When I first started writing promos and teases, my supervisor instructed me to use the words “you” and “your” as much as possible. This was especially important in “how to” stories. I was told to give the impression that we were giving the viewers a lesson in something that would improve their lives. The thinking was that if you could personally address the viewer (by using “you”), they would be more likely to listen to the things you had to say. This style of writing would convey a relevance to the audience. This second-person writing was just more effective than the more impersonal third-person style.
This style works just great on more general topics. In these situations, you are calling the viewer out, showing them that the information directly applies to their life. For example, “We’ll show you how to save money on your taxes.” Most all of us pay taxes, so use of second person is appropriate here. This writing style works well with ubiquitous stories, such as those about money, health, traffic, jobs, etc.
When you apply this thinking to stories that have a smaller audience, the effectiveness starts to fall apart. As a matter of fact, use of “you” and “your” can actually dissuade the viewer from watching.
It is important to remember that “you” and “your” serve as qualifiers at the top of a tease. Take this tease for example:
“If you own a mini-van, you’ll want to see this next story. Find out which mini-vans did best in government crash tests.”
The first sentence sends a message that if you DON’T own a mini-van, this story is not for you. It is only for those people out there who drive mini-vans. In this case, the first sentence of the tease is telling a majority of the audience that they’re out of the club, and don’t need to stick around.
If you drop the “you” line at the top of this tease, then you’re not actively excluding a majority of your viewers. People who own mini-vans will want to watch, and you’re not actively turning other car owners away. I may not own a mini-van, but I may still want to watch a bunch of vans get smashed to pieces against a wall at 40 miles per hour.
If we use third person on this tease, it invites everyone to come:
“Find out which mini-vans did best in government crash tests.”
If you own a mini-van you’ll be interested, but more importantly, the vast number of people who DO NOT own a mini-van have not been turned away by the “you” sentence.
Second person tense can be particularly troublesome in health stories:
“If you’re a one-armed midget with a limp, we’ve got great news for you tonight.”
How many people actually suffer from the malady you’re describing? Avoid using “you” and “your” in situations where only a small portion of the audience will be directly affected. Use these words freely when talking about health topics that concern us all, things like vitamins, avoiding cancer, eating healthy, etc. Be particularly vigilant when talking about obscure diseases. I may not have hodgkin’s lymphoma, but I might still be interested in the story. If we use a “you” in the tease, we’re taking most of the audience out of play.
When you write your tease, just do the math. What percentage of the audience will this story directly affect? If it is less than half, use “you” sparingly.
Graeme Newell is a broadcast and web marketing specialist. He guarantees that his teasing seminar will immediately increase your news ratings or his workshop is free. Find out more here.
