Sizzle Video Intake Checklist for CMOs and Marketing Directors
Back to school is here, which can only mean one thing for CMOs and Marketing Directors everywhere: it’s almost convention season!
To ensure you are prepared for the dreaded request for an epic sizzle video to be played at the booth and every single digital channel in existence, we put together this handy intake checklist to make sure your sizzle video project actually sizzles (instead of fizzles).
What’s your inspiration?
Do you have an example sizzle video you’d like to loosely reference?
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What’s your target runtime?
60-120 seconds is a long time to keep the viewers’ attention for a sizzle. Consider either reducing the target runtime or separating the total runtime into two or three shorter videos.
How will your audience engage with this video?
The need to be able to play your sizzle video on mute at trade shows is understandable, but adding voice over narration to these types of videos helps reduce on screen text clutter and makes for a more vibrant experience. This point dovetails with item number two, in that if you decide to break this into multiple videos, you could do a version that’s onscreen text and visuals only and a version that includes VO and a soundtrack. This way, your video(s) will work whether or not your audience has access to audio.
Do you currently have a video production team or resource?
If so, what are their capabilities?
What is the business objective of this video(s) and how will you measure its success?
“Demand gen” is not an acceptable answer. Especially to your board of directors or shareholders. Be sure to align on actionable, measurable outcomes, such as landing page visits, clickthroughs, booth inquiries, etc.
What is the timeline for final delivery? And who are the stakeholders/decision makers?
In general, the more stakeholders, the longer approvals take.
How will you deliver the script to your stakeholders?
Sizzle video scripts should not typically be delivered in storyboard format, as this is engaging design resources prematurely. First, create a script with three columns (VO, onscreen text, and visuals) and then write the spoken and written words and the accompanying visuals along the same row within each column. Once approved, this script can be used by an animator/editor to create a scratch video and audio track. There are external service providers, like WB Creative Consulting, that have the resources to do all of this if you don’t.