How to create a captivating book trailer

How to create a captivating book trailer

Book trailers are an excellent way of capturing your audience's attention. Especially if you turn your book trailer video into a story people can't stop watching. In this blog post, you get a recipe for how to create your own captivating book trailer based on the highly successful book trailer from two bestselling authors, public speaking professionals and storytellers, Michael Port and Andrew Davis.

If you haven't seen or listened to the interview with Michael Port and Andrew Davis, check that out here. That will give you some context of why their book marketing strategy is designed as it is.

Now, we don't really talk much about Michael and Andrews 3-minute book trailer video in the interview, but you just have to watch and learn.

I broke down what they did for you and explain why it is so genius so you can easily model something similar for your book.

It really is a RECIPE you can follow to create your high converting book trailer.

Here is how I suggest you study what they did:

1. First, watch the book trailer video
2. Then get back here to read the breakdown below while you watch it again
3. Write your own script
4. Record

The book trailer the first one from the top on the book website (which you can also model for yourself): https://www.thereferablespeaker.com/ 

Don't worry if you can't make the filming just as professional as this example. You can still model how the story is told - and you can go a long way simply using your mobile phone on a stand. If you are not comfortable editing the video, find someone to do that for you on Upwork.com.

Your book trailer recipe

Watch the trailer from Michael Port and Andrew Davis before you write your own script.

• 3 seconds:
  • intro: pro-looking video footage
    (you can find free video footage in free video apps)
• 9 seconds:
  • footage of the author in the context he is known for (here on stage) 
  • a person asking the author the key question answered in the book with an introduction that places the author as an authority you should listen to
• 2 seconds:
  • the author's answer avokes curiosity and indicates the is new knowledge that not even he had the answer to (before writing the book): "I don't know, but I am going to figure it out".
  • This creates a connection: nobody had the answer - not you, not me - meaning we are alike.
  • It also sparks the perception that a lot of effort went into this book with this short answer. This builds authority (he knows more than anyone else) and trust and appreciation (he did all this for us)
  • all in 14 seconds so far! 
• 9 seconds:
  • more video footage and the author in his context (the stage)
• 32 seconds:
  • the conversation the two authors had before staring but told as a 'real-time' format - the intent
    • "it's never been done before" highlights the research that went into the book and the new knowledge that came from it.
    • "you wanna create a formula that...[key benefit from the book]?" builds an expectation of what the reader can DO after reading this book
    • which is then amplified by the other author: "not 1 keynote but 100 keynotes"
    • "there is a ton of .... but nobody ever....[another very attractive benefit for the reader]
    • "so we are just gonna... [what is seen before and seems too easy]?
• 9 seconds:
  • behind the scene conversation from the authors' discovery sessions - the process of finding the best way to explain and put it into models. Note the words: 'one more'
• 30 seconds:
  • the overall concept
  • showing the authors working in the data analysis and research
  • showing successful speakers on stage (which I perceive as possibly people the author worked with - it builds sense of authority)
• 1 second:
  • slide: written by [author name]
• 10 seconds:
  • the author is seen analysing a speaker's talk on his laptop (more research)
  • he mentions a thing that is missing for the speaker to be [what all target readers want to be and what apparently is what it takes to be successful in the eyes of the author - who is an authority and must know this]
• more of the process with a spray of fun and sense of a close relationship between the authors - the relateability builds trust
• 50 seconds:
  • the author speaks directly to the viewer and explains
    • what knowledge was missing,
    • what the common insufficient answers usually are
    • and gives the answer at the overall level: building a successful speaking career takes creating a referable speech. 
  • fun ending

The genius prerecorded book promotion webinar

On the book's website, you can also find the authors' 55-minute webinar. I broke that down for you as well.

Use my detailed breakdown of the genius book promotion webinar to model your own webinar. You might even consider creating that while stile writing your book as a way to sharpen your message!

Listen to the interview with Michael Port and Andrew Davis HERE.

Get the book 'The Referable Speaker' HERE.

Michael Port is the NY Times and WSJ bestselling author of nine books including the perennial bestsellers Book Yourself Solid and Steal the Show. After delivering thousands of paid speeches on the world’s biggest stages, Michael and his wife, Amy, built Heroic Public Speaking HQ , a ten-thousand-square-foot performance training center, to develop and nurture the next generation of professional speakers along with CEOs and founders, bestselling authors, business owners, and people leading movements and advancing important causes. More at www.HeroicPublicSpeaking.com.  

Andrew Davis

Andrew Davis is a bestselling author and internationally acclaimed keynote speaker. Before building and selling a thriving digital marketing agency, Andrew produced for NBC’s Today Show, worked for The Muppets in New York and wrote for Charles Kuralt. He's appeared in the New York Times, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and on NBC and the BBC. Davis has crafted documentary films and award-winning content for tiny start-ups and Fortune 500 brands. Recognized as one of the industry's "Jaw-Dropping Marketing Speakers," Andrew is a mainstay on global marketing influencer lists. Wherever he goes, Andrew Davis puts his infectious enthusiasm and magnetic speaking style to good use teaching business leaders how to grow their businesses, transform their cities, and leave their legacy. More at https://www.akadrewdavis.com/.