If you’re a small business owner, then you know that creating a video sales letter (or VSL) is a great way to reach your target audience and boost sales. But what exactly is a VSL, and what makes them so effective? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what VSLs are and why they work so well. We will also explain the benefits of using one to market your small business. Keep reading to learn what is VSL and more!
What is VSL (Video Sales Letter) ?
A VSL is a type of video that’s specifically designed to sell your product or service. It may also be used to promote a special offer or upcoming sale, as well as introduce what you have to offer and why it would benefit the viewer. Unlike an explainer video , which typically explains what your business does in general terms, a VSL focuses on selling one specific product .
Why Use Video Sales Letter?
Videos are becoming more popular every year because they’re not only great for entertaining people but can also keep them engaged longer than other types of content such as blog posts and articles. In fact, according to HubSpot Research , online marketers who use videos enjoy ” better ROI “, visit their website more often, and search more frequently for what they have to offer.
VSLs are a valuable marketing tool because people enjoy watching them, making it a great way to capture your audience’s attention from the beginning . They’re also easier to remember compared to other types of content such as written word or static images which can decrease bounce rates on your website. In addition, the use of video makes conversion rates higher , generating better results when you compare it with text-based sales letters that only include words and bullet points. VSLs work best if you keep things short and snappy while including high quality graphics throughout in order to make an impact quickly .
A good example is how Neil Patel uses this type of video format in his presentations:
The goal is to keep the viewer hooked until the very end, which is why it’s important to have a strong call to action (CTA) at the end of your VSL. This could be something as simple as asking the viewer to visit your website or purchase your product right then and there.
If you’re not sure where to start when creating a VSL, consider using an online video creation tool like Animoto . These tools make it easy for anyone to create professional-looking videos without having any prior experience or training. Plus, they offer a wide range of templates and stock footage that you can use in your own videos.
In short, if you want to capture attention quickly and boost sales , then using a VSL can be a great way to do so. The best part is that they don’t have to cost you anything . You can simply use free or low-cost tools and resources such as Animoto, Jing , and other similar programs in order to create one without having any experience with video production beforehand.
Benefits of using video sales letter
There are a number of reasons why using a VSL can be so beneficial for your small business. Some of these benefits include:
- Increased conversion rates: One study showed that VSLs can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. This is because they are much more personal and engaging than traditional sales letters.
- More leads: Videos also tend to generate more leads than traditional methods, such as emails. In fact, one study showed that video viewers were 64% more likely to contact the vendor after watching the video.
- Greater customer engagement: By nature, videos are far more engaging than text or static images. This means that customers are more likely to stick around until the end of your video and even take the time to watch it again.
- Increased brand awareness: Videos also help to increase brand awareness and reach a wider audience. In fact, one study showed that businesses who used video marketing saw a 49% increase in their web traffic .
As you can see, there are many reasons why using a VSL can be so beneficial for your small business. If you’re looking for a more engaging and personal way to market your products or services, then consider creating a video sales letter today!
Tips for making your own video sales letter
1) Keep Your VSL Short and Sweet
This will help to ensure that your video is concise, engaging, and easy to follow along with. A good length for a video sales letter is anywhere from 3-5 minutes.
2) Give Information That’s Useful To Viewers
Give viewers what they want by speaking directly to what you think they are looking for. Be sure to speak about what makes your business unique, what sets it apart from the competition, what problems it solves, what value it offers customers, etc. You can also talk about what kind of results people can expect when working with you or buying your products.
3) Avoid Holding Up Products And Talking About Them For Too Long
While showing off your products in action is important, it’s also important that you don’t spend too much time on what the products actually are or what they look like. Instead, you should highlight what makes them special (and better than your competitors’), what problem they solve, what benefits people get from them, etc.
4) Address Your Target Audience Directly And Speak To Them Like You Would Talk To A Friend
This will make viewers feel like they’re engaged in a conversation with you and help to build connections (which can lead to sales). It will also make your video more personal and relatable.
5) Be Passionate About What You’re Selling
People buy from people they connect with. If you seem passionate about your business and what it sells, then viewers are more likely to become passionate too. Talk about what you believe in, what you love (and what your viewers could love), what’s important to you, etc.
6) Tell People What They Stand To Gain By Working With You Or Buying From You
This will help convince them that what you’re selling is worth it and make them more likely to take action (i.e., buy what you’re selling).
7) End On A Strong Call To Action
You should always ask for what you want or tell your viewers what they can expect if they work with or buy from your business. Be sure not to leave people hanging or wondering what happens next! If possible, have a CTA at the end of every video sales letter.
8) Edit Your Video Sales Letter To Make It Look And Sound Professional
This will help viewers to take what you say more seriously. Things that you can edit include the length of your video, the quality of your audio, what it looks like visually, etc.
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Common mistakes when creating a VSL
1) Poor design. If your VSL looks amateur or unprofessional, then people are not going to pay attention to what you have to say
2) Too much information. Keep the length of your video within reasonable limits. Nobody wants to watch a sales pitch that is too long. Shoot for between 1-5 minutes
3) Boring content. This one should be obvious, but it bears repeating: if what you’re saying isn’t interesting people, they won’t stay interested!
4) The wrong voice tone and/or visuals. You need both in order to create an effective VSL. People will judge what’s being said based on what’s showing up on their screens, so choosing videos with happy music and attractive actors will make what you’re saying seem more positive and optimistic
5) Not targeting your audience. Make sure that what you are saying resonates with the people who are watching! If what you have to say is too generic, it’s not going to be effective.
6) Bad timing. Don’t create a VSL at the wrong time of year! This can make what you have to say pointless or confusing
Conclusion
A VSL is a video sales letter. It’s the next generation of marketing and storytelling on the web, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, there are at least three benefits that come from using this approach for your business: Increased Conversions, Higher ROI & More Sales Leads.
Video Sales Letters are becoming more and more popular because they can be watched at any time, on any device, by anyone who has internet access. The statistics show that people prefer to watch videos rather than read text; in fact, up to 85% of customers will share their experiences after watching a product demo or testimonial. So if you want your offer to get noticed and shared – make it into a VSL!
Where we go from here?
Making your own VSL may seem like an overwhelming task because you might not know where to start or what software you need to edit videos with, we want to help! Below we have one example from our VP (Video Production) which you may find helpful as well:
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