Ghostwriter Says

Writing a Blind Case Study

2011-04-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

Ghostwriter Says E-script: Writing a Blind Case Study (1:46)

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER WRITING A BLIND CASE STUDY	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR with backdrop of GHOSTS.	[NARRATOR:] Customer witness persuades with power. It’s pure gold with a marquee logo. And somewhat rare. Too often, customers WILL tell their story – IF you don’t say their name!
Problem	3.	CUT to IMAGE of boardroom and DOLLY OUT. CUT to IMAGE of Capitol Building. CUT to IMAGE of man with hands over mouth and DOLLY OUT.	[NARRATOR:] Reasons include company policy, regulation, or hiding a competitive edge.
Solution	4.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] But even if anonymous, a story CAN be good. Three tips will help make it strong.
Example	5.	HOLD MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN first bullet: SOLUTION CUT to IMAGE of short grafs. TRANSITION to another IMAGE of short grafs and PAN DOWN.	[NARRATOR:] First, be concise. Problem. Solution. Write pull quotes about value received – not technology features. These are good for a white paper or press release. A few short grafs may be enough. Do this to package multiple stories. Or if a story lacks detail.
	6.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR with last scene’s SIDEBAR. WIPE IN second bullet: SOLUTION SPECIFIC CUT to IMAGE of solutions brief, DOLLY OUT from title.	[NARRATOR:] Next, use specific examples. Try framing them in a generic “Solutions Brief” to focus readers on WHAT and HOW instead of who.
	7.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR with last scene’s SIDEBAR. WIPE IN third bullet: SOLUTION SPECIFIC HOW-TO TRANSITION to VIDEO insert of person giving consultative advice. CUT to IMAGE of how-to guide, ZOOM UP and IN on title.	[NARRATOR:] Third, try a HOW–TO angle. Users trust the experience of peer advice. A first-person “what we learned” story will resonate.
Conclude / Offer	8.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN bullets, one by one: SOLUTION SPECIFIC HOW-TO ERASE bullets at once.	[NARRATOR:] In recap, to make your blind case study strong: Focus on SOLUTION. Use SPECIFIC examples. HOW–TO resonates with users. I can write this story for you. And you’ll get a persuasive tool for closing the sale!
	9.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Thanks for watching! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	10.	TRANSITION to closing title: COPY FOR HI-TECH MARKETING & SELLING DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[FADE UP volume of music track to FULL.] [FADE OUT volume of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Jarring Expectations Is Bad for Video

2010-08-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Ghostwriter Says E-script: Jarring Expectations Is Bad for Video (3:13)

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER JARRING EXPECTATIONS IS BAD FOR VIDEO	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to MS of NARRATOR with backdrop of GHOSTS.	[NARRATOR:] Journalists often joke: “Don’t let facts get in the way of a good story.” The marketing analog is no joke: “Don’t let HOW you tell a story bog conveyance of its message.”
Problem	3.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. CUT to video of data sheet TURNING over. CUT to video of white paper, pages TURNING one by one. CUT to video montage of business scenes.	[NARRATOR:] Each communication vehicle sets unique expectations. A data sheet. Just the facts, quick, simple. A white paper. Analysis. Selling a big idea. A customer case study. Affirmation. We did it. So can you.
	4.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. Cut to video of judge SLAMMING a gavel down on a desk pad. CUT to image of Oscar statue, PANNING across. CUT to black & white photo of family WATCHING television, PANNING across. CUT to video of NARRATOR shown on a PC monitor; ZOOMING IN until window fills screen. TRANSITION to CONTINUATION of NARRATOR displayed on a handheld smartphone. TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR. CUT to image of a hand clicking on a remote with TV images changing in background. FOCUS on the remote, BLUR the TV.	[NARRATOR:] Video is a two-edged sword. Good video is a powerful persuader. Bad video chokes the message transfer. The danger …[BEAT]… is sub-conscious judgment. [We hear a loud wooden CRACK!] With video, everyone is an expert. We watch video for TENS of THOUSANDS of hours in a lifetime. 175 hours a month! That’s the AVERAGE Americans watch video on TVs, PCs, and smartphones, says Nielsen. We ENGAGE with video like no other medium. So we know when it’s good. And when it’s bad – well … …that’s why they call it “surfing!”
Solution	5.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN side bullets, one by one: MULTI MEDIA SIMPLE BRIEF ERASE bullets all at once.	[NARRATOR:] Video for marketing must counter the urge to surf. Professional quality is mandatory. But what, exactly, makes a marketing video GOOD? These are still EARLY DAYS so we’re all learning. THREE ideas are working for me: USE MULTI MEDIA to maintain interest. SIMPLE STRUCTURE eases story comprehension. BRIEF duration for short commitment of time.
Example	6.	HOLD MCU of NARRATOR. NARRATOR GESTURES to self, then BULLETS WIPE IN, all at once: MULTI MEDIA SIMPLE BRIEF ERASE bullets all at once. Insert Picture-in-Picture of a DIAGRAM. CUT insert to PHOTO, panning across. CUT insert to kinetic VIDEO clip. CUT all to PHOTO of Big Bird. ZOOM IN on poster: “Amuse me!”	[NARRATOR:] Good video SHOWS a story. Attention waivers when there’s just a talking head. BULLETS reinforce spoken words. DIAGRAMs conquer complexity. PHOTOS with motion spice interest. VIDEO inserts PROPEL action. The advice may sound like Sesame Street. But it’s still state-of-the-art … [BEAT].
	7.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN side bullets, one by one: 1 STORY 2 / 3 SUPPORT POINTS ERASE bullets all at once.	[NARRATOR:] Use a simple structure. Focus on ONE story with just two or three support points. Detail will distract and overwhelm.
	8.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. CUT to video of stop watch clicking on 2 minute mark.	[NARRATOR:] As for DURATION, the jury is still out but I’d shoot for under THREE minutes. Under TWO is better. Consider that network advertisers are thrilled for 30 seconds of your time. Don’t be greedy.
Conclude / Offer	9.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN bullets, one by one: Multimedia Simple Brief ERASE bullets at once.	[NARRATOR:] To recap, make the video experience worthy of target viewers. Vary and polish format. Use a simple structure. Be brief. I can help you write or tune the script. As a result, your video will lock in attention and persuade BETTER than words!
	10.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Thanks for watching! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	11.	TRANSITION to closing title: COPY FOR HI-TECH MARKETING & SELLING DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[FADE UP volume of music track to FULL.] [FADE OUT volume of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Writing in PowerPoint!

2010-01-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

Ghostwriter Says E-Script: Writing in PowerPoint! (4:10)

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER WRITING IN POWERPOINT	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to MS of NARRATOR with backdrop of GHOSTS.	[NARRATOR:] PowerPoint is a pillar of business communication. True, some presentations can bore you to death. But fact is, for presenters, PowerPoint is a true friend. A vital crutch. And NOT just for SPEECHES! PowerPoint can convey your ideas in long form, like white papers, articles, even books!
Problem	3.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Once I was asked to ghost write a book based on two slide decks. There was no other source material. Topic was esoteric. Budget low. It was easy to say “No.” But PowerPoint was not the roadblock. [WITH MOCK EXASPIRATION:] It was those slides and bullets.
	4.	CUT to video sequence #1: PowerPoint slides whizzing by at high speed. Create the typical PowerPoint audience tension of watching / listening to the speaker versus reading a multitude of busy slides by superimposing MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR / VOICE OVER:] Many decks LOOK like a book. They fail TWICE. Too MUCH data to process while listening (so audience ignores you while it reads). Too LITTLE data to “connect the bullets” in a leave-behind.
Solution	5.	STAY on MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN side bullets, one by one: SUMMARIZE CLEAN LOOK NO READING! ERASE all bullets at once.	[NARRATOR:] You’ve heard rules for success with PowerPoint. Use few slides. Three bullets per slide. Big fonts. Clean charts. No cartoons. And no reading slides. … [BEAT] … Obviously! But it’s a tug of war. You want to LOOK like an expert. OMIT nothing important. Often, the deck is the ONLY documentation for a new “big idea.”
	6.	STAY on MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Your solution is turning PowerPoint upside down. Make slides simple, for visual reinforcement only. Put details into slide NOTES.
Example	7.	CUT to video sequence #2: SHOW slide template and MOVE IN slightly on screen area with Notes. Cursor MOVES into the Notes window. TYPES a short note.	[NARRATOR / VOICE OVER:] The Notes feature is at the bottom of a slide template. Information in the Note integrates with its respective slide. Without showing during a presentation. Type your Note here. A Note can JOG memory with stories for a presentation. But it can do much more!
	8.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Its BIG value is the repository of details that SUPPORT each slide. Notes are hidden, so they don’t overload your real-time audience. Slides are meant to be SEEN … [BEAT] … NOW. Notes are meant to be READ … [BEAT] … LATER.
	9.	CUT to video sequence #3: Top of Notes display window EXPANDS to half-way up the screen. HIGHLIGHT appears on the short Note. EXECUTION of Paste command inserts long segments of copy. Screen PULLS BACK to FULL view.	[NARRATOR / VOICE OVER:] A Note can hold lots of data. You can type a supporting narrative, source data, and reference URLs into a Note on each slide. Or paste text, images or multimedia from other sources.
	10.	CUT to video sequence #4: SHOW PowerPoint commands to print handout with slides only. TRANSISTION to video sequence #5: SHOW hand TURNING pages of slides-only handout.	[NARRATOR / VOICE OVER:] Handouts should be slides-only. The PowerPoint Print command provides several formats. Slides are good for note-taking during a presentation. As leave behinds, slides alone can hinder grasping the whole story.
	11.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. CUT to video sequence #6: SHOW PowerPoint commands to print handout with slides and Notes. TRANSITION to video sequence #7: SHOW hand TURNING pages of slides and Notes handout.	[NARRATOR:] Solution: Put slides AND Notes into a leave-behind. [NARRATOR / VOICE OVER:] The PowerPoint Publish command sends both into a Word document. The “Notes below slides” option is best. Simple to format. Rich detail. Superior handouts.
	12.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. NARRATOR gives look of assurance. NARRATOR WINKS.	[NARRATOR:] When time is of the essence, Notes in your leave behind will give prospects collateral that’s “good enough” until converted to a white paper or article. Availability of Notes will also help speed the conversion process, especially if you use a ghostwriter like me.
Conclude / Offer	13.	STAY on MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN bullets, one by one: SIMPLIFY AMPLIFY ROBUST	[NARRATOR:] To recap: With PowerPoint Notes, you can: SIMPLIFY your slides. AMPLIFY the quality and detail integrated with your presentation. And make your leave behind … [ BEAT] … ROBUST.
	14.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Thanks for watching! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	15.	TRANSITION to closing title: COPY FOR HI-TECH MARKETING & SELLING DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[BOOST VOLUME of music track to FULL.] [LOWER VOLUME of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Put Your PR Lede Before the Horse!

2009-11-01T07:39:00.001-08:00

Ghostwriter Says E-Script: Put Your PR Lede Before the Horse (3:29)

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER PUT YOUR PR LEDE BEFORE THE HORSE!	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to MS of NARRATOR with green screen backdrop of GHOSTS.	[NARRATOR:] In a press release, which is more important – the story lede … [BEAT] … or company tagline?
Problem	3.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Pick a metaphor. Chicken before egg. Cart before horse. There’d be NO story without the company. But pushing company before story INTERRUPTS the lede. You’ve got mere seconds to grab readers. Don’t risk pushing them away!
Solution	4.	CUT to full-page photo of press release. CUT to CU on title. CUT to CU on first sentence. ZOOM OUT to CU on first graf. CUT to FULL SCREEN, MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] The trick is to streamline an opener to match how people read. And here’s the challenge – they don’t read ‘em! They SCAN. Title. First sentence. MAY-be the first graf. Beyond that, it’s mostly filler. Sad, but true.
	5.	CUT to MCU of hand DROPPING paper into waste basket.	[NARRATOR:] Obviously, you need to mention the company up front. HOW you do can affect whether the full PR is scanned – or CANned! [LOUD THUNK sound.]
Example	6.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Your lede is the news, so it should go first – always! It’s OK to mention the company, but keep it short.
	7.	CUT to image of TOOMSTONE. CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. On LEFT side, DISPLAY LONG name above SHORT version. XYZ Security Solutions International, Inc. XYZ CUT green screen backdrop image to VIDEO of a stock exchange billboard flashing a sequence of trading symbols.	[NARRATOR:] Certain death occurs when too much information occurs first about company. Use a SHORT tagline. Or none at all. Odds are readers will know who you are. TRUNCATE the long official name. If publicly traded, omit stock exchange and trading symbol. That’s not news, so put it at the end in the company boilerplate.
	8.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. CUT green screen backdrop image to VIDEO of scrolling taglines.	[NARRATOR:] Above all, RESIST using a pompous tagline. Your company is not the only leader out there. According to vendors, EACH is a leader! Check out taglines from a recent trade show. It was CROWDED at the top! Nearly all were “leading providers.” So cliché! Perception-wise, each is just another leader IN the pack. [LOUD SOUND of motorcycles REVVING.]
	9.	CUT to MCU of NARRATOR. WIPE IN bullets, one by one: SIMPLE . COMPLEX CONFUSED	[NARRATOR:] Most taglines conclude in three ways. The simple way is, “We do this.” One thing, done well. The complex way is, “We do this, …[BEAT] … and we do that.” A compound phrase may project command of complexity. You have the angles covered. Overlook nothing. The third approach, I call “confused.” “We do this, that, and also that.” Favored by small, one-product players trying to look big. Or a CEO who’s not sure what they do.
	10.		[NARRATOR:] Make taglines simple, precise. For drama, say nothing. Presume they already know you – especially if your firm has history.
Conclude / Offer	11.	TRANSITION to MCU of NARRATOR.	[NARRATOR:] Don’t cloud your story lede! You’ve got nanoseconds to grab a reader. Tell ‘em the news – ASAP. Put what everyone knows at the end. It’s the inverted pyramid, Web 2.0. This simple technique makes you stand OUT from the pack. As a leader should.
	12.		[NARRATOR:] Thanks for watching! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	13.	TRANSITION to closing title: LEARN HOW I CAN HELP PUT YOUR PR LEDE BEFORE THE HORSE! DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[BOOST VOLUME of music track to FULL.] [LOWER VOLUME of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Writing to a Government Buyer

2009-03-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Ghostwriter Says E-Script: Writing for a Government Buyer (2:21)

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER WRITING TO A GOVERNMENT BUYER	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head.	[NARRATOR:] Government buys a MOUNTAIN of I-T. More than anyone. But check out typical “government” collateral. Those buyers must think we’re talking to MARTIANS!
Problem	3.	TRANSITION to new angle.	[NARRATOR:] The culprit is point-of-view. A government buyer won’t get warm fuzzies. Not if one piece is for a mishmash of U.S. federal, international, state, local, education, and non-profits – as if they are ALL the same.
Solution	4.	HOLD.	[NARRATOR:] Your collateral will help sell more I-T if point-of-view is a specific government audience.
Example	5.	TRANSITION to new angle. CUT to photo of GSA IT Schedule 70 cover page.	[NARRATOR:] For example, let’s focus on U.S. federal. We’ll assume your product is already on the GSA IT Schedule 70. Generally, if it’s not on the approved list, you can’t sell it to the Feds.
	6.	CUT to view of narrator’s head. CUT to image of one person in a long line of people.	[NARRATOR:] WHO you write to is different from an enterprise pitch. C-level messaging may be a waste. Many CIOs don’t report to agency heads. They’re buried in the hierarchy. Instead, think “program manager” or “administrator” for messaging.
	7.	CUT to view of narrator’s head. CUT to photo of sheet of $100 bills. CUT to photo of military jet. CUT to view of narrator’s head.	[NARRATOR:] WHAT organization you write to is crucial. Different authorities govern civilian agencies such as Energy or Treasury versus military such as Army or Navy. If you sell security, agencies must comply with FISMA and buy products certified by NIAP. Military buyers follow Dept. of Defense Directives. Collateral should cite appropriate authorities.
	8.	HOLD. CUT to checklist. CUT to photo of collateral with parallel columns, SP 800-53 requirements on LEFT and product fulfillment on RIGHT.	[NARRATOR:] WHY they buy is not for a “competitive advantage” or to “boost revenue.” Government buyers sign off when your product FULFILLS REQUIREMENTS. Collateral should connect these dots. If you’re selling security, NIST Special Publication 800-53 is crucial. Show which elements of this standard are met by your product. Delete all buzzwords and hype.
Conclude / Offer	9.	TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head.	[NARRATOR:] Master the acronyms and make your collateral follow the formula. It’s a good way to sell more I-T to the government.
	10.	HOLD.	[NARRATOR:] Thanks for watching! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	11.	TRANSITION to closing title: LEARN HOW I CAN HELP YOUR COLLATERAL CONNECT WITH GOVERNMENT BUYERS DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[BOOST VOLUME of music track to FULL.] [LOWER VOLUME of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

How to Abuse a Case Study

2009-02-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Ghostwriter E-Script: How to Abuse a Case Study - 2:10

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER HOW TO ABUSE A CASE STUDY	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head.	[NARRATOR:] Nothing sells better than a testimonial. Case studies should be priority one for marketing. So why is it some sabotage a case study by abusing its potential?
Problem	3.	TRANSITION to new angle.	[NARRATOR:] A case study is for affirmation. Peer testimony is crucial in today’s environment because buyers are afraid. They can’t afford a mistake. People feel safer buying product with a witness.
	4.	HOLD.	[NARRATOR:] Abuse to a case study occurs when editorial decisions strangle a peer connection. The culprit is vendor obsession with product.
Solution	5.	CUT to photo of IT gear superimposed by “forbidden” symbol. (No motion.) CUT to photo of male IT worker. (Add motion.) CUT to photo of female IT worker. (Add motion.)	[NARRATOR:] Think of a movie. The star is not a THING. In a case study, the star should be the PERSON who led a successful deployment. A good story shows why this person is a HERO … [BEAT] … thanks to you.
Example	6.	TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head.	[NARRATOR:] For a strong story, find a hero who wants to enhance their professional reputation. This motivation is pure gold to a writer.
	7.	HOLD. OVERLAY bullet points: KEEP IT SIMPLE STAY LOOSE! LISTEN FOR GEMS	[NARRATOR:] Start by providing a handful of questions before the interview. They prime the pump and help get the hero talking. Avoid the trap of a long, rigid checklist. And stay loose! Listen for unexpected gems about internal process, obstacles and benefits. These quotes are the bedrock of a compelling story.
	8.	HOLD. CUT to photo of HERO, then DISPLAY ARCHTECTURAL DIAGRAM as picture-in-picture at LOWER LEFT.	[NARRATOR:] The hero will connect with your prospects if the story is conversational – just like you’d tell someone in the hallway. Also, include an environmental photo of the hero. It cements a peer connection better than an architectural diagram. And the photo is handy for reuse by the media.
Conclude / Offer	9.	TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head.	[NARRATOR:] Stop abuse and showcase heroes of your case studies like stars. They’re sticking their necks out for you, so they deserve the spotlight. By making users the stars of your stories, you will glean huge leverage for selling.
	10.	TRANSITION to new angle.	[NARRATOR:] Thanks for watching! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	11.	TRANSITION to closing title: LEARN HOW I CAN HELP TURN YOUR CUSTOMERS INTO STARS DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[BOOST VOLUME of music track to FULL.] [LOWER VOLUME of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Use Video to Market IT

2009-01-18T16:38:00.000-08:00

Ghostwriter Says E-script: Use Video to Market IT - 1:58
Sequence
Scene
Video
Audio
Hook
1.
Display opening title:

GHOSTWRITER SAYS
BY
DAVE BUERGER

USE VIDEO TO MARKET IT
[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:]

[LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]

2.
TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head.

[NARRATOR:]
Hardly anyone markets IT with video on the web. They use a gusher of words. A trickle of static images.

But video ... [BEAT] … is rare.

Problem
3.
TRANSITION to new angle.
[NARRATOR:]
Op-por-tu-ni-ty missed!

How can your story persuade the world without using the world’s #1 medium for persuasion?

Solution
4.
TRANSITION to new angle.
[NARRATOR:]
Video brings story to life. Well-crafted story in video or animation grabs attention, focus and concentration – better than mere words.

5.
HOLD.
[NARRATOR:]
People crave story in video. More than half of Internet traffic is video. YouTube is the #3 website. Don’t ignore this trend – exploit it!

Example
6.
TRANSITION to new angle.

CUT TO images of video on a PC, a smart phone, and a kiosk one-by-one.

CUT TO video of a stopwatch being clicked OFF just under 2 minute mark.
[NARRATOR:]
Video for IT marketing is unlike feature movie production. Business venues demand video “shorts.”
§ Work PC
§ Smart phone
§ Kiosk at a trade show or office lobby.

Under 2 minutes is about right.

7.
CUT TO video showing a hand with pen crossing out words on a script.
[NARRATOR:]
Making effective short videos is hard. Your script must cut words and cut again. Be ruthless! Effective video shows and tells the most in the fewest words.

8.
OVERLAY bullet points:

TRY AND LEARN

PILOT ELEVATOR PITCH

[NARRATOR:]
If your company is new to video, experiment to learn what works best.

Try a pilot project – your elevator pitch is a good place to start.

Conclude / Offer
9.
TRANSITION to new angle.
[NARRATOR:]
Video does not replace print collateral. But video does punch through in a way that print cannot.

In a normal day of distraction, video is the best way to get prospects to stop, and consider reading your website.

10.
TRANSITION to new angle.
[NARRATOR:] Thanks for listening! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”

11.
TRANSITION to closing title:

LEARN HOW I CAN HELP
YOU USE VIDEO TO
MARKET IT

DAVEBUERGER.COM

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO.

FADE to black.
[BOOST VOLUME of music track to FULL.]

[LOWER VOLUME of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Microtarget Your Collateral

2008-11-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

Ghostwriter Says E-Script: Microtarget Your Collateral

Sequence	Scene	Video	Audio
Hook	1.	Display opening title: GHOSTWRITER SAYS BY DAVE BUERGER Then display episode title: MICROTARGET YOUR COLLATERAL	[PLAY MUSIC track at FULL volume:] [LOWER music track volume in transition to Scene 2.]
	2.	TRANSITION to view of narrator’s head and torso. HOLD UP toy red square peg. After beat, HOLD UP toy yellow round hole. POKE square peg at round hole.	[NARRATOR:] Send English collateral to Mandarin readers? No way! Yet how often do we poke one-size-fits-all copy … [BEAT] … at different sales targets? [BOOST VOLUME of pegs CLACKING into each other, then LOWER VOLUME in transition to next scene.]
Problem	3.	CUT to new angle, close up.	[NARRATOR:] You’d get the same result: Message blocked. No sale. Wasted resources.
	4.	HOLD, then ZOOM OUT to top of shoulders. OVERLAY bullet point: ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL COPY WON’T WORK FOR MICROTARGETS	[NARRATOR:] The complexity of selling IT for business makes it anything but a mass market play. Problem is, that’s how some marketers play it – using identical collateral for everyone.
Solution	5.	TRANSITION to new angle. OVERLAY bullet point: ADAPT YOUR COPY TO UNIQUE NEEDS OF PROSPECTS	[NARRATOR:] Microtargeting collateral is more than tweaking titles and subheads. It requires distinct versions of your pitch to match unique needs and jargon of target prospects.
Example	6.	TRANSITION to new angle, fairly close. ZOOM OUT to view of narrator’s head and torso, then HOLD.	[NARRATOR:] For example, compliance is a huge driver of sales for IT security products. But a one-size-fits-all overview of regulations will not hit the bull’s eye for microtargets.
	7.	OVERLAY bullet points: HEALTH CARE > “HIPPA” FINANCIAL SERVICES > “GLBA” RETAIL > “PCI”	[NARRATOR:] Why? Most regulations for security are industry specific. Make your copy relevant – or you lose the reader.
	8.	OVERLAY bullet points: IMPLEMENTERS > PRODUCT FOCUS EXECUTIVES > POLICY FOCUS	[NARRATOR:] Consider tailoring compliance copy for different readers in the organization. Tell IMPLEMENTORS how products create compliance. Tell EXECUTIVES about policy. How to avoid penalties. And how to stay out of jail.
Conclude / Offer	9.	TRANSITION to new angle, close up. Then ZOOM OUT to view of narrator’s head and torso. HOLD UP toy yellow round peg. After beat, HOLD UP toy yellow round hole. INSERT round peg into round hole.	[NARRATOR:] Rarely will one piece of collateral convince everyone. So, study the audience you’ve picked … [BEAT] … ... And make your collateral speak directly to their needs.
	10.	TRANSITION to new angle, close up.	[NARRATOR:] Thanks for listening! Until next time, Ghostwriter says, “Write well. And good luck.”
	11.	TRANSITION to closing title: LEARN HOW I CAN HELP YOU MICROTARGET YOUR COLLATERAL DAVEBUERGER.COM THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. PLEASE SHARE THIS VIDEO. FADE to black.	[BOOST VOLUME of music track to FULL.] [LOWER VOLUME of music track to OFF in transition to black.]

Act Like a Leader

2008-06-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

[originally published on June 3, 2007 in another blog]

If you want to be perceived as a leader, act like a leader. Sounds too simple? You'd be surprised how often even big companies overlook this golden rule of communication.

For example, Cisco, Juniper, McAfee and Microsoft -- four name brands in their own right -- are jostling for leadership on a crucial but tempestuous young topic called Network Access Control. NAC is a way to automatically govern access to networks based on security policies. Identity management experts argue that NAC focuses too much on authorizing devices instead of people, but let's stay with how these companies are positioning themselves as the True Answer to NAC.
The first place to check on a company’s story is the corporate website, so while the nation watched a rain delay at the Indy 500, I did a litmus test on NAC messaging at websites for Juniper, McAfee, Microsoft and Cisco.

Juniper alludes to NAC once on its home page in a press release about working with Microsoft on “unified access control.” Using Juniper's internal search function, the first item on the first page of results for NAC is an analyst white paper on NAC deployment. The second result is a landing page on LAN access control, but it does not provide comprehensive links to all Juniper resources on NAC such as the press release cited on the home page. You have to click through other links to get the full story. Many companies scatter information on their website. The remedy is judicious use of landing pages that unify your vision and resources in one location for each important technology or business issue.

Another point about Juniper’s landing page is familiar elsewhere: titles of supplemental resources such as white papers, a buyer's guide and brochure show in a sidebar and then disappear when you print the page. Accurate, efficient printing is useful for people who want to capture everything they see on screen onto paper format. As a “green” consideration, website print formats for each page should conserve paper when possible.

McAfee's home page does not mention NAC. The first item on the first page of search results goes straight to McAfee's landing page for its NAC product. Features and benefits are well-arranged, including handy resource links displayed to the right -- however none of the link titles appear when you print the page. Despite the ease of getting there, McAfee's packaging and treatment of NAC appears mostly product-focused, which is what one might expect of a company with a strong consumer heritage.

Microsoft's home page does not mention NAC. The first item on the first page of search results for NAC is a press release that's almost eight months old. Many items on the first few pages of search results are several years old. These results give the impression that NAC is not an important topic for Microsoft. Well – it’s not: Microsoft chose to define NAC with a different term that’s called Network Access Protection (NAP). The first item in the first bunch of search hits retrieved for NAP is a decent landing page including overviews, webcasts and live meeting recordings, step-by-step guides, white papers and partner information. This landing page also shows up as the second hit when searching for NAC. It’s all good stuff – provided you know what term to search for. The danger is one tends to skip search hit hotlinks that seem off-target no matter how early they appear in search results.

Cisco also defines this topic differently, but its label called Network Admissions Control is still NAC. Cisco’s home page does not mention NAC but the first result of search is clearly the best landing page of all. It provides an introduction to NAC, links to two featured content pieces, business benefits, NAC-enabled products, and 4 brochures, 1 Q&A, 7 white papers, 4 design guides, 2 presentations, 3 release notes, and 1 documentation roadmap. Additional links point to Cisco's NAC Partner Program and Cisco NAC-compatible vendors. Unlike competitors' websites, all these references are included in a printout of the landing page.

Ironically, Cisco is the only vendor here that has not forged an alliance with the Trusted Computing Group and its forthcoming almost-universal NAC framework. Cisco says it prefers to focus standardization efforts on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Rivals Juniper, Microsoft and McAfee cite this as a negative for Cisco, but on the surface it does not seem to mar the giant networking company's presentation of NAC leadership.

On the other hand, leadership as measured by how many use NAC today doesn’t have much weight because of limited adoption. These are early days for NAC so leadership is up for grabs.
Obviously there is much more to technology leadership than using the right words and images on a website. But there are lessons here for every technology company that competes for perceived leadership in their business.

First, you must clearly prove that what you are doing makes you a leader. If there's just one issue, focus on that and provide an integrated package of backup collateral to show that you know your stuff. Smaller companies may find it easier to direct readers to key messages because their petite product portfolios allow for devoting more of the home page to important ideas. Likewise, their websites will feel less cluttered than sites for companies selling many products and services.

But even big players with huge portfolios can and should get straight to important content. Make your top entry points to collateral easy to find. The website search engine should always point first to an issue’s main landing page. The idea is to ensure full presentation of your key messages and resources. Do not assume outsiders will wade through vague hits and decipher messaging on their own. You must control presentation of your story or Google will do it for you.

Finally, make key landing pages speak clearly to the right target audience. If your collateral is compelled to speak both to business and technical people, group information so readers from each audience can easily find what they need.

Want to make your company look like a leader? Call me and let's discuss how your collateral can show that you are the leader!

Contact: ghostwriter@pacific.net

Website: www.davebuerger.com

When Selling Compliance Implies Too Much

2008-06-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

[Originally posted on July 12, 2007 in another blog]

Marketing collateral can leverage a trend in the wrong way. When this happens, buyers often tune out and go somewhere else. These people are subject experts, so their response makes it more important than ever for collateral to responsibly associate your product or service with words of a trend.

A word keeping many hi-tech vendors alive of late is compliance. It’s a word of requirement to obey laws and regulations and is a force selling lots of IT hardware, software and services. As one vice president of marketing told me last week, “We’d be dead without it.”

Another in-word is policy. This C-level word appears in compliance collateral because it is superior to everything and sets the rules of compliance. Policy is a power word that spawns images of mahogany desks, skyscrapers, tanks and Air Force One. There actually are people in marketing departments who hope that using the word will make executives want to read their data sheets and sign up for a free webinar.

Collateral can proudly wear these monikers if the products and services tackle compliance in a big way. Question is, how big does that way have to be to join the winner’s circle?

As a marketing person ponders a blank computer screen awaiting ideas for new collateral, it is important to resist temptation and not succumb to the credo of an impure journalist, “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story.” Unfortunately, some fall, and even the biggest companies commit this sin – sometimes to the point of provoking buyer cynicism.

For example, Google just paid $625 million for Postini, a “communications security and compliance” company. The purchase underscores Google’s plan to expand beyond consumer products into on-demand enterprise business applications. With bravado, Google said the Postini purchase will resolve enterprise “issues with security and corporate compliance.” The press release oozed compliance. Quotes by Google executives said that with the acquisition of Postini, users can “streamline the complex information security mandates within these organizations.” And: “By adding Postini products to Google’s technology … the [large user] company achieves the security and assurance it needs.” Just like that.

Compliance with laws and regulations is more complicated than these assertions imply. For example, consider compliance by the U.S. federal government, which is required to obey many laws and regulations. Keeping this simple, we will restrict the illustration to information security compliance. “Policy” starts with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), which is Title III of the E-Government Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-337). FISMA delegates technology directives for compliance to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Its Computer Security Division issues detailed directives for FISMA compliance, a key one being Special Publication 800-53. This document specifies security controls in three classes: management, operational and technical, which corresponds to major sections of a comprehensive security plan. SP 800-53 assigns 17 families of controls to these classes. It contains a lot of detail and references many kinds of security products.

In a way, every security product fits somewhere into compliance frameworks like FISMA, CobiT and others because, by definition, frameworks attempt to cover every area of security. There are certainly hundreds if not thousands of products that can be used for compliance. Given that Postini addresses just a few aspects of compliance (message encryption and archiving electronic communications), a cynic could say the press release is more fodder for the marketing stereotype of exaggerating facts to sell stuff.

For now, the software industry will discount these marketing assertions as “irrational exGooberance,” but given the business position and vast resources of GOOG, and its obvious requirement for acquiring many more companies to fill in an enterprise-class portfolio of compliance capabilities, what the marketing people say today may happen in years to come. Could it be that we’ll all eventually work for Google?

Meanwhile, consider what compliance is really all about. Vendors often think of compliance in terms of features delivered by their products. Business executives think of compliance in terms of avoiding prison. To this point, laws and regulations rarely mention detailed requirements for using particular information technology. But you may be sure that if some non-compliance is egregious, lawyers and judges will definitely consult specifications in Chapter 8 of the United States Sentencing Commission’s Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

People who were rock stars of business were or are in prison for non-compliance with laws like 75-word Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley. On the other hand, have you ever heard of a conviction for non-compliance with FISMA? That one has no teeth, which may be a clue why 21 of 24 federal agencies have “significant weaknesses in information security controls,” according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office who is the FISMA auditor.

The risk of prison apparently motivates executives more than the Ten Commandments so the ideal marketing campaign will focus on laws and regulations that have the most severe penalties. People at risk of prison for non-compliance will be more motivated to sign the P.O.

Whatever type of compliance is in your campaign, be sure to aim collateral at the right readers. Technology gurus are not into compliance the way that a CEO or Chief Compliance Officer might be. This behavior may relate to the low risk of techies going to prison compared to the kill rate of guilty executives. Yet it’s amazing how compliance pitches quickly devolve into tech talk.

The issue of properly targeting compliance collateral is not clear cut – even to end user organizations. The org chart for compliance is still a matter of dispute because theories differ as to who should own responsibility. Again, risk of prison is the culprit behind this hot potato, so consider who among your primary prospects are most likely to welcome a message of fear. Heavily regulated companies such as healthcare and financial services usually have a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) who reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Some organizations have a Chief Security Officer (CSO), often reporting to the Chief Information Officer (CIO). The latter situation can be dicey from a risk standpoint if the CIO wants to push the envelope with innovation while her CSO employee wants to lick the envelope to limit risk. For this reason, some organizations give the CCO/CSO audit power and perhaps make him or her an officer of the company – maybe reporting to the Board of Directors. Politically, this stirs a perception that the CCO/CSO is higher than a CIO, and equal to or even higher than the CEO. And that’s a no no.

Some organizations have the CCO report to the Chief Counsel. This makes sense because laws and regulations are written by lawyers, which ostensibly gives them a leg up on knowing how to keep clients out of prison. The involvement of lawyers on anything related to compliance also means that compliance collateral should relate products more explicitly to respective laws and regulations.

So how much should your collateral push a compliance story? The answer is simple. Push it as much as you validly can, but no more. If your product or services cover many compliance requirements, your story will impress lawyers and IT people alike because the scope of assurance is real. If your reach covers just one or two requirements, make the most of it but don’t pretend to do more. For most vendors, it’s likely that their solution will solve just a small piece of the compliance pie.

Compliance is a huge, important trend in marketing that requires responsible association of your product with the respective laws and regulations. Every vendor wants strong collateral that persuades readers of comprehensive capability for compliance. But skeptical CCOs and lawyers will buy your compliance pitch only if data backs the claim. Here are some guidelines for creating compliance collateral:

Clarify who you are talking to and use language appropriate for their world view. Reserve tech talk for techies and keep it to a minimum in collateral aimed at compliance officers, lawyers and business executives.
Be realistic with your compliance story. If your offering helps comply with many aspects of a law or regulation, play up the comprehensive angle. If you address just one or two aspects, describe those well without pretending to be a total compliance solution. People who know what the laws require will see through attempts to be more than you are.
Be brief; don’t drag it out. Complex convincing may need a white paper but due to short attention spans, try to make your compliance story as simple as possible. Often you can get the point across on two to four pages. State the legal or regulatory situation, position your solution in terms of compliance requirements, then describe how your offering satisfies compliance. Illustrate your story with a concise matrix. Put requirements of the law or regulation on one side of the matrix and how your product provides compliance on the other – point by point. If you don’t connect the dots for the CCO and lawyers, you won’t get the P.O.
Segregate your story by treating each law or regulation on its own. Make a series of collateral pieces to show how you address each compliance situation. Technology used for compliance may be applied in different ways according to unique requirements of each rule. Your collateral can also serve prospects by helping them evaluate technology providers with a clear picture of what they need to buy to address overall compliance. They’ll appreciate that and be more likely to buy your solution.

Want to tune up your compliance collateral? Call me and let's discuss how to make your collateral turn compliance into sales.

Contact: ghostwriter@pacific.net

Website: www.davebuerger.com