I love writing sales letters, it’s one of my favorite hobbies (you best believe that, I’m sort of a salesman to the bone) but guess one of the things I love more than writing sales letters? WRITING A VIDEO SALES LETTER!
And today, that’s all we’re going to be talking about. So, lets get right into it.
What is a Video Sales Letter?
A Video Sales Letter (VSL) as they’re popularly called is a sales page with a video as the focal point in selling your product. On this sales page, at most what an audience will see is a headline above the video and then a buy button below the video.
The video does the entire selling. Sometimes, extra text may be included on the video sales letter page which is usually testimonials, results, and benefits summarizing the product in the video.
A Video Sales Letter can be classified as one of the most effective forms of selling; people are more inclined toward what you are selling if you show them a demonstration of your product.
Examples of Sales Video Letter Pages
Here are examples of video sales letter pages you can check to get inspirations.
Crazy Egg
The CrazyEgg sales video letter page is direct and precise; the message is clear from the beginning. The References were put together nicely to one side, and the most crucial part: the call to action is sitting right under the video, so there’s no missing it. Another thing to learn from this sales letter is that it is short; in exactly “2:37” minutes, the message was passed.
LeadQuizzes
The Leadquizzes video letter is another great example; it identifies the problem, provides insight into how to solve it, and leads up with a free trial button while showing statistics and proof of results.
Jeffalytics
On Jeffalytics’s sales video letter, you can clearly see everything they offer right from the start. The call to action on this letter page is excellent with the limited window offer, this will put an emergence in the prospect’s decision, and that’s precisely what you want. You want your prospects to watch your sales video and be inclined to make a purchase almost immediately.
Product Launch Formula
The background on this Product Launch Formula’s sales video is the most attention-grabbing detail ever made; it was made outdoors and had the feel of freedom. You want to make sure that you are well relaxed and in your element when making a sales video while also creating a serene environment to entice your prospects.
Next are templates you can use to replicate and personalize your sales letter video.
Template #1
Template #2
Template #3
When to Use A Video Sales Letter
Here are the best situations to use a video sales letter in.
– In a sales funnel, if you don’t know what a sales funnel is and how to use it, please read this blog post.
– When you’ve already though a presell, pre-launch or an educational series introduced the idea/project to your audience and they’re easily awaiting your product.
– After you’ve warmed up a lead, you’ve established some level of relationship and informed them earlier to expect the video sales letter.
Benefits of Using a Sales Letter
1: They’re Visual
People are largely visual creatures. This is why movies and TV are so big! Over 24% of Americans haven’t read a book in the last year compared to around five hours per day of TV viewing!
Video sales letters leverage this visual hold to capture, engage and convert. And it does it better than traditional written sales letters
2: They’re Engaging
Video sales letters are not your traditional sales pitches or video demos. A well crafted video sales letter (VSL) is designed to captivate from the hand and body movements of the video salesman to well-thought-out animations that will be spread out through the entire sales presentation.
Most VSLs are long, on average it’s 8-10 minutes but some of them can go for 15 – 30 minutes or more and that’s why a video sales letters can’t ever be boring, it’s rule #1.
So the creators put so much time and effort to make the videos entertaining and relaxing to watch, such that once you turn it, it captivates you and places hooks in strategic sections of the video that compels you to watch it till the end.
3: They Allow You To Build Hype
Another fantastic advantage of video sales letters is the level of hype that a marketer can build throughout the video. Because of the excitement in the narrator’s voice and the upbeat images that are being shown onscreen, customers are compelled to become more and more excited as the video presentation continues.
By the time the VSL is over, the customer is ready to take action!
Elements of a Great Video Sales Letter
1: Don’t be boring
Many sales videos are 1 – 2 minutes and you can be forgiven if it’s boring, your audience may even endure it to the end. But 15 minutes of wack audio, terrible visuals… nobody will sit through that BS.
So, rule #1: make your video exciting. There should be lots of excitement in your voice, let the audience feel your passion for the product flow right through you.
Use animations and insert humor to keep the video lively, Also be very considerate with your humor, don’t over do it and make sure each pitch ties in to the entire sales presentation.
2: Cliffhanger and Promises
You know how those TV series producers insert cliffhangers at the end of every episode/season to keep you guessing ‘what happens next’ and keep you anticipating for the next episode/season, that is great marketing and you must master it.
Your audience is listening to a 15 minute sales pitch, why should they spend the next minute with you and not close the page? Anticipation. Keep them anticipating the entire time.
The mistake most marketers make is get them to anticipate at the beginning of the video and that’s it. They put in that cliffhanger only once. A great video sales letter has that cliffhanger almost every 5 minutes.
3: Educate instead of selling
Video sales letters (VSLs) give you something no other video can give you… TIME.
With most videos being 10 – 24 minutes long, you have enough time both pitch and teach. My advise spend 60% of that time teaching and use that education to create the need for your product.
Pablo Villalba said:
“Customers have a knee-jerk response to sales videos that are trying to push them products they don’t need. Instead of producing yet another product video, try teaching instead: create the need, and show how to solve it by purchasing your product. For instance, instead of selling a resistance band for exercise, produce a video with 10 great workouts using resistance bands and then use that to sell them.
Be authentically helpful even to non-buyers, share valuable information such that even without purchasing your product, the audience will gain knowledge just by listening to your video sales letter, this increases your credibility.
4: Don’t use a lot of text on the video
Great animation and visuals are welcome but texts? Not so much. Keep your text to less than 10% of the video.
The most text you use, the more stiff your video becomes and that reduces engagement. You want to make sure your video is smooth and the less text you use, the smoother your video becomes.
5: Include stories in your video sales letters
You have time and people love stories. Use stories to sell, talk about your personal experience how you encountered the problem you’re solving and what lead you to the solution, the obstacles you faced before finally getting a real solution.
Tell a relatable story that your audience can connect with.
6: Use Conversion Boosters
When creating video sales letters, you need to make sure you’re using as many conversional boosters as you can. Some of the conversation boosters you can explore include:
– Bonuses
– Limited quantities
– Free shipping
– Closing soon
7: Proof, Proof, Proof
Your audience want to know that your product works for other people, they want to see results people (including you) are getting using the product.
You have to make sure you bring on as much proof as you can into your video sales letters.
Video Sales Letter Software
Here are examples of some great video sales letter software that you’ll need for your video sales letter
– Adilo – to host your video sales letters
– EasyVSL – to create your video sales letters
– Clickfunnels – to create your video sales letter pages
– Instapage – to create your video sales letter pages
– Scriptly.me – to swipe video sales letter scripts and customize yours
– BuilderAll – for writing great video sales letters and creating your video sales letter pages
– AutomaticScripts – to create sales messages
– ScriptDoll – to write sales campaign
RELATED: 15 Best Free Video Hosting Platforms in 2022
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I'm a serial enterpreneur with over 14 years of experience in digital marketing and SaaS.
Currently leading the ADILO team and building a strong brand @BigCommand