Scripting your 90 second promo for events in 4 easy steps

You've got a terrific event and now you want to tell the world. You may be thinking about what to say in your promo video. This post will cover exactly what you have to think about when writing a script for a 90 second promo for your event.

What do you want to say? Having 90 seconds to answer this may seem like eternity or it might seem like it's simply not enough. This post will discuss what to consider when scripting your 90 second promotional video for events.

There are a few elements that make a great promo video for events that is informative and exciting. Let's focus on the script. Your audience needs to know:

1. "Why?" - Why is this event happening.
2. "Who?" - Who should attend
3. "What?" - What are you solving
4. "How?" - How do they book

A few quick notes before writing your 90 second promo script:

1. 90 seconds roughly translates to 220 words (average pace 2.5 words per second).
2. You want to get the description, time, location and how to book details in the video

Your audience needs to know "why".

Time is precious, your audience needs to know why they should spend it with you. Why do they need to attend? This is where we lay out the problem they need solved. The problem statement is crucial for creating a relatable introduction in a short promo. The more specific the problems you solve, the stronger the bond you form with a more focused audience.

Who are you targeting?

Think of your target audience as a very specific person who needs to attend your event. The more specific you can get, the better. If you throw a wide blanket and say "it's for everyone" then it's for no-one. People don't need general solutions. If you have more than one "target person" then you need to make another promotional video that targets them specifically.

Who is most likely to use your product/service? As you answer this question, consider factors like age, buying power, location, and income. Take, for instance, a young adult who has just started their first job. They will have needs that differ from those of a retiree. They still may need your product/service but their reasons for requiring it are different. Be as specific as possible when defining your target audience.

If you need help with Buyer Personas, Rhiannon Mason from VSBN has a great resource for this. 

What problem(s) will you solve and why you are better?

Let's say you're at a store need a new kitchen knife. A sales person approaches you and says that "Knife $$$" is what you’re looking for.

Great... but why?

The sales person would have to answer you by saying something like "it's balanced, so your wrist is supported with every slice" or "it's made from unobtanium, so it will never go blunt"

Your target audience needs to hear this about your product/service, so they can start to super impose your product/service to aid them.

If you are promoting an event, include the authority aspect of the speakers or presenters in this section. Who are you and why should people listen to you? This should include any accolades, positions, experiences that would give you authority on the problem that they need to solve.

Call to ACTION

This might seem obvious, but you'll be surprised how many people leave this out (in videos and websites). What the heck do you want your audience to do?

Make it easy and if you can, give them a reason to do it right away. You may want to have an expiration date or have limited slots available, so it inspires people to act quickly.

Other considerations for your video

1. Get your sound clear and invest in a decent microphone.
2. You will probably need some interesting visuals to go with the video (or B-Roll) unless you want a simple talking head solution.
3. If you have your own recorded B-Roll. It's a great idea to include location, action or doing something, talking to an audience, you being you.
4. If you're the talent in front of the video and if there is anything you are not comfortable with, please feel free to voice your opinion.

What is a "talking head" video?

A talking head video is a video taken of a person giving information or opinions about a subject where only the head and sholders can be seen on the video. There may be some interesting lighting and backgrounds but basically it's a simple video of a person talking.

We happen to create promotional videos for clients just like you. So, if you would like to chat with us about some options and ideas. Please contact us.