Videos Instead Of Written Sales Pages

by balara
19 replies
Do any other members here intensely dislike video sales promos instead of written ones? I for one (and perhaps the only one) hate them with a passion! They take ages to watch whereas the written page takes seconds. If for any reason, one needs to clarify something, one has to watch the whole darn thing again!

Having just watched Michael Cheney's slide show (slower than the proverbial snail) I'm nearly tearing my hair out in frustration.

Who benefits from video that contains only written words? The author of course! Is he/she too lazy to write the message? Someone even sent me a video of his "ebook"!
No pictures in it...no diagrams showing "how to do" info, just plain old text. After watching it for nearly 10 mins and seeing the slider only half way through I chucked it in!

Recently I purchased a somewhat expensive product. No pdf material...all video and all text, no demos. If the phone rings or someone comes to the door, you have to watch it all over again, because there is rarely a pause button.

Some of you (perhaps all of you) may be thinking I still live in the dark ages and maybe you want to scream at me to "get with it, girl!". But this girl ain't got the kind of time available that videos use up.

Sorry for the rant, but I felt I had to say this. I hope at least one other person feels the same, just so I won't feel like Robinson Crusoe.

Veronica
#pages #sales #videos #written
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by balara View Post

    Do any other members here intensely dislike video sales promos instead of written ones?
    IMO, a video sales page should...

    1. Have a pre-headline above the video
    2. Embed the video
    3. DO NOT AUTOSTART THE VIDEO
    4. Leave all controls enabled on the video when started
    5. Place a "Buy" button immediately beside the video
    6. Place the headline immediately under the video
    7. Write a standard sales page underneath the video, as though the video were not even there

    If you do not like video, you ignore the video and scroll right past.

    If you do not like THIS video, you turn it off and just read the sales page.

    If you do like video, you watch the video and can then easily click the sales button without scrolling at all.

    Because the controls are enabled, you can at any time pause or rewind the video if, say, a diaper needs to be changed. Or a dog walked. Or dinner prepared. Whatever. You know, REAL LIFE stuff.

    That's my tuppence, anyway.
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    • Profile picture of the author skullzzz
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      Because the controls are enabled, you can at any time pause or rewind the video if, say, a diaper needs to be changed. Or a dog walked. Or dinner prepared. Whatever. You know, REAL LIFE stuff.
      ...a WOW quest conquered or my replica God of War double sided axe sharpened...the important stuff in life.
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    • Profile picture of the author ozduc
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      IMO, a video sales page should...

      1. Have a pre-headline above the video
      2. Embed the video
      3. DO NOT AUTOSTART THE VIDEO
      4. Leave all controls enabled on the video when started
      5. Place a "Buy" button immediately beside the video
      6. Place the headline immediately under the video
      7. Write a standard sales page underneath the video, as though the video were not even there

      If you do not like video, you ignore the video and scroll right past.

      If you do not like THIS video, you turn it off and just read the sales page.

      If you do like video, you watch the video and can then easily click the sales button without scrolling at all.

      Because the controls are enabled, you can at any time pause or rewind the video if, say, a diaper needs to be changed. Or a dog walked. Or dinner prepared. Whatever. You know, REAL LIFE stuff.

      That's my tuppence, anyway.

      AMEN!
      It's come to the point now that if I get a link to a sales video with the controls invisible or disabled I will click and close the page. If someone doesn't want to give me the option of starting, pausing or stopping the video when I need or want to, then I am outta there.
      Also the auto start will have me close the page immediately.
      I am sue a lot of people who use this feature lose a lot of possible sales.
      My advice would be to have a frame on the video that grabs peoples attention and intrigues them enough to want to hit play.
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    • Profile picture of the author balara
      I agree with you CDarklock. Give us the controls for the video, including fast forward for getting past the repetetive, boring bits, and rewind for the bits where we lost concentration, & pause button for when nature or coffee calls. Some videos have a slider thingy which is handy for noting where a juicy bit occurs so that one can go back to that spot and watch it again without having to start from scratch again.
      With those controls in place I reckon I'd cope with watching text only videos.

      Just one more gripe before I let go of this bone....is there an antibiotic or an anaesthetic that could be given to marketers when they get the urge to drag out the length of a video sales letter by adding their rags to riches story. Strike a light! How many variations on that theme can people endure, for heavens sake! We all have our stories, but are they really all that interesting to others?
      Thanks to everyone who replied to my original post. I appreciate reading the pros and cons, and I've learned something from this topic.

      Cheers to all
      Veronica
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  • Profile picture of the author Anon7
    @CDarklock - I totally agree, that's nearly the exact methods that give me the best results on my own sales pages.
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    • Profile picture of the author skullzzz
      If it's a product in MMO niche, the sales video better not be more than 3 or 4 minutes long. You're right! If I see a pitch vid that's longer than that I'll protest the page just out of principle. In that niche, I just want the nitty gritty details, not all the hype.

      On the other hand, if there is content, like a secret method or niche, I'm ok with a little longer video. Then sell me at the end.
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      • Profile picture of the author All Night Cafe
        I think it does depend on what you like, but with
        the product launches in the last 7 or 8 months...

        Video sales letters sell millions of dollars of products.

        Depending on the subject and if you are interested
        you do have to endure the lenght.

        I would also love a printed copy of the video, but
        I have learned that are not going to let have one.

        For sure some are boring for it is the way the
        internet is going.
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  • Profile picture of the author goneill
    Hi Balara / Veronica,
    You echo my sentiments exactly and I agree with what CDarklock states what should be included in video sales page. Perhaps the WF should adapt these standards?
    Regards
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    George ONeill

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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Riley
    Originally Posted by balara View Post

    They take ages to watch when the written page takes seconds.
    They don't have to. My latest squeeze page video is just under 2 minutes. Some of my most successful sales page videos are well under 10 minutes. It's all in how you shoot them. Quick and to the point. No rambling.
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    Kevin Riley, long-time Warrior living in Osaka, Japan

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    • Profile picture of the author James12C
      Originally Posted by Kevin Riley View Post

      It's all in how you shoot them. Quick and to the point. No rambling.
      You're right, Kevin - brevity is the sales button, I reckon. Any waffling and I'm out.
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  • Profile picture of the author lowjo
    I get really turned off by a lot of video sales pages. I mean I like them as a concept.

    My pet hate is a video sales page where you have no idea how long the video is and there's no option to read it!

    I've taken to ripping the videos from the sales pages I think I want to watch using an online service...I don't remember the name but it's a few dollars a month.

    And I'm trying out this service which lets you speed up and slow down some streaming videos. Still learning to drive it but seriously saving some time.

    http://www.enounce.com

    Cheers,

    Jonathan
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    • Profile picture of the author mbacak
      Well, I totally get that you don't like them.

      I don't like them. But, that doesn't matter.

      Along time ago, I did a survey. (Like 2004 or 2005)

      What would you rather buy from Long or Short Sales letter.

      ANSWER: Short

      Then guess what.

      A few days letter, I sent a couple of emails to that exact group
      and split tested a Long sales letter and a Short sales letter.

      Guess what they all bought from: LONG Salesletter

      The only reason I bring that up is because I'm a huge affiliate.

      I mail affiliate offers all the time and guess what affiliate programs
      have the best EPC or dollars per click. Video salesletters.

      On a typical salesletter, I see an average of $1.50 a click

      On a Video salesletter, I see an average of $5.00 a click

      So to me the answer is very clear. The numbers don't lie.

      Love them or Hate them - They WORK!
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      • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
        Originally Posted by mbacak View Post

        I mail affiliate offers all the time and guess what affiliate programs
        have the best EPC or dollars per click. Video salesletters.

        On a typical salesletter, I see an average of $1.50 a click

        On a Video salesletter, I see an average of $5.00 a click

        So to me the answer is very clear. The numbers don't lie.

        Love them or Hate them - They WORK!
        A few questions.

        1. Do you tell people in the email that its a video email?
        2. Are the offers limited?
        3. Are they geared towards new people?

        -G
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        • Profile picture of the author Leto
          Videos are fancied in marketing these days, because many marketers just mimic what others do, and what they believe to work.

          But all things marketing don't work per se - they work when done right.

          So imho there is a right way to use video to presell or sell, and there is a wrong way.

          Like written copy, video (copy) simply needs to be just long or short enough to trigger the desired action.

          Unfortunately a lot of "video sales letters" we see these days are just poorly scripted (if at all) and thus end up as nuisance ...:rolleyes:
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      • Profile picture of the author lowjo
        Originally Posted by mbacak View Post

        Well, I totally get that you don't like them.

        I don't like them. But, that doesn't matter.

        Along time ago, I did a survey. (Like 2004 or 2005)

        What would you rather buy from Long or Short Sales letter.

        ANSWER: Short

        Then guess what.

        A few days letter, I sent a couple of emails to that exact group
        and split tested a Long sales letter and a Short sales letter.

        Guess what they all bought from: LONG Salesletter

        The only reason I bring that up is because I'm a huge affiliate.

        I mail affiliate offers all the time and guess what affiliate programs
        have the best EPC or dollars per click. Video salesletters.

        On a typical salesletter, I see an average of $1.50 a click

        On a Video salesletter, I see an average of $5.00 a click

        So to me the answer is very clear. The numbers don't lie.

        Love them or Hate them - They WORK!

        Well, yeah while I personally don't like them I have found the conversions much higher for video sales pages. And long copy still works a treat...

        And Matt...c'mon...'huge affiliate' I reckon you're just being modest!

        Cheers,

        Jonathan
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Million
    #1 product in the health niche on clickbank right now has NO salespage, just a video. While it might be annoying to have to watch... there's a reason you're forced to watch, and it's selling you without you even knowing it, feeling anxious for the ending where they deliver what they said they would in the beginning.

    Great stuff. Reminds me of when I sold windows and siding... client never saw a 4 hour presentation coming (nor them writing me a check.)
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  • Profile picture of the author leonmare
    Just found this old post and have to agree I hate most sales videos as it does not give me the freedom to scan thru it. So I also close most of them.
    You CAN pause most formats which don't have controls by clicking inside the video. To download MOST videos I simply use Firefox's Add-on (it's like a plug-in) called DownloadHelper
    I use it on all Internet Courses that don't provide downloads for their videos...

    Leon
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    • Profile picture of the author BenoitT
      Everybody here know the product Truth About Abs? The guy Mike explains to his affiliate some tricks he did to increase his converting and, sorry laddies, you get a way better convertion when you put the Buy button at the end of the video.

      Do you really want them to click the button just to see the price before they even know what you are offering them?
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