A video sales letter is better than a regular old sales letter right???

There isn't a single "right answer" to this question.

It depends on many variables (of which "the traffic demographics", in their broadest sense, are probably always the most important one, but even just "the niche itself" can be relevant, too!). For that reason, your only positive, most constructive answer to the question you're asking can come from your own testing.

My niche, traffic-collection, traffic-retention and targeted demographics may be all different from yours, so there's a limit to the extent that my own answer (i.e. for my own business) might be relevant to you ... and it might even be a low limit, but for myself, a video sales letter regularly and reliably converts so much worse than a traditional, text one, that I'm simply no longer willing - in any niche - to send my traffic to one. My visitors, subscribers and customers (colectively, overall) hate video sales pages, and they say so whenever asked, and often even without being asked at all.

Many threads like this one (word a careful read-through!) suggest that I'm far from alone there, but your traffic might be "all different" from mine: http://www.warriorforum.com/off-topi...o-content.html

(Be aware - if this needs to be mentioned at all - that some members who post in such threads are themselves promoting video services to marketers and may therefore have a somewhat "incentivized perspective" of the subject. )

That's not my own experience at all (though I admit they appear to have done me less damage than any other videos.)

There are plenty of services, here and elsewhere, for getting professional ones made. The prices vary dramatically and I recommend doing a lot of research first, if you really do want to test one. The trap to try to avoid, I'd suggest, is feeling "I've spent so much time/money on this that I'm determined to use it now" (which I've certainly heard several times!): it's important to test objectively.

The "whiteboard" videos do convert well. Fortunately, there are people on here and other forums that will do these for you. Start with Warriors For Hire.

There are actually some strategies about it..
Some say : less is more , means the less you give upfront the better the conversion..
Some other say: they love the longer type of squeeze page with not only video but also some bullet points and explanation..

I personally have tried both, and both are converting good.

It's rare for me to sit still (unless I'm familiar with the producer) for a video of any type, let alone a sales pitch. Same goes for content. If someone is selling information and the only format is video I won't buy it.

Take a look at how many people feel about video: http://www.warriorforum.com/off-topi...o-content.html

EDIT: I should have known Lexy would have this covered. :p

Not necessarily. A lot of factors go into play. I personally can't tolerate 10 minutes of hearing a dude pitch me about his product in a video. I'd rather get straight to the point... and then some videos dont even have the scrolling feature that lets you jump from one time interval to another.

Ya controls are good. But I think there's something to it because all the clickbank top sellers use video now.

I've never seen a video sales letter worth watching. Every single one of them has been so over-hyped, irritating (especially the whiteboard VSLs) and spammy that I just click away... and then get hit by an equally annoying popup.

No, they do.

Test upon test proves this, everyone denying it is either unsuccessful.too poor, too lazy, lacking skills or in denial.

sorry not sorry.

Generally, if someone comes from viewing a video, such as from Youtube, give them a video sales "letter". If they come from a text article, email, blog post, etc, give them a text sales letter.

Again, these are generalities but are good starting points.

In my experience, this isn't always true but it's a hell of a lot easier to get a handful of sales with a half decent conversational video sales letter than a half-assed sales letter.

The difference between a sales letter that gets sales and one that doesn't is often less than one would think. It's very easy to mess up a long sales letter. Whereas a short video can be done over again and again until you find something that works. To say that sales are a fragile thing would be an understatement.

Having said that, I think it's kind of a false choice because the first step to creating a video sales letter is quite often to write up a good sales letter in the first place. You can call it a script. You can call it whatever you want but video is just a delivery method for a message.

If the "product" is good, hopefully great and ideally brilliant.

And there is no earthly point in promoting if it isn't.

Why hope that the good people will watch a video.

When you can just tell them.

In print.


Steve

Loaded question.

First, assuming that a single video does well is not (normally) true. That is a crutch.

The goal will have been to build your credibility long before the sales page. By the time people get to my landing or sales pages they have a level of trust. To me, your question says "I want a get rich quick solution."

My company produces hundreds of high traction videos each month. I get organic first page rankings on YouTube in hours or days. I guarantee that to my customers. We produce a lot of high quality content that builds trust.

White board videos or other explainer videos are gimmicks. People are so numb to them that they no longer really pay much attention. It has been duplicated so many times people tune out. I refuse to watch them.

One video is not a solution. Creating videos that get instant trust - notice that I said VIDEOS - multiple videos over time that get trust. I have other techniques I use with video to draw people in, but not on some scheme with a pitchy video.

Have you people no idea how sales are made? Do you know the statistics on what sells overall? Do you know why most salespersons in a store make a sale? And you think it is different on the Internet? - It has not, human nature has not changed in thousands of years.

The question is not does a single sales page video work, but is your overall strategy building the kind of trust that creates a customer.

Home runs do not win baseball games, base hits do.

People in this thread are very print-centric, but they are giving their own opinions of what they like and don't like. Of course, most of us who have been in this thing called Internet Marketing don't personally like being pitched to by an automatic playing, non-ending video...but that's us.

I agree fully with Sean Fry that it really doesn't matter about what we like....if it works to convert the targeted traffic, then it works, period, and it would be foolish to discount using video from having a personal distaste for it.

(But if your target market includes these guys, watch out!)

I am not a seasoned copywriter.....but, It would seem that no matter what media you chose to deliver your offer, the copy has to be solid. Every single word that comes ourt of your mouth should have a purpose. No different than a sales letter.

I would also think that whoever is delivering the message should understand body language and mannerisms. I don't care how good the copy is, if you sound like your reading a dictionary without any type of animation, it's not going to convert well.

For example - Info Marketing Pyramid

This is Robert Skrob. Print out the "copywriting checklist" in the sticky at the top of this forum. Follow the video and check off each element in the check list. It's all there.
Also look at his mannerisms. This was very well written, his voice inflection is on point and his mannerisms are great.

I personally like video from consumer perspective, but it would seem to require a lot of research and effort.

But none of my rambling is based on experience, but my opinion based on watching as many VSLs of info marketing gurus and asking myself "why" did he or she say that?

I plan to split test a VSL with the identical copy in a PDF format. I'll post results in the next few weeks.

I've been anti video since radio.

It's not that I don't like them - it's just with a gun to my head, or a knife to my throat - a message to get across and cash to make.

I've got to write it down. So I know the target audience can see it.


With the pressure off and money in the bank...

It's time to test.

I've tested VSL's v SL's and SL's v VSL's

IF the product isn't a hyped one - there seems to be little difference (I've never written for a hyped product because I would de-hype it and probably upset the owners).

Anyway in my experience with "tamer" but still emotionally charged products and services.

Sometimes VSL's win.

Sometimes SL's win.

Having said that a short VSL (usually with the owner speaking to the audience) followed by a sales pitch tends to work the best.

But as always you've got to test.


Steve