How to Tell a Compelling Story in 30 Seconds

My background is in the world of journalism, having anchored my first newscast for an NBC affiliate when I was 18 years old. In that world, you get about 30 seconds to tell a story that may have taken days, months, even years to develop. Talk about choosing your words carefully!

It’s very much the same when it comes to marketing for television and, more relevantly, social media. Viewers’ attention spans are growing shorter and shorter with so much content to choose from. So how do you not only capture someone’s attention, but actually bring them to a call to action in half a minute or less?

First things first, don’t be too literal. Every great ad that we remember sticks with us because of an abstract concept. Think about it, a duck has nothing to do with insurance, but I guarantee you already know what company/product I’m referring to. The idea is to create an abstract idea that sticks in the viewer’s brain and transforms into a concrete thought when it comes to their decision making on buying goods and services.

Secondly, you have to leave them with visuals that they can’t stop thinking about. Creativity in your cinematography is a huge must when you only have so much time to make an impression. Whether it’s a unique camera angle, a zoomed out view to create perspective, a point-of-view (or POV) shot that takes them into a moment, whatever is on that screen needs to stick with them long after the spot is over.

Third is to answer any questions and dissolve any fears that they may be facing as a potential customer/client. What is it that they’re wondering or worried about that you can solve in that short amount of time. Show them that you not only know what it is they’re dealing with on their end, but that you have the solution to put all of those concerns to bed.

Fourth, what kind of emotion do you want to evoke? Do you want to put a smile on their face with cheeky humor? Do you want to tug at their heart strings with something sentimental or touching? Do you want to fire them up with something inspirational? Creating an emotional response is what makes a message stick to the ribs of whoever is watching it. What doesn’t work is simple shots and information on the screen. You may as well be using a power point to advertise.

Finally, what is the take away from your messaging? What is the ONE thing you want the viewer to walk away with after they’ve committed to watching your ad? Whether it’s a call to action, an explanation of who you are and what you offer, or helpful information that conveys you understand their situation and can help, you want to leave them with something special.

That may seem like a lot to try and jam into 30 seconds or less, but with the right imagery, abstract concepts, clear emotional tone, and pertinent information, it can easily be done, and it can pay huge dividends for you in your pursuit to drum up more business.