Every time we ask someone to watch a presentation – a video, commercial, website or speech – we’re taking something from them they’ll never get back… time. It’s a priceless commodity and we’d better make sure we’re giving something of value in return.

Think about it. Why should they donate time to our cause? Because we want to sell them something? I don’t think so!

Viewers should give us their time because we have something of compelling value to offer them. We can change their lives for the better, or at least make things easier for them. If we can’t immediately answer their question, “What’s in it for me?” then there’s no reason for them to watch.

It’s a brutal measuring stick, to be sure, but this approach improves retention, engagement and outcomes. If we can measure up, viewers will embrace and spread our message.

So how do we do it? First of all, do your homework. Know your audience, clarify the message, and focus on the benefits. Keep it short; make it simple and finish strong. Address the question directly: “What’s in it for me?”

There are other benefits to keeping the presentation short. ROI is higher because the program is more focused. And it usually takes less money to make a 5-minute presentation than a 10-minute one. Or you can take your 10-minute budget, put it into a 5-minute presentation, and create twice the impact.

Tick tock.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 10th, 2007 at 1:53 pm and is filed under General Communications, Production, Video/Film. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.