Best Practices for Writing a Sales Script

Best Practices for Writing a Sales Script One of the most important aspects of any business is Sales. Besides manufacturing, finances, marketing and hiring, a lot of the company’s success and profits depend upon its ability to make sales. Most businesses, big or small are dependent on their salespersons to boost the sales, and one way to do so is by drafting excellent sales scripts. A sales script is a documented sequence of things that a sales representative says to a prospect during a sales call. © Shutterstock.com | Yuganov KonstantinIn this article, we shall learn 1) everything you need to know about a sales script and 2) best practices for writing sales skripts.SALES SCRIPT: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOWHave you ever answered a Sales call from a local service provider and paid attention to the things the sales representative had to say? Did the content seem scripted or was it a natural flow about the products and services being offered by the company? Well, a sales script is a pre-written and practiced script that sales representatives use to sell a product to prospects. It is a well-organized method and a documented content piece which enables them to make a smooth and error-free sales call in the endeavor to make sales. To convince someone to buy a product is not easy  at all since not everyone possesses the natural art of convincing people, and this is where a sales script proves useful. What it does is that it provides a step-by-step guide to sales representatives so th at they do not hesitate, go blank or make mistakes while talking to a potential customer.Most businesses, whether it is yours or mine, make use of sales scripts, but not all sales scripts are strong or effective enough to convince the prospect about the product, brand or services it offers. Having a sales script alone isn’t enough. It should be framed or written in such a way that it not only speaks about the product effectively but also infuses a sense of interest in the listeners. Moreover, the way the sales script is read or said also has a huge impact on its success. A well-crafted sales script is one which has a strong introduction, an informative body, and an effective closing.How a sales script can help improve your sales?A sales script is not only helpful or important for your sales representative to make a smooth sales pitch but is something that has a much bigger benefit. A well written and excellently executed sales script can actually help improve your overall sales. T he better the sales script will be, the more will the potential customers be convinced to buy the product or service, hence positively impacting the sales figures. The following are some ways in which a sales script can boost sales:Sales skipt can improve how you sound: With a well crafted and well-practiced sales script, you tend to sound more prepared and confident which has a huge impact on how your customer perceives you. Anyone who doesn’t have a script in hand may sound less confident, hesitant and may not be able to act on the spur of the moment. He/she may not sound as good as one who knows what he/she is going to say next and does it with a positive vibe. But the key to sounding good and not mechanical with a script in hand is to add your personality into it and a certain energy level.Sales skript can leave a better impression about your company and product: By improving the way you sound, a sales script betters the overall impression made on the prospects. Since with a s cript in hand, you can be more prepared, what you say sounds more polished and confident which immediately has an impact on the impression you are projecting. The more impressed the prospect will be with you and what you are offering, the higher will be the chances of making sales, thus helping in improving the overall sales figures.Skripts help you build rapport: When you have a sales script in hand which makes you totally confident and convinced, this helps to focus on developing a rapport with the potential buyers or clients. A prospect definitely has more respect and tolerance for someone who is good at his craft and forces. This in turn helps them to feel more comfortable while talking to you.Sales skripts help you reduce stress: When you are making a sales call that you know is really important, there can be high levels of stress and anxiety. This happens more in the case when you are unprepared and are relying on a spontaneous conversation. Being prepared and ready is thus th e key to reduce stress. And what is the better way to do this than by having a Sales Script ready? Sales scripts help you gain confidence and work calm and confident even in the case when the prospect shows tough resistance. If you already know how you are going to deal with each of the possible questions asked, then the stress levels are greatly reduced. Low stress has a better overall result and can definitely lead to more success.Sales skripts improve lead generation: Having a well-crafted and properly practiced sales script is not just helpful in building a rapport or leaving a good impression but also in improving lead generation. An effective sales call is more likely to generate more customer interest that in turn makes them sign up, enquire about a product, visit your website or leave in their contact details. Thus, the overall lead generation is improved, thus leading to more sales opportunities.More effective than not having one: A good sales script is not just about the p roper description of your brand or products but is about asking the prospects the right questions. Asking the right questions at the right time will better the overall communication and interaction that you have with them, and this will improve your effectiveness and productivity. Having a sales script improves consistency across sales team members, which has a good impact on the end results as well.BEST PRACTICES FOR WRITING A SALES SCRIPTNow that you know what a sales script is and how beneficial it is, it is time to know how to frame a very useful sales skript which not only sounds convincing but has all the ingredients that can boost the probability of closing a deal. An excellent sales script is an amalgamation of several ingredients clubbed together in the right quantities. But what are these ingredients and how should they be used? Well, the following given practices for writing a sales script will answer all these questions and more. So read on to find out:Pracitce #1.     A void asking too general questionsAbout 80% of sales calls start with an uncomfortable ‘Hi, How are you?’ While it is true that saying this opening sentence may come out of the natural instinct, but it is something that must be avoided. Not only does this sound extremely unsincere but takes away the chance of beginning with a better opening. This question almost always has the same response and could irritate a prospect who may be extremely busy at the moment you call them. Thus, such general questions are just a waste of time not only for you but also for your prospect. It breaks the rapport and rather has a negative and opposite impact to what you intend. It is rather better to start off with a strong line that immediately captures the interest of the prospect.Practice #2.     Ask for a few minutes of attentionThere is a high probability that your prospect may be mildly or very busy at the time you call him/her. It won’t be right to fire away with your sales script or pitch a s soon as they answer the call. It is both a matter of good manners as well as a conscious tactic to make sure the prospect has a few minutes to spare and is not extremely busy at the moment. Also, if the prospect’s attention is half divided, you won’t be able  anyway to fulfill the purpose you are meant to with your sales script.Practice #3.     Build interestAnother superb practice that is essential to writing and delivering a sales script is to build an initial interest. The sales script must not only deliver extremely useful and informative content about the products, services and brands but must do so in a way which leaves an element of intrigue and interest in the minds of the prospects. The interest level created must be close enough to the commitment that the prospect will proceed onto the next level in closing the deal.One of the best ways to build this interest is to give only the most attractive hints about the product and not the entire detail set of the features and functionality. The aim must be to focus on the value that the product or service is capable of offering. Try to paint a picture that matches the customer’s expectation of the product.Practice #4.     Learn from your customers when they talkIf it is only you who keeps doing all the talking during the sales call, then there will be no way to know what is on the mind of the prospect. This will not enable your potential buyers to divulge any information about them, their preferences, their choices and other things that matter. Thus, it is a good idea to get the customers talking by including smart and useful questions. The sales script must include a series of well-planned questions that will help you qualify or dis-qualify the prospects.Asking questions is a good way to have a two-way conversation that is engaging and useful to you. Some questions that you can include in your script are:Their budget;Reasons they will purchase;Reasons they will not purchase;How many people are involv ed in the decision-making process;What the decision-making process is all about.Knowing the answers to these questions will avoid pursuing a prospect who will definitely not buy and otherwise. Hence, it will lead to time and money  saving for your company.Practice #5.     Find a way to set yourself as a specialist or expertIf the prospective customers or potential buyers see you as an expert or specialist of your field, then he/she will automatically have more respect for you and will take you more serious. Thus in order to gain customer attention and make yourself be heard, it is important to set yourself as an expert by making use of phrases like ‘we are popular for’, ‘we specialize in’ or ‘customers across the world know us for’, and so on. You can also mention the name of some strong clients who are using your services so that the prospect can view you clearly and place you correctly. This not only helps the prospect know that you are familiar with what you do but wi ll also enable them to know that they are not dealing with someone who cannot be trusted.Practice #6.     Describe your product and its benefits authenticallyChances are high that your prospects may have attended a lot of sales calls, and they may be familiar with the way salespersons talk and to what lengths they go to sell products. You cannot take the risk of sounding like ‘one among the many’ salespersons out there, and the key here is to avoid sounding like one. When you sound like a typical salesperson who is only concerned with making sales then this may put off the prospect but on the other hand, if you bring in your personality to describe the product’s benefits and are less ’formal’ about it, then you may just hit the right chord with the prospects. Don’t be cold and superficial but be warmer, interested in what the prospect has to say and offer them a customized approach or solution.Practice #7.     Speak in the language of your prospectDo you want to attend a sales call and hear only technical terms that may be difficult for you to understand? Well, no prospect or customer is interested in hard to understand terms and descriptions about products or services. This is why, your sales script must be drafted using the most simple and plain language, put across at the right degree of casualness. A sales call is more about communication and interaction that is only possible if you speak in the language of the other person on the line. Adapt the sales script for the consumer you are speaking to and try to explain the product benefits very easy for the one you are talking to. The approach has to be authentic and personal, using terms like ‘this product can do this for you’, etc. The script must flow, and room must be left for it to be maneuvered depending on who you are talking to. Be prepared to change it here and there if needed and do not get stuck with the same message for each prospect.Practice #8.      Give your potential customer ti me to process the informationIf you keep speaking during the whole sales call and do not giving your prospect any time to process the information or consider whether or not he/she needs your products or services, then the entire purpose of the call will be unfulfilled. This is why it is important to draft the script in such a way that the potential customers have enough time to consider the choices and formulate their opinion. The script must have well-spaced sentences and vacant moments. It is important not to go too fast as most consumers who aren’t able to understand you are likely to hang the call in between.Practice #9.     Commit to continueThere must be a part in your sales script that focuses on the concept of C2C or Commit to Continue. Not leaving a way for your prospects to contact you back or not making an exact appointment with them to reach back again is one of the biggest mistakes sales representatives make. Rather than trying to sell the product here and now, try to set up a meeting, the next sales call or an appointment that will result in closing the deal. This is an effective way to ensure that your conversation isn’t too lengthy and that you bag a more effective way to talk about your product or give its trial.

Psychological Truths in Macbeth and the Poem My Last...

I am studying the characters of Macbeth and the Duke; how they can be considered perturbed characters. The play, ‘Macbeth’ and poem, ‘My Last Duchess’ both show psychological truths and insights into the characters. While the Duke shows himself to be perturbed straight away in the poem, Macbeth’s phrenic deterioration takes place and develops as the play proceeds. ‘Macbeth is a tragic play indited by Shakespeare during the English Renaissance in 1606. The play is habituated by Shakespeare in order to make the play more eventful. The play, at the time was considered controversial. The conception of the committing regicide when killing the king was controversial; the king was considered to have been sent by God and was only answerable to God†¦show more content†¦Macbeth makes a deliberate cull to take the route to evil. He is responsible for the death of King Duncan, his two slumbering sentinels, Banquo, Lady Macduff and her children and Young Siward. Lady Macbeth who is Macbeth’s wife withal kenned to be ‘dearest partner of greatness’ but at the terminus she is his ‘fiend-like-queen’. She is the most fascinating and involute character in the play; without her there is no play. She is a deeply zealous woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play she seems to have a vigorous character- even more vigorous than Macbeths. Lady Macbeth persuades him to contravene his nature and more preponderant judgement. However by the terminus she is reduced to a piteous figure, trepidacious of the dark. Immediately after she culminates reading the letter, Lady Macbeths mind goes to work. The words shalt be magically reflect those of the Witches prophecy. Lady Macbeth’s phrenic conceptions turn to possible failings in her husband. He is too plenary of the milk of human benevolence to commit murder; he would be great, he would have a high position. Although he is a great warrior, he is sensitive an d caring. â€Å"unsex me here† Lady Macbeth distributes these words after receiving Macbeths letter. This conjures an image of a character calling to the supernatural world to make her hard and ruthless. There are a plethora of references to male and female qualities in the play.Show MoreRelatedHow the Characters of Macbeth and the Duke in My Last Duchess Can Be Considered to Be Disturbed Characters1926 Words   |  8 Pagescharacters of the Duke and Macbeth and how they can be considered disturbed characters. The play, ‘Macbeth’ and poem, ‘My Last Duchess’ both show psychological truths and insights into the characters. While the Duke shows himself to be disturbed straight away in the poem, Macbeth’s mental deterioration takes place and develops as the play proceeds. ‘Macbeth’ written by William Shakespeare and set in 1050 contains themes of status, power and death while ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning writtenR ead MoreAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 PagesSENSE can provide more detailed information about poetry analysis. Until you can get a copy of the book, I hope this page helps you begin your poetry analysis work. What is poetry ? Poetry goes beyond the rhyming of words. The object of writing a poem is usually to make a very complicated statement using as few words as possible; as Laurence Perrine says, poetry may be defined as a kind of language that says more and says it more intensely than does ordinary language (517). Thus every word and

Essay about Alone Without a Home Homeless and Runaway...

Alone Without a Home: Homeless Runaway Youths Across the country, there are children who leave home to avoid the dangers of home only to face the dangers of living on the streets. For some the urge to leave is short lived and they return home. For others it can be a lifetime of struggle as the situation they once thought was a good solution suddenly becomes a never ending nightmare as they fight to survive and face the harsh reality that they have no place to turn to. Homeless runaway youth are on the rise in the US and is a serious issue. One in seven youth between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away and never return (National Runaway Switchboard, 2010). A homeless runaway youth refers to those individuals under the age of 18 that†¦show more content†¦Other contributing factors to homelessness among youth are lack of affordable housing, low education levels, unemployment and even mental health disablities. Homelessness among youth can also be the cause of a youth being discharged from foster care or juvenile detention and treatment facilities and them being unable to find affordable, stable housing. The fact is that regardless of how the child became homeless they are inadequate to survive on their own on the streets. There are many dangers and challenges that can arise and cause more problems for them. They are at significant risk of violence, crime, drugs, prostitution, HIV and other STDs, and other health problems (Pergamit Ernst, 2010). Instead of finding the refuge they seek, once on the street they are further exposed to a multitude of risks including rape, sexual victimization, prostitution, and commercial sexual exploitation (WCSAP, 2004). Most youths will even result to what’s called â€Å"survival sex†, the selling of sex to meet subsistence needs (Green, Ennett, Ringwalt, 1999). 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Familiar with the phrase Free Essays

I remember that as a child, I didn’t have difficulty making choices. My first vivid memory of a situation where I clearly had to make a conscious decision, something which was imprinted in my mind forever, came with a visit to a toy store at a mall. Familiar with the phrase, like a child in a candy store? It was the same thing- but obviously with toys in all shapes and sizes; some were mechanically animated with blinking lights, amusing music and sounds and moving parts. We will write a custom essay sample on Familiar with the phrase or any similar topic only for you Order Now You would have expected a child of about 4 (I think I was four or five) to have simply sat there and insisted on living in the store if mom and dad didn’t buy everything in sight for them to take home. But things didn’t turn that way. I did spend a substantial amount of time browsing through the shelves, holding this, admiring that and generally wishing we could buy everything I wanted and fretting a little bit like any typical four-year old. But in the end, I knew what I really wanted from among the bewildering array of choices. It was a choice that had been made with a combination of facts (I saw an ad on television), common sense (I knew it was a toy my other siblings wouldn’t be so interested in), and most importantly, it was an object that I was happiest with. The toy by the way was a Lego set- I was four and I was in a building phase plus the fact that the Lego pieces were nice to chew on when no one was watching. As years passed by and the Lego was replaced with various other toys, contraptions and amusements, choosing became more complicated and even tedious. Could it be possible that a four-year old be more adept and actually be more â€Å"matured† in making decisions and choices than a fifth-grader who was actually already taking high-school level Algebra, or an eighth-grader who suddenly showed an aptitude for music and was playing the piano like a pro? For some reason, that incident at the toy store became nothing more than a memory. The older I got, the more I got confused and distracted even as my intellect had grown by leaps and bounds. In fifth-grade, I was the school nerd who took high-school Algebra lessons for the fun of it. But when it came to making choices about summer-camp, or something as trivial as what type of breakfast cereal to eat, I was a wreck; an annoying, back-tracking, undecided 11-year old. In eighth-grade, I could read sheet music as if they were comic books. But I caused my father agony when I hemmed and hawed at what high-school to go to; special music high school, regular high school? – I couldn’t make up my mind. My mother told me to my face quite bluntly; â€Å"you’re a genius at a lot of things, but it’s sad that you can’t even master the basics.† So when faced with college and what career path to take, I set aside the memory of last year’s fiasco of a vacation ( didn’t know whether backpacking to Europe, or Mexico, and ended up missing an important loved one’s birthday because of my indecisiveness) and focused on that lovely summer’s day at the toy store when I was four-years old. I closed my eyes and opened my heart and my mind. I shut out all distractions, biases, fears and pretensions. I was again a four-year old, innocent and guileless, a child who was at the edge of knowing what he wanted and knew that he had a family who would always support him. But more importantly, he knew what he truly wanted, what made him happy, and that never changes even if you were four or 90 years old. And so I made a choice that had been made with a combination of facts (I had an incredible aptitude in math and science), common sense (it was a hot-career and most in-demand), and most importantly, it was something that I was happiest with simply because having made that decision almost ten years ago, not a day passes that I don’t thank the fates, God and myself for having made that decision. That choice by the way, was deciding to go to medical school and later joining the United Nations medical corps for special missions to places in the world where crucial medical and surgical procedures were urgently needed. Fifteen-hour work days, lack of equipment, threat of civil war, the pains and aches of the sick and a child’s smile thanking you for saving her life- yes, I am like a child again in a toy store. Work Cited CareerPlanning (2007) Career choice of change. Retrieved January 1, 2007 from http://careerplanning.about.com/od/careerchoicechan/Career_Choice_or_Change.htm How to cite Familiar with the phrase, Papers

What Determines Economic Growth an Example of the Topic Economics Essays by

What Determines Economic Growth? Economic growth is the increase in aggregate output between two distinct periods of time (Romer). Leading to a general improvement in the standard of living, the economic growth of a nation is typically believed to be caused by several growth factors working in tandem. These growth factors may include the growing literary rate among a population, the opening of the trading environment, the beginning of a market economy, the opening of international markets, and the efficient use of natural and human resources (Pritchett). Need essay sample on "What Determines Economic Growth?" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The industrialization of a nation is a significant part of economic growth, seeing that it means that a nation has begun to use its resources more efficiently, thereby recovering from a stagnating or depressed state (Rosenstein-Rodan). By utilizing more of its brain power, a nation that develops machinery to reduce labor costs and cut the time used in manufacturing, is said to have economically grown. The effects of industrialization show up soon enough. A country that becomes industrialized increases its aggregate output automatically. This is because machines are quicker at doing monotonous tasks that human beings or labor finds tedious. In the business world, time is money. Hence, anything that reduces costs by shortening the time used in producing goods and services, would lead to economic growth. Education works in a similar manner. A country that has raised its literacy rate will have more people that know enough to find better ways of reducing costs and increasing output. Increased output means that the country would be able to sell more of its products and services to its own consumers as well as outsiders. And, of course, increased sales translate into greater profits. These profits may then be used to build better machinery, or they may be invested in educating more people in the nation. Thus, economic growth turns into a given. According to Paul Romer: Economic growth occurs whenever people take resources and rearrange them in ways that are more valuable. A useful metaphor for production in an economy comes from the kitchen. To create valuable final products, we mix inexpensive ingredients together according to a recipe. The cooking one can do is limited by the supply of ingredients, and most cooking in the economy produces undesirable side effects. As in the case of education human beings are not only the cooks of the economy, but also the ingredients in the kitchen of the economy. By using our human resources the same way over and over again, without change, the economy would meet with stagnation rather than growth. Learning and growth are interconnected, and hence, an economy that uses successful models to transform itself by following its models, is most likely to meet with economic growth even if it fails in its first attempt to successfully apply model behavior. A nation may decide, for example, that it would create a market economy out of its crumbling command economy. The new market economy may not thrive in the short run. However, by giving free rein to market forces of demand and supply, the nation may actually find its economy growing in the long run. This is because competing firms in the market economy would produce better quality of goods and services for all. Moreover, competing firms tend to lower the prices of products and services, thereby making it easier for consumers both local as well as foreign to purchase in greater quantities. Lant Pritchett writes that the United States of America had a steady economic growth rate for more than a century. This means that the nation was constantly growing in terms of efficiency in its utilization of resources. Whether the United States was also seeing a steady growth in literacy during this period, or combining this growth factor with technological innovations in its methods of production, the fact remains that several growth factors may be contributing to this steady growth rate through a process of evolution whereby these factors saw a consistent improvement in their utilization. To put it another way, development has to continue in order for an economy to keep on growing. This is the reason why humanity did not stop after the first steam engine during the most important period of industrialization. Rather, human beings imagined the uses of the steam engine to improve their standards of living. And after using the steam engine in the imagined ways, humanity thought of mo re innovations and uses. This, indeed, is the major determinant of economic growth the desire to improve and reach our highest potential. Evolution on the path of improvement is mandated by economic growth. Paul Rosenstein-Rodan refers to reaching the optimum size of industrial enterprises. Before the industrial enterprises reach the optimum size, however, there has to be a vision. And, as we have seen from the example of the United States, there really is no upper limit to economic growth. An economy may continue growing indefinitely. And so, in the long run, there may actually be no optimum size of industrial enterprises either. Works Cited Pritchett, Lant. A Toy Collection, a Socialist Star and a Democratic Dud? (Growth Theory, Vietnam, and the Philippines). Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 27 September 2001. Romer, Paul M. Economic Growth. In The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. (David R. Henderson, ed.). Liberty Fund, 2007. Rosenstein-Rodan, Paul. Problems of Industrialization of Eastern and South-eastern Europe. Rosenstein-Rodan on Eastern Europe (1943). University College, London.

The Noble Experiment - 1920 - Prohibition Essays - Free Essays

The Noble Experiment - 1920 - Prohibition Essays - Free Essays The Noble Experiment - 1920 - Prohibition In 1920 congress began what was called The Noble Experiment. This experiment began with the signing of the eighteenth amendment of the constitution into law. It was titled by society as Prohibition. Websters dictionary defines prohibition as: A prohibiting, the forbidding by law of the manufacture or sale of alcoholic liquors. Prohibition can extend to mean the foreboding of any number of substances. I define it as a social injustice to the human race as we know it. Prohibition was designed to rid the country of businesses that manufactured, sold, and or distributed alcoholic beverages. The eighteenth amendment made it a violation of the constitution to do and of the before mentioned. This was a crime punishable up to the Supreme Court. The original idea was that Americans as a whole were unhealthy, there was too much crime and corruption, and that people were being burdened by excess taxes that poorhouses and prisons were creating. What happened? The cheap alcohol being illegally produced killed more Americans, crime and corruption went up, taxes were raised to fund the law enforcement needed to enforce prohibition, and the prisons became overcrowded. Some would have you believe that crime decreased during prohibition. Well, it did. Crime decreased, as a whole, by 37.7% during prohibition. However violent crime and other serious crimes were up. Theft of property was up 13.2%, homicide was up m16.1%, and robbery was up 83.3%. Minor crimes had decreased though- by 50%. Crimes such as malicious mischief, public swearing, vagrancy, etc. (Dr. Fairbu rn pg 75-80) The prohibition movement did have its fair share of supporters however. The most active in the movement was the Womens Christian Temperance Union. They worked hard in campaigning towards this amendment and gathered, what is now believed today, as to be biased statistics. For example one area that the WCTU attacked was the saloons and in particular the sale of distilled spirits, hard alcohol. The WCTU claimed drinking during prohibition was down 30% as opposed to pre-prohibition. However as a percentage to total alcohol sales the consumption of distilled spirits was up from 50% (pre-prohibition) to an astonishing 89% during prohibition. Most estimates place the potency of prohibition-era products at 150+ percent of the potency of products produced either before or after prohibition (qtd. In Henry Lee 202) Prohibition did not succeed at all. In order for prohibition to achieve what it was set to do it had to meet four specific guidelines. It needs to have a significant decrease in the consumption of alcohol. This did not occur. Secondly after the initial drop, it needed to maintain that low. What did happen was that after the initial drop alcohol consumption rose steadily. Next, the

How to Write a Video Script That Will Make $100,000,000

How to Write a Video Script That Will Make $100,000,000 What do bathrooms, bad breath, and stinky political candidates have in common? Apparently an ability to drive $100,000,000 in sales. Don’t believe me? It’s true. Those numbers come from video ads an agency called the Harmon Brothers  created for some brands that have great products- but deal with topics which can prove a bit tough for marketers. After all, marketing things like bathroom hygiene products and a candidate during an incendiary political season is no easy feat. However, the goal of marketing remains the same: content that converts an audience into advocates. Advocates into customers. And customers into raving evangelists who write us haikus. ^ You think I’m kidding about the poetry? Nope. Whether this content is a blog post, an ad, or an email campaign  makes no difference. What matters is the goal is always the same. The good news is the path to video marketing success can look more like the festival of colors  than suit-and-tie professionalism. And in this post we’re going to explore that path by diving deep into one of the aforementioned ads by the Harmon Brothers- whom I call the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Ogilvys of irreverent video marketing.† Not only have their videos driven the aforementioned $100,000,000 in sales. But they also evoke uncommon responses from viewers. For example, when was the last time you saw people reacting like this to YouTube pre-roll ads? Or like this†¦ Or this†¦ Or my personal favorite Not bad, eh? Grab Your Free Video Script Writing Template Bundle Today, I’m going to show you how to write a video script patterned after the exact videos that inspired the above comments- and millions of purchases. You’re going to: See how you can get off to a painless start in your scriptwriting project with a free Microsoft Word video script template. Learn how to score the strength of your video script before you even shoot the first scene with our script scorecard tool. Get four annotated, line-by-line script samples of four hyper-successful ads with a script swipe file. Before you read on, grab your free kit with each of those free resources inside. You’ll definitely want to follow along, as we’ll be using them throughout the post. Got ‘em? Great. Now, let’s get in on this 💠©Ã‚  and crank out strings of killer marketing videos. How To Write A Video Script That Will Make $100,000,000 (Free Kit)The 5 Conversion Levers of Video Marketing I’ve been a fan of the Harmon Brothers’ work for awhile now. So when I set out to write better video scripts, their work was top of mind. I studied their ads and transcribed their scripts line-by-line. I analyzed their structure, flow, and affect. Nerdy- but helpful. As I did this, five patterns emerged- which I call the Five Conversion Levers. (If you’ve ever studied sales or direct response copywriting,  some of the persuasion tactics, like social proof, will be familiar.) So let’s overview them, then analyze a video ad. Recommended Reading: 16 Video Marketing Tips That Will Skyrocket Your Traffic These 5 Conversion Levers For Writing Video Scripts Are ... Pain and Promise Pain and promise clearly articulates your audience’s problem and then offers a compelling solution. (Hint: This will be a benefit your product or service.) This isn’t a revolutionary idea, but it is a great one-two punch. To use this lever well, focus on a â€Å"before/after† effect.Relate with your audience’s current experience, and then forecast what life will be like after your solution. This is also an excellent way to capitalize on searcher intent. This is a concept in keyword research where you’re inferring the problem a searcher is trying to solve via their search. Even if your video content is an ad, the hope is it will be shown with related content. Comparison Comparison just may be my favorite lever. This tactic uses the unsung heroes of marketing, metaphor and relatability, to do two things: Quickly connect with your audience Communicate your premise with them Another way to express this device is by using this formula: â€Å"It’s like [commonly understood topic] for [audience/problem]!† As an example, if I was writing a video script to advertise , I may say: â€Å"It’s like pressing the easy button for getting tons more traffic to your content!† Right away, the idea of Staples’ famous â€Å"Easy Button† is conjured and then applied to the problem my audience is trying to solve. Then, I can use the rest of the devices to substantiate this claim As another example, if I was promoting our Marketing Strategy Certification  for one of our courses, I could say: â€Å"It’s like Shark Tank for marketers!† Okay, I’d better stop. I really like these. Authority Authority is tried-and-true. And it makes the list because it works. The idea is appealing to an authority of some kind to further legitimize or prove your claims. Sort of a, â€Å"Don’t believe me? Well, Albert Einstein said it first!† The legitimate authorities to appeal to are: experts, contextualized data to tell a story, social proof, testimonials, and demonstration. (Note: If you’re a persuasion nerd, understand this is unlike the logical fallacy of appealing to authority.)‘Nuff said 👊 Entertainment Here’s the thing†¦ Yes your company’s bottom line is serious business. However, people like to have fun- even in so-called boring verticals. So if you can find and harness your product’s or service’s â€Å"fun† factor, you’re leagues ahead of the competition.This is a risk. But if you nail it, it can pay dividends. However, what if humor or high-energy vibes are wrong for your product or brand?For instance, what if you run marketing for a home security company?I don’t know about you, but I’m interested in a home security system that seriously works! I don’t need it to entertain me. So, if this is your product, service, or brand the portable concept is engaging. What’s the angle that will engross your audience? A great way to think about this is in a movie-genre paradigm. Not every movie is a comedy. We have dramas, thrillers, action movies, and the list goes on.No genre is outright better than the other. Instead, it’s about the story.So whether humor is the right move or not, discern the engrossing elements of your product or service, then bring it to the surface. Call-to-action (CTA) Yep- it’s the same â€Å"CTA† you always hear about. But, it’s too important to exclude and take for granted.No matter how elementary it may seem, a clear CTA is a fundamental component to a successful script.Though, we’ll tackle this common marketing trope from a different angle than business-as-usual. The five conversion levers you need to know for #video #marketing success are ...How To Write A Video Script Using The 5 Conversion Levers In the section below, we’re going to analyze and score one of the Harmon Brothers’ most popular ads. This way, we can see each conversion lever at work. Then we’ll discuss how we can use them in our video marketing, too. Now saddle up and make sure you’re in a place where you can LOL†¦ Because these ads are as hilarious as they are brilliant. The Unicorn Of Marketing Videos As I said above, the Harmon Brothers’ video ads generated over $100,000,000 in sales- and that’s just in 2016! Numbers like that should make you quick to attune your marketing antennae and see what they’re doing that works so well. You’re going to find the video (watch it first!), some relevant stats, a script score with explanation, and a structural analysis. Then, we’ll uncover how we can follow suit and put the same methods to our madness†¦ Or maybe madness to our methods? Either way, let’s get rockin’. Squatty Potty: Everyone Loves A Bathroom Joke- Few Can Sell With Them We’re going to study the infamously funny ad for the Squatty Potty. Sure, I could describe the tricky product the agency was tasked with advertising. But I’ll let the unicorn do it instead 🠦„🠍 ¦Ã°Å¸Å'ˆ Let me start by saying this ad spawned a toy  people actually buy. I mean, c’mon. When faced with such a sensitive topic, it’d be easy default to the sterile, science-y route. It’d be safe to have a doctor in a labcoat talk through the benefits of gastrointestinal health whilst tossing up some facts and figures. But not these guys. They tackled this unmentionable issue head on- and to incredible results. In total, this video has garnered over 150,000,000 cross-channel views and a whopping 1,500,000 social shares. On YouTube alone it’s been watched the equivalent of 97 years and shared over 700,000 times. That’s incredible traction. Pro Tip:  You can see the stats of nearly any YouTube video by simply clicking on the â€Å"More† tab below the video, then selecting â€Å"Statistics.† This will generate a chart like the one above. Check it out: Now, let’s demystify some of the magic that makes this video work. We’ll start with their script score. Conversion-Levers Script Scorecard Pain + Promise Score: 5 They continually highlighted the viewer’s current problem, then clearly articulated their product as the easy, breezy, and inexpensive solution. One of the clearest examples is the use of â€Å"before/after.† Or as the good prince says: â€Å"Kink, unkink. Kink, unkink.† At the 1:20 mark, they show a side-by-side with the viewer’s current pain displayed on the left (before) and the solution displayed on the right (after). Comparison Score: 5 Their use of metaphor is superb. From the moment the video begins, the ice-cream-ejecting unicorn is assumes the position of the product’s user. This allows the viewer to see him- or herself using the product in a somewhat charming- rather than nasty- way. It’s a funny, memorable way to explain the product. This is one â€Å"sticky† ad. (Okay, no more puns.) In their book, Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath explain that for an idea (or ad) to stick: It must be easily understood when people hear it. The idea must persist over time and stay with them. And it must change something about how people think or act. This use of the comparison lever certainly accomplishes each. Authority Score: 5 They leveraged authority on four levels in this video: Demonstration Experts Social proof Testimonial Throughout the video, the unicorn is acting as an animated Vanna White  by showing how the product works. It’s a visual demonstration showing the â€Å"science† of why you can trust this product to work. Then, at the 1:53 mark, we see an appeal to experts who apparently endorse the product: Then, about 10 seconds later, we see an example of social proof: The product’s authority is consistently reinforced by credible sources. This is a powerful setup for the CTAs. Entertainment Score: 5 This is the most subjective criterion on this scorecard. However, if you can combine entertainment and  substance, you can crush humdrum competitors with ease. To me, this is the most entertaining ad I’ve ever seen. It tells a story, has a jaw-dropping shock value, and it’s just plain funny. This video harnesses the â€Å"fun† factor of their product. Yes, it solves a universally human problem. But to talk about- and illustrate- it with such cheekiness and charm is where this ad shines. And honestly, I will never forget this image. Ever. Yep. Ice cream will never be the same. Call-to-Action Score: 4 Finally, we have the marketing linchpin: the call-to-action. Without a solid CTA ads are pretty much worthless. In this video, they do a nice job of building up to the CTAs. Without a solid CTA, ads are pretty much worthless.As you’ll see in the structural analysis below, they have two explicit opportunities for the viewer to act. Each is clear, succinct, and compelling. Technically there is a lingering CTA with the â€Å"SquattyPotty.com† button hanging out in the upper-right of the video frame. To strengthen this score, I think they could have included a third, softer CTA that was a quip about price. Something like: â€Å"And $25 isn’t bad for something you use more than your toaster.† (Not great. But you get the point.) In all, though, I thought the two CTAs were solid and compelling. Recommended Reading: How to Write a Call to Action in a Template With 6 Examples Total Overall Score: 24/25 There we have it- a killer score for what will become a legendary marketing video. Structural Analysis Now, let’s take a look at the bones of this video and see where each lever is pulled and how they work together. We’ve broken down the video’s components into a timeline for quick analysis: The big moments are the â€Å"product introduction† and of course the CTAs. The product introduction is the moment when the product (or service) is first introduced. (^I know†¦ A bit obvious.) A couple of points here. First, notice the Squatty Potty itself was introduced roughly 30 percent into the video. It wasn’t explicitly talked about first thing. This is important. Instead, the first third of the video was dedicated to establishing the â€Å"sticky† metaphor and highlighting the viewer’s pain. This makes the video relevant and  relatable. Then, once the pain is clearly outlined, we’re set up with a classic marketing promise that boils down to: â€Å"But what if I told you there’s a better way!† Second, observe that the next 30 percent of the video is dedicated to digging even further into the viewer’s problems. When you read this video’s script (included in your kit inside the swipe file) it’s helpful to see the structure they employ. They walk through the product’s benefits  line-by-line, explicitly relating them to the viewer’s life as a solution to their problem. This is a powerful copywriting device  described  by Brian Clark, founder of Copyblogger, as: â€Å"One of the most repeated rules of compelling copy is to stress benefits, not features.† They adopt a â€Å"[Viewer’s pain] [Product’s benefit that solves this pain†¦]† schema. This way every benefit is given context within the viewer’s daily experience. (When you read the script, count how many couplets you find. Then ask yourself if you can tie your product/service’s benefits directly to your audience’s pain.) Recommended Reading: How to Make a Video Content Marketing Strategy to Boost Your New Series How To Write A Winning Video Script Here’s the kicker. It’s always easier said- or shown- than done, right? Trying to implement new tactics can feel like falling prey to a Pinterest fail. (Source: BoredPanda) So we’re going to walk through each resource in your kit and put these principles into practice. This way we hit everything from project management to implementing the conversion levers to getting ultra-inspired. How To Manage A Scriptwriting Project What do you call it when a blueprint and a military general have a baby? A script. Marketing videos can have quite a few steps and stages. But the lifeblood of any great advertisement is the script. It details exactly what’s going to be said, what it’s going to look and sound like, and how everything will keen in sync. This is where the free Word script template comes in. It’s the file named â€Å"Marketing_Video_Script_Template† in your kit. It looks like this: It’s divided vertically into two columns. The left-hand column is for visual direction such as graphics, cuts, and actions. The right-hand column is for the lines (narration, dialogue, etc.), music direction, and sound effects. Those are a lot of details to manage and keep lined up on paper. But by using a column-based approach, you can keep everything organized and in line. However, the most important part is nailing the content and execution of the project itself. So, I’m going to walk you through how to use to manage a scriptwriting project. The tools we will use are and Google Docs  (or Microsoft Word!). (Btw: snag a free trial  to to follow along if you don’t already have an account!) The lifeblood of any ad is the script.Getting Started The Easy Way When you’re writing a video marketing script, you’re creating much more than a blog post. You’re drafting a battle plan for an entire team to execute on. I’ve managed this process on everything from napkins to whiteboards to apps, but I’ll share my favorite way to do this and keep it within our entire content marketing environment. To begin, make sure you create a brand new project by clicking on the â€Å"+† icon after you’ve logged in to your calendar. Once you start a new project, you’ll be prompted to choose the content type. I like to think long-term on projects with multiple phases. So I’m going to create a new â€Å"Video† project. Even though we’ll be focusing on the script right now, this sets us up for fantastic social video promotion  and analytics  for campaign optimization later. Now we hop into the details. Give your project a title (our headline analyzer  hates me, in this example) and then we’ll start assigning tasks. Let’s say the first sprint of our scriptwriting project has five major steps we want to get moving on immediately: Ideation Storyboarding Drafting Scoring Revision To start, I’ll simply add each of those as a â€Å"Task† and then assign it a person and a due date. Automatically, the assignee will receive a notification they have work to do (and they’ll see the deadline, too). Now our script document (or your template) enters the picture. You will choose how to edit your script content. In this instance, I’m going to use Google Docs. Though you can use a Word Doc and share the file back-and-forth if you’d like. (Here are the directions  on how to convert the Word Doc template into a Google Doc.) I’ll choose â€Å"Google Docs† as the content editor. Then, I will see a dialog that asks me to choose the document. I selected the â€Å"Marketing_Video_Script_Template† document. This means that all of the writing, commenting, and editing can be done in that single document. The nifty part is that will keep all of the aspects of project, task, and document management in a single dashboard. So each time you need to access the working script file, simply click on the link in the content project. Then you can simply assign tasks to each additional team member who will be working on (or reviewing) the video script. Recommended Reading: How to Do Facebook Video Marketing the Right Way How To Score Your Script Now that you have the tracks laid, it’s time to get the train chugging along. Before you or a team member draft a word of your video script, open up the file from your free kit called the â€Å"Conversion_Levers_Script_Scoring_Tool.† This is the scorecard you’ll use to grade the strength of your script. It looks like this: However, instead of writing the script first and then scoring it, I recommend finding the angles for each of them first. In essence, treat each point as a question about your product or service and then answer it. Those answers will then provide the beginnings of an outline for you. By moving this phase to the beginning of your process, you’re mining the raw materials you need to write a masterful marketing script. Here’s how to do this. Structure each lever as a question about your audience, like this: Chances are, you can take this exercise much further for your specific audience than I just did. So use those questions as a jumping point. But when you have each lever accounted for, you can start pulling them! If you start here, it will catapult both the effectiveness and  efficiency of your scriptwriting process. And as a bonus, the best way to do this is to answer these questions as a team. Heck, why not use it as an excuse to get sales and marketing together and let the fireworks fly? Then, after you’ve written the first draft of your script, swoop in with your red pen and score your work. You’ll give yourself a grade of 1–5 for each lever. Then the genius-brain inside of Excel will automatically calculate your script’s overall score. To start, aim for a score of 4+ on each- and settle for nothing less than a score of 18+. The final benefit to this process is you’ll know exactly where your script is weak. This way you don’t face the problem of knowing your script stinks, but not knowing how to fix it! I’ve been there†¦ And it’s no fun :)