Doh! Now I See Why Videos Will Never Replace Long Form Sales Letters

You might like to take a look at a recent thread discussing this at http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...les-pages.html

Yes - I think the use of video on sales pages needs to be thought through carefully. Without any kind of progress indicator and no idea what the product is about, I have usually abandoned them before even getting to the offer.

Video is clearly important, but it is often misused in sales pitches imho.

Will

I think a video can do a great intro to a pitching, but it has to be short duration and good enough to bring attention (so the viewer will actually read the sales letter)

Replacing the letter with a video sounds a little difficult, but I've seen a few good examples, like for instance endless traffic tap (in fact I bought it just because I appreciated the video)

Some people like sales videos, but a lot prefer skimming a sales letter to see if they're even interested. The videos get abandoned because they don't want to spend the next half hour listening to someone when they don't even know if they need or want the product.
I actually prefer the sites that have the video with the sales letter written beneath them. Then I can decide and I don't have to waste a bunch of time on something I'm not going to buy.

I don't see videos REPLACING sales letters because the two complement each other so well. A short video at the top of a long sales letter is a blisteringly effective combination. You've got a short video with a sales pitch for those viewers with short attention spans who just want you to get to the point, and then you've got a long form sales letter for those viewers who are harder to convice and persuade. Pretty soon I am going to start offering clients this winning combination.

I completely agree with the above points.

A few days back I was going through some documents by a well known GURU who tested many forms of sales letters, video, short copy, long copy and all that stuff.

The result - Sales videos that are less than 12-13 minutes had the highest conversion rates. Anything over that and the conversions dropped.

Also the guy suggested telling the audience how long the video is exacltly. Like so:

Please turn on your speakers, the following video is 6 minutes and 30 seconds long...

I agree. Videos replacing actual sales letters? Not for this kitty.

I've said it before, I'll say it again... I can read faster than you can talk, AND listen to my music while I do it.

I actually barely like watch videos in general (in selling OR the course itself), unless it's from somebody who I already know and highly respect. Even then, I gotta have written material as well to go with it so I know what to expect, otherwise I'll get impatient and go on to something else without finishing.

I don't understand the ones who don't say how long it is either... who knows? If I get an idea of how long I'm supposed to sit there (again, knowing what to expect), I might actually watch the whole thing...

Gotta roll with Matt on this one... with one exception (length of video - longer is working much better for me)

the data shows vsls (when done right) destroy sales letters (for now at least), and contrary to the comments here about how they suck etc., you guys are the HUGE minority... the buying patterns show otherwise.

as always test fo yo' self.

Wanna know what's working? Take a look at the #1 sales pages in each category on clickbank. You won't find ONE in a decent category that isn't video.

It ain't rocket science, folks.

I don't think videos will replace long form sales letters soon or even later. With a sales letter a prospect will sit a few minutes to go through it regardless of whether he will buy or not. But on the other hand videos, which are likely to take a longer time to watch, might not attract any prospect who is not ready to buy because he sees no point in wasting time on them.

I dislike no controls on video sales letter. The general answer given for its presence is you don't want the user to seek through and go to the offer directly.

Hey but that is possible in long copy sales letter and they work! So this argument does not hold.

I think most people get the VSL wrong. People will watch the whole video if the video educates and entertains rather than sell.

Traditional advertising does not work anymore because users have a choice to go away.

I learned from Gary Bencivenga that one has to make their advertisement too valuable to throw away. Same is with videos.

A Video on a sales letter should entertain, entertain, educate, educate, educate and then suggest a sale.

Stop thinking like a marketer and start to think like a prospect.

Videos can work if you know how to use them properly.

1. keep them short 2-3 min max for intro videos
2. show the controls so I can move the video to any point
3. Use plenty of text to accompany your video

If you can follow those 3 easy steps then using a video should "help" any sales page or website. Of course, I'm only speaking as a customer myself. You should always split-test pages to find what works best for each situation.

Hello,

Great comments here from exceptional marketers and copywriters who have had personal experiences about what works and what doesn't across many niches and product offers. These posts were interesting reading for me.

As a copywriter, video script writer and graphic designer I work with many of the top 20 affiliate marketers on Clickbank (CB). The new Clickbank rules that Clickbank lauched in August 2011, created a lot of changes in how video sales letters and copy are created and approved by CB. Plus they clarified how testimonials are to be listed and verified. In addition, CB requires longer and more involved disclaimers for approval of money making/income generating and health related products. You might want to check it out by logging into your Clickbank account or email me for a copy of the new rules.

The new CB rules require videos have to have video controls. If you use actors, or personalities, that are NOT the real creator of the product, this needs to be noted in large text under the video. Any income statements have to be verified by CB and they actually need a login to check the account to verify that the income was from the sales of that product.

Videos on CB sales letters need to have the video script approved by CB. They are very selective about what they approve. (Especially as far as income proof images and testimonial verifications are concerned.) Lots of new changes occured after the new rule changes and this was good for the buyers of CB products.

I know this really shook up the CB affiliate marketing community and it did change the way I write copy for some of my CB clients.

One of the main reasons why CB created these new rules was to reduce the large amount of charge backs on product refunds. CB was having to spend a lot of money to tech support/refund people to handle chargebacks due to the problems with the "push button" sales letters in the IM niche and other hype-style product offers.

CB is in business to make money too. So when they received ever increasing chargebacks for people wanting refunds for products -- they changed their rules to help reduce that problem.

As far as the length of the videdos -- most of my highest converting videos for CB products run 7 minutes. For diet/weight loss, and IM launches, much longer, about 20 to 25 minutes. The video needs to be only as long as to get the job done selling the product.

One thing that can help boost video conversions is to add the video controls, because think of it this way... How many times did you want to pause a video you were watching online because of an interuption? Not being able to do that causes people to miss part of the video. Most people won't bother to refresh the screen and rewatch the video part they have already seen... so when they return from their interuption, they just close the video instead. And a sale is LOST. Enough said.

Lots of new changes for 2012 marketers -- it will be an exciting ride!

Good luck to all in 2012!

Jenie Heckel
Product Launch Copywriter