Heritage Deck Company
Carmel, IN · Video Ad Scripts · v1.2

Zach's Intro Video Scripts

15 short clips, recorded on your phone. You read the lines below, one at a time. We cut them together into 60 different ads and let the homeowners in Carmel, Fishers, and Indy tell us which one they like. This is the same first-person intro that's launched every deck builder we work with, in your words and your yard.

📱 9:16 Vertical 🎙️ Talking Head ⏱️ 15 clips to record 🧩 60 possible ads
📋 Read this first · 2 minutes

How to record this (you've got this)

You don't need to be a videographer or memorize anything. Every numbered line in this doc is its own short, separate clip — just work down the list and record them one at a time on your phone. Follow the four rules below and you'll nail it. When in doubt, do 2–3 takes and we'll pick the best.

🔊 Audio Most important

  • This matters more than how the video looks. Bad audio is the #1 thing that kills a clip — clear audio is the #1 thing that saves it.
  • Record somewhere quiet. No fans, AC, TV, traffic, or wind. Big empty rooms echo — a normal furnished room sounds better.
  • Get the mic close. Best: a cheap clip-on lav mic (~$20) or your wired earbuds with the built-in mic. No mic? Keep the phone about an arm's length away, not across the room.
  • Test before you commit. Record 10 seconds, play it back, make sure your voice is crisp — then record the rest.

📱 Shoot vertical

  • Hold the phone upright (portrait), never sideways. If it's filmed horizontal we can't use it for Reels/Stories/TikTok.
  • Frame yourself from mid-chest up, eyes in the upper third, a little space above your head.
  • Keep it steady. Prop the phone against something or have someone hold it — no shaky, walking-and-talking handheld.

💡 Lighting

  • Light on your face, not behind you. Face the window or the sun — never stand with a bright window/sky behind you (that turns you into a shadow).
  • Outdoors: open shade or early-morning / late-afternoon light is gold. Avoid harsh midday sun that makes you squint and casts hard shadows.
  • Indoors: face a window, add a lamp if it's dim. Even, natural light beats a dark "cinematic" look every time.

🎬 Record modular (this is what makes it easy)

  • One line = one clip. Don't try to perform the whole ad in a single take. Say one numbered line, stop, record the next. We assemble them afterward.
  • Stay consistent the whole session — same shirt, same spot, same framing — so any clip snaps together with any other. This is the secret to the 60-ad system.
  • Mess up? No problem. Just re-record that one line. Give us 2–3 takes of each and we'll grab the best one.
  • Talk to one person — imagine a neighbor across the fence, not "a camera." Real and natural beats polished. Pauses are totally fine.
  • Suggested order: read Opener 1 + Meat A + CTA 1 back to back once to feel the flow, then record top to bottom: Openers → Meat → CTAs.
What this is really about. You said it yourself on the intake: "Local is a big buzzword. Anything that shows we are normal people who have a lot of pride in our work and aren't a big box name." That's the whole ad. A real guy from Carmel, on a real deck, telling a homeowner how it goes when they call. No pitch voice. Talk to one person.

🎣 The Openers (3 intro takes + 7 scroll-stoppers)

≤30 words each, about 10 seconds · record all 10

Openers 1 to 3 are the same intro line with three place-name takes, so we can run the right one to each area. We put Carmel + Indy, Fishers + Hamilton County, and Indy + surrounding counties. You know your area better than we do. If your best customers live somewhere we didn't name, swap it in and say that instead. Openers 4 to 10 are the scroll-stoppers. Each one names something the homeowner is already thinking, in their words, before you say a word about yourself. Every opener works in front of every meat, so read them word for word and don't add a sentence after. The meat picks it up from there.

1
Opener · Carmel + Indy · 28 words · about 10 seconds
"Hi, I'm Zach McFarland. I'm a local deck builder here in Carmel and the Indianapolis area. From pressure-treated wood to composite, TimberTech, and PVC, we do it all."
2
Opener · Fishers + Hamilton County · 27 words · about 10 seconds
"Hi, I'm Zach McFarland. I'm a local deck builder here in Fishers and Hamilton County. From pressure-treated wood to composite, TimberTech, and PVC, we do it all."
3
Opener · Indy + surrounding counties · 28 words · about 10 seconds
"Hi, I'm Zach McFarland. I'm a local deck builder here in Indianapolis and the surrounding counties. From pressure-treated wood to composite, TimberTech, and PVC, we do it all."
4
The someday deck · 30 words · about 11 seconds
"Carmel homeowners. That backyard you keep telling yourself you'll finally do something with. Let's make this the year it actually happens, not the year you got three quotes and quit."
5
First quote sticker shock · 29 words · about 10 seconds
"If we're your first deck quote, the number is going to surprise you. Not because we're high. Because nobody has told you what a deck that lasts actually costs."
6
The cheap one costs twice · 30 words · about 11 seconds
"The most expensive deck around here is the cheap one. It's the one you pay for twice. Once to build it, and once to tear it out three summers later."
7
Burned before · 29 words · about 10 seconds
"If a deck contractor ever took your deposit and went quiet, I get why you're nervous to try again. There are still a few of us who show up."
8
Who you're letting in · 26 words · about 9 seconds
"When you hire a deck company, you're letting people into your backyard for three weeks. Look at who they are before you look at the price."
9
The spring clock · 30 words · about 11 seconds
"If you want to be sitting on a new deck next spring, the clock starts now. Permits around Indy take about three weeks, and April is when everybody else calls."
10
Everything you can't do · 29 words · about 10 seconds
"If another deck company looked at your yard and started listing everything you can't do, come talk to us. Second story, hot tub, odd lot. We figure it out."

🥩 The Meat

≤110 words each, about 45 seconds · record all 3

Meat A is the intro process. Meat B is where the big guys' money goes. Meat C is who they're hiring. Know the beats and tell them like you'd tell a neighbor. Word-for-word isn't required here, but don't add beats, the count is what keeps the ad under 90 seconds.

A
A · The Intro (how it goes when you call us) · 108 words · about 45 seconds
"Big or small project. I love what I do. Meeting new people and turning their backyard into a space they actually want to spend time in is my favorite part of the job. No pushy sales pitch. You reach out, we set up a consultation that works with your schedule, and we show up on time. We take a quick, thorough look at your space and your vision, and get you an estimate fast, usually on the spot. We explain our prices, so you understand exactly what you're getting for that number. A beautiful deck, the highest quality materials, at a fair price. Done right the first time."
B
B · Where the big guys' money really goes · 110 words · about 46 seconds
"Big or small project. Here's how deck pricing works around here. When you get a quote from one of the big outfits, you're not just paying for your deck. You're paying for the twenty offices, the fifty trucks, the hundred billboards, and the sales guy in the polo. All of that has to come from somewhere, and it comes out of your quote. We don't have any of it. It's me, my partner Andy, and Zach, plus a couple of solid crews. Same TimberTech, same Trex, without a big company's overhead baked into your number. We charge what it costs to build it right, and not a dollar past that."
C
C · Who you're actually hiring · 103 words · about 43 seconds
"Big or small project. Here's who you're actually hiring. It's me, my partner Andy, and Zach. Three of us, plus a couple of solid crews, and we're on your job, not in an office. We're TimberTech Platinum certified and a Trex Pro, with 66 five-star reviews from homeowners right here in Carmel, Fishers, and Indy. We show up when we say we will, keep your yard clean, walk you through every option before you spend a dollar, and we still pick up the phone after the last board goes down. Real people, a lot of pride in the work, and nobody on commission."

📣 Calls To Action

≤34 words each, about 12 seconds · record both
1
1 · Direct · 31 words · about 11 seconds
"If you've been thinking about a deck, I'd love to meet you. Tap Learn More below, answer a couple quick questions, and pick a time that works for you. Let's talk."
2
2 · Soft / honest number · 33 words · about 12 seconds
"No pressure, no games. I'll come out, walk your space, and give you a straight number for free. Worst case, you know what it actually costs. Tap Learn More below and let's talk."

🧩 How It Comes Together

10 Hooks×3 Bodies×2 CTAs=60 Ads
  • Shoot order: all hooks back-to-back (same wardrobe/spot), then bodies, then CTAs.
  • Consistency: identical wardrobe/setting so any hook edits onto any body.
  • Delivery: talk to one person, not a camera. Authentic beats polished.
  • Naming: HERITAGE_H03 · HERITAGE_M01 · HERITAGE_CTA01 → HERITAGE_FIN_H03-M01-CTA01
  • Runtime: every line has been counted. Say it at your normal pace and it fits. You do not need to rush. You need to not add.
  • Don't drop the last line. "Let's talk" is the whole point of the CTA. It's the first thing people cut when they're trying to keep a clip short. Keep it.

📝 Ad Copy (Post Text)

this is the proven launch combo. Spencer runs it as-is
Intro combo (the launch ad copy that runs with your video)
Primary: Hi, I'm Zach McFarland.

I'm a local deck builder here in Carmel and the Indianapolis area.

From pressure-treated wood to composite, TimberTech, and PVC, we do it all.

Big or small project.

I love what I do. Meeting new people while being able to transform their backyards into a space they actually want to spend time in is definitely my favorite part of the job.

No pushy sales pitch involved.

Customers reach out to us.

We schedule a consultation that works best for their schedule.

We show up on time.

Do a quick and thorough assessment of your space and vision. And then try to get you an estimate as soon as possible, if not on the spot.

It's a simple process that our previous customers have enjoyed.

We explain our prices thoroughly, so you understand the value and quality you are getting at that price point.

We aim to give you a beautiful deck with the highest quality materials at a fair price.

We are available to our customers for any of their questions or concerns and are here to make sure the project gets done in a timely manner.

We do things the right way the first time.

Click on "Learn more" below to get a FREE deck estimate. I look forward to meeting you!

Thanks,
Zach McFarland
Owner of Heritage Deck Company
Headline: Get a *Truly Fair Price* for Your Dream Deck!
Description: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rated, Heritage Deck Company
Button: Learn More