Problem/Solution Script Template
What This Script Is
The problem/solution script, as you might guess, describes and builds up the problem before
releasing the tension with a perfect, unique solution and a ton of benefits.
When Is Appropriate To Use?
This script is perfect for videos 95% of the time. It educates the audience, describes why your
company is a perfect fit, and sends them on their way to a specific, actionable step.
Perfect For Which Audience?
The problem/solution script is a great all-purpose outline and can be adapted and successful in
most situations: external/internal advertising and medium/low/high awareness.
● External: Advertising out in the “wild jungle” of Google Adwords, YouTube, list rentals,
Taboola, Adblade, etc. External ads may target high awareness audiences if they run on
specific keywords and have specific ad creative headlines. But external ads often catch
medium/low awareness audiences. This style video can adapted well for both.
● Internal: Advertising on your website, your list, with an audience who already knows
you. In this case you might expect a high awareness audience who does not need to
start with a high-level overview, but can get right down to brass tacks.
● Medium/Low Awareness: If the audience in the advertising space has medium or low
awareness, the “problem” first half can be more educational--e.g. informing the audience
of a problem they might have but have not noticed or could not describe.
● High Awareness: If the audience in the advertising space has high awareness, the
“problem” first half can be more resonant--e.g. simply getting the audience to identify
with the problem.
Outline
●
●
What problem does your demographic have?
○ what does your demographic want to achieve or attain?
○ what stands in the way of achieving or attaining that?
○ describe the “lost benefit” of the problem (e.g. Because Captain Tim did not have
a map, he could not find the treasure)
○ describe the “new difficulty” of the problem (e.g. Because Captain Tim did not
have a map, he got lost three days in the swamp)
Tighten the screws… “reverse benefit”... what problems do the benefits solve? We can
anticipate those benefits by listing only those problems here
○
●
●
Brainstorming Worksheet: Brainstorm 1-3 problems that anticipate the
service/product benefit
■ Benefit #1 ______ >> solves this problem >> ___________
■ Benefit #2 ______ >> solves this problem >> ___________
■ Benefit #3 ______ >> solves this problem >> ___________
■ [Verified customer reviews] Certified data collection process prevents
companies and providers from reporting on themselves or their
competitors. >> solves this problem >> Mr. Mills was concerned that the
free online reviews he read weren’t to be trusted; he was wondering if
companies would praise themselves and slander their competitors in the
free review boards that were never verified by a trusted 3rd party
■ The healthcare dashboard uses a quality algorithm to locate the best
specialists from a series of rankings, that are in your area, that accept
your insurance >> solves this problem >> Steve wasn’t sure that his local
doctor could perform the special treatment, and he didn’t have enough
money to fly across the country to see some big shot specialist
■ Acme Health Plan Exchange has a team of certified representatives who
can answer clients’ questions 24/7 by telephone or online chat >> solves
this problem >> Billy the insurance broker wants to set up a private
exchange with his personal brand, but doesn’t think he can handle the
customer volume all by himself, and doesn’t know how to get help
○ The above is a brainstorming worksheet. In this section, the script itself includes
the problems only. The solution benefits in the worksheet above will not be
mentioned until a later section.
worst case scenario
○ what are the far reaching implications of these problems, of not having the
solution? what does your demographic want the solution for in the first place?
■ Without the map, Captain Tim can’t find the treasure to pay his
children’s hospital bills
■ Without the map, Captain Tim will never get out of the swamp alive to
see his family
Introducing Acme Business Solutions, Inc.
○ Only tell the “how it was founded” story if there’s time AND it directly relates to
solving the problem, such as what problem the company wanted to solve, who
the company wanted to help (especially if it’s your demographic too)... but cut
this section first if you need to shorten your video
○ Who is this business? How old? Started by whom?
○ Why was this business founded? (e.g. to meet a broad need… like “providing
ecommerce solutions to small businesses” or “connecting people with quality
products to enrich their lives”)
○ if old company >>
■ “been in the business XX years”
●
●
●
●
●
■ “a recognized leader in the industry for XX years”
○ if new company >>
■ “a fresh approach”
■ “groundbreaking ideas”
■ “changing the game”
How they discovered the solution
○ “Our customers/clients told us they wanted ___, so we created/offered ____”
○ “We wanted to combine the benefits of ____ and ____ into one solution”
○ “We wanted to achieve/start doing ______, which has never been done before,
so we invented this solution”
Benefits of this company/product
○ how does it solve the problem?
○ how does it make things easier? faster? cheaper? more fun? higher quality? less
problematic?
○ how does it improve lives?
spin-off benefit
○ this could be a bonus, far-reaching benefit (e.g. Not only did Captain Tim’s new
map show him where the treasure was, but it highlighted every coffee shop
on the route and gave him a 10% coupon to each one)
○ this could be a benefit to a related person/party (e.g. Not only will your clients
love finding the cheapest best and most personalized solution, but you will get
50% higher commissions than ever before)
Big picture/best case scenario/”imagine” statement
○ Imagine, now you can [goal], while also doing [spin off benefit], without
[problems, or difficult requirements], in [short time].
Call to action
○ short, even memorizable from hearing it once
○ easy 1-step action with low commitment and instant benefit
■ Click the link below to learn more
■ Click below for instant report
■ Go to acme.com for a 30-sec demo
■ Go to acme.com for a free quote in 1 business day
■ Go to acme.com for a demo and a free instant quote
■ Click here for a 10% coupon code
■ Click here for details
○ phone numbers not recommended, both because they’re hard to remember and
(depending on demographic) may be perceived as higher commitment than
simply visiting a website… but vanity URL + “call us” ok
■ go to acme.com and call the number at the top for a free quote
○ if demographic strongly prefers phones, maybe have a “vanity phone number”,
such as 1-800-VIDEO or similar
Problem/Solution Example Script
This is Steve. He’s an insurance broker. And he’s lost in space.
Insurance brokers are in the most confusing situation that they’ve ever been in. They have to
navigate a crazy, seemingly unexplored nebula of new insurance rules and regulations, private
exchanges, insurance plans, and exchange products and services with no one to guide them.
Because Steve the broker doesn’t have a navigational system, he can’t help his clients.
Steve tries to navigate some of the private exchanges he’s found… but it seems no one is up to
date on all the latest rules and regulations who can answer his clients’ questions 24/7. And he
hasn’t found an insurance marketplace with an easy web interface that will work directly with his
clients to compare insurance plans to find the perfect plan to fit their needs. And the worst part
is that Steve isn’t equipped on his own to help the huge volume of clients who need him.
So Steve’s clients are confused, unhappy, and unable to get what they want at a great price.
And Steve’s sales commissions have dropped into a black hole.
But what if Steve could find or create a private insurance marketplace that does all the work for
him?
Introducing Acme Private Insurance Marketplaces, Inc.
Acme Private Insurance Marketplaces, Inc has been in the business for over 40 years. Today
they use the best in industry technologies to help insurance agents connect their clients with the
right insurance. Acme Private Insurance Marketplaces, Inc navigates the nebula of options
and puts Steve and his clients on one planet together.
With Acme Private Insurance Marketplaces, Inc, now Steve can put his own brand on a
private insurance marketplace that:
● has a team of experts who are always current on the latest federal and state rules and
regulations
● can answer Steve’s clients’ questions 24/7 by telephone or online chat
● works with Steve’s clients to bundle services and products and find the perfect,
personalized insurance plans available
● and even pays Steve 60-65% commissions
If you’re an insurance agent and you need a done-for-you solution, meet Acme Private
Insurance Marketplaces, Inc. You can get a custom-branded private insurance marketplace
with high volume capabilities, expert sales reps available 24/7, and high commissions from one
of the oldest and most trusted names in the business…
Visit acme.com and call the number at the top to see a demo.
Want to produce video content without the production hassle? The first
step is to email Cameron Robinson (cameron@medmessagers.com) to
schedule a free content brainstorming call.