
Your opinion does matter, but at the end of the day, the results matter more. Let them go to work.
Here is a copy of the Chatbook’s script if you would like to break it down. A lot of times it is easier to use a template then try and create a whole new script from scratch.
Did you know that there are 5 Ways Scriptwriters, Marketers, and Advertisers Control Your Life And You Don’t Even Know It?
Scriptwriting and advertising is an art. Some are born with it, but most are not. You are about to learn why and how you can control the masses.
Have you ever wanted something so bad that it is all you can think about until you get it? This is common we all do.
Copy Writers know this and the good ones know the right way to structure their material to have you in full pursuit mode. You are basically eating out of their hands and you don’t even know it.
As for bad copy writers and marketers…They do not have a clue how to turn on the switch.
This goes for advertisers and marketers too. They can manipulate you to buy stuff that may or may not harm you.
For example
We all know that smoking can kill you and every smoker wishes they can quit, but the doesn’t stop them; nor does it stop cigarette companies. There is so much more going on behind the scenes. You’re being controlled a bit.
Have you ever wondered why you buy a certain product or service only to regret it a couple of days later? Or lets say you want a car and finally the day comes that you can afford it. For months every time you saw that car on the road something inside of you screams, “I want it, got to have it!” Then the day comes for you to finally pick it up. You wake up all excited because you are finally able to fulfill your desire yet within a couple of week the happiness has worn off and you are looking for your next big purchase. For some this is an addiction.
Do you ever wonder why two grown men with fight like little boys to get the girl?
Or do you wonder why you continue to do things that harm yourself like drugs, cheating, alcohol, overeating, sugar etc.
Here is your answer:
Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins, and Cortisol
The first 4 are happy drugs and the last one is not.
Let me explain.
We are going to use me for an example. I love massages and for the past 20 months I have received a lot of them. Vegas, Florida, Mexico, California, Arizona, Bahamas, Utah are a few of the places. I have gotten them at high-end spas, to dumps that are infested with diseases—or at least they look like they are.
Black women, white women, Asians, Mexican, Brazilians, old and young ladies have all had the opportunity to massage these bulging muscles.
Lucky them… (sorry, guys are not allowed)
Why do I like them so much?
I just figured this out the other day. It is nothing but a huge chemical injection for me.
Think about
1. Dopamine kicks in and tells me that I need a massage. My body starts to crave it, so I start looking for a place or a therapist. I am now on the hunt, and the anticipation of getting a massage just releases more Dopamine. The sketchier the more Dopamine. (These are therapeutic only. I repeat Therapeutic only)
2. Once I get there and start to relax, dopamine is gone but the oxytocin and serotonin kicks in.
3. If it is a horrible massage, or the massage lady stinks, then I am so let down and I swear off massages for the month. Only to have the craving for another massage come a week later. What the crap? I’m way more discipline than this!
It is a vicious cycle that costs me a lot of money. The same goes with smokers.
1. They crave a cigarette and have a need. Dopamine is screaming at them
2. They go outside and start to smoke with another person who has that same problem
3. Oxytocin is released.
Here is the thing with smokers. A lot of times it is not the cigarette that they are addicted to, it’s the social aspect of smoking. (Oxytocin)
Smokers all belong to a club and can enjoy a nice smoke together, even if they are total strangers. They feel part of something, which is a need most of us have.
I’m telling you…this stuff is powerful!
So what does it have to do with writers and advertisers?
Think about it.
Chemicals control everything we do. It is all part of the genetic code and it is what keeps us alive. Scriptwriters know this, or at least the good ones do.
Dopamine – keeps you seeking what your body needs or craves.
Oxytocin – loves safety, touch and interaction with others. It’s the love drug.
Serotonin – is the security of social dominance and loves respect from others. Think billionaires who continue to want billions.
Endorphins – mask pain and hurt. (Marathon runners are addicted to endorphins otherwise known as the “runners high”)
Cortisol – Makes you depressed and causes bad feelings. It is also what causes stress. “Do something feeling”
So lets look at this from a writer’s perspective and how to really manipulate your audience.
Most scripts are written like this in this format.
1. Headline or introduction
2. Problem, peril, or pain
3. Solutions, resolutions
4. Call To Action or Happy Ending
Think about it this way: Lets use chemical control.
The best Scriptwriters, movie producers, and advertisers all love messing around with your chemicals.
First, they capture you with an amazing headline and they start laying out the problem. They want to hit you with Dopamine and then start injecting Cortisol.
You’re not good enough – you need this – your dreams will come true – be part of our group – everyone is doing it – your life is bad – this product will fix it – do you want to be loved – we can give you power – people will look up to you –
[xt_blockquote author=”Loretta Graziano Breuning”]“When your cortisol flows, it links the neurons active in your brain at that moment. This wires you to recognize those danger cues in the future. When you feel a cortisol alert, your brain looks for a way to make it stop.” [/xt_blockquote]
Take that last sentence and read it again. “When you feel a cortisol alert, your brain looks for a way to make it stop.”
So once a writer has injected Cortisol into your system they will then provide you with a solution. Their solution is a way for you to get Serotonin, Oxytocin and Dopamine back into your system.
Now doesn’t that feel so good?
How does this apply to your business? Take a look at your material and see if it is fulfilling a need of your audience. Does your product or service provide Serotonin? (A way for them to feel important) Apple is a great example. If you have an Apple product you are part of something.
Does your customer service and experience give them a jolt of Oxytocin?
Do they anticipate your next email or product? (Dopamine)
If they do not buy your product or service are you injecting them with a bit of Cortisol?
Find ways to use these happy chemicals and I promise you sales will increase and your customer retention will also improve.
Happy day…
Let’s go get a massage.
[xt_callout style=”minimal” title=”Do You Need Help? Want to Join The Group?” href=”http://marketinghy.com/contact/” btntext=”Sign Up Now!” icon=”tags” btnstyle=”flat” btnsize=”large” btncolor=”blue” target=”_blank” btnpos=”right”]
Are you struggling to get the traffic or revenue necessary to grow your business? We have a limited number of spots open for future clients. If you can not implement this strategy, we would love to do it for you. Everything we do is based off of ROI and will help your business. Sign Up and we will get you started right away. We will manager your Video Ads Campaigns, Email Campaigns and Autocomplete Services. They Work and we use them. Sign Up and see if we are a good fit. We may not be…but it’s worth seeing. This could change your business.
[/xt_callout]
5 Ways Scriptwriters, Marketers, and Advertisers Control Your Life And You Don’t Even Know It
