Help, Tips, and Advice for writing a script

Help, Tips, and Advice for writing a script

By Angelina Harlow

Creating a commercial is a great way to set yourself apart, promote your company, and reach an entirely new audience. Developing a commercial involves several components including, brainstorming, script development, production, and post-production. In this article, we are going to provide some tips and important information everyone should know when creating the script component of a commercial.

Storyboard vs. Two-column layout

If you are a creative person who works better visually, you will want to create a storyboard by brainstorming how you want the commercial to present visually and then add dialogue later. A storyboard is just a series of squares where you map out how you want the scene to look with comments and notes put on it.  If you like seeing the script written down first and then add the visual later, a two-column layout is the best place to start.  You can find a two-column layout anywhere online and it is set up for you to brainstorm the audio and video of the commercial.  

Link to Download

Link to Download

Script Length Guidelines

Once you have decided how long the commercial is going to run, you will need to gear your script to fit the length.  Here’s a breakdown of the proper length for a script based on the seconds of airtime you buy. This applies to radio and television commercials.

This appears commonly in Radio Scripts

10 seconds- 25 words

30 seconds= 65 words

20 seconds= 45 words

Geared more towards television commercials

60 seconds 125 words

90 seconds= 190 words

120 seconds-250 words

Things to keep in mind:

• The person delivering the announcement also effects the number of words that can be spoken effectively in that allocated time frame so just keep that in mind. It can be shorter or a bit longer for all of these breakdowns!
• When writing think of your audience and how you want to appeal to them. There are 3 different appeals you can use ethos, pathos, and logos.
• Get at least 3 shots of the same scene just incase something is wrong with one of them. This is a golden rule in production.
• Check your audio levels or make sure your audio person is making sure you don’t have many peaks in it.     
•       Don’t try to fix all your mistakes in post-production, make sure you try to get it all done in production.

Keep these tips in mind when begin to write your script and you won’t run into as many problems when production starts because you will have a clear vision of your commercial.

Communicating Why You Are Different Can Build Your Business

Communicating Why You Are Different Can Build Your Business

By: Yetta Blair

The most powerful marketing strategy is not social media, direct mail, television, or publicity.  It is instead, uncovering and then communicating what makes your business different from every other business that says they do what you do.

If you want to build your business and increase sales, a good place to start is answering these two basic questions; why should customers choose your business over the competitor and have you adequately communicated what makes you different to your customers?

Why should a customer choose your business over your competitor?

When trying to figure out why a customer should choose you over the other guy, start by looking for ways to claim a unique point of difference over your competition. Some clues to uncovering your difference could be looking at your best clients and figuring out what elements exist with them.  You could even ask them why they chose to work with you, why they stay with you and why they refer you.  You can also consider asking yourself the following questions: 

Product/Service:  Do you offer a product or service that is unique and trendy that only your business is associated with that offering? 

Market or Niche:  Have you carved out an industry and become the dominant player in that industry? 

Customer Service:  Do you offer unmatched customer service?  Do you go above and beyond a customer’s expectations? 

Guarantee: Do you offer a guarantee so strong that no one else in your industry is willing to match it? 

Pricing: Do you offer better value in pricing? People who buy professional services want a professional so providing professional services at a fair price that is value driven (not necessarily the cheapest), is a good way differentiate yourself from the competition.

Do your customers know why they should choose your company?

Once you have figured out what differentiates your business from the other guy, all your advertising and promotional materials should be centered around communicating that difference.  You can’t expect your customer to seek out and know the difference.  You need to tell them. And keep telling them. Over and over again, you should tell them. Here are a few ideas to consider when getting your message out:

Create an infographic.  Since 90% of buying decisions are influenced by visual factors, don’t forget to promote your message with visuals that grab your customer’s attention.  An infographic can be a fun way to do this. 

Include it on your website.  Sounds simple, but you don’t want to forget this option even if it means an update to your site. 

Social Media Engagement.  Create a dialogue with customers about what makes you unique using your social media platforms.  

"70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads." 

Content Marketing. Content Marketing is a compelling way for a business to get what is unique about them in front of their customers.  With content marketing you can engage readers with relevant articles that educate and at the same time, entertain and deliver value.  You can create a company magazine to engage in content marketing along with a blog.  Both complement each other perfectly and by offering content in both print and digital formats, your message can reach your customers wherever they are.