Prepare for Client Reads
Posted: Wed, 26 May 2010 11:06:41 +0000
I was just asked to clarify some procedures for client read commercials, and like my post on getting the best read from a client, or person who doesn’t do this for a living, this is the way I like to see things happen…
After the sessions of last week with “Mr Client” I have given it a little thought.
For “Mr Client” as a case in point, the result of the second session was light years from the first.
It’s been a request by production for a long while that we get the script(s) well in advance of the client voicing a commercial, a familiarization just helps when we go into the session.
But in light of “Mr Client”, he came in Friday, as good as cold on the read, and we had a task ahead of us getting the read as good as possible. Where as after the weekend, and a few (many) more practice reads in that time, the result from Monday’s session was much better. So the extra time to absorb the script before they got in here was the difference.
You should insist upon:-
Client getting the script 24hrs (the same as production) in advance of the session and seriously encouraged the client to practice reading it (them).
The reason the client is doing the ad and not a pro reader – many reasons for this, but bottom line, the client needs to sound the same, be the same on the commercial as the listener sees & meets in the store. So putting them at ease, telling them not to be “Posh” and get every T & B & P in the read, to be a ‘real person’, we need the genuine G’day or Hi it’s so important.
First impressions of a store or client is when the customer calls, we know that’s important. This is more important because this is the PRE-First Impression.
The Script – One major point we miss out on, is emphasizing to our clients is that Creative write the words, in their style, and when it comes to reading the script, the phrasing might not be the same as the client may like. So the client needs to know that the phrasing etc, is a thing they know best and we’ll trust them to make it ‘sound’ natural…
That’s the other point too, Natural, the read needs to be natural to be believable by the listener, that leads to listeners to buy the product or service…and leads to more advertising $ for us… and so on
To have all this placed on anyone’s shoulders 2 mins before they stand in a strange room, with a strange person (or 2) in front of a very odd looking microphone with a round thing in front of it (sure they saw one once before in the “We are the World” video clip) and then pile on all this advice, direction & STRESS!!
Better results come from being prepared. Prepare the client and get better results. For the client reading the commercial just as important for them as the final parts of securing that important sale!
Hope this helps a little
