Ok, I know I'm throwing a lot of posts up tonight... Only because.... Here's my take on video sales letters. Don't do them. Nobody wants to sit around and listen to 10 minutes of you drone on and on about something. Here's what I'm thinking. Make it like a mini movie.. Make it something that people will want to watch. Something that will change their life...in that 5 minutes or so.
Instead of a video sales letter, why not just turn it into a mini tutorial. Let them have a glimpse of what happens from Point A to Z and then leave them wanting more. A tutorial might sound boring but I think that tuts serve more of a purpose instead of a video sales letter, in a way the tutorial is almost like a video sales letter.
I think because I'm a work at home mom, I can't stand a sales letter website that only has a video. Even if I want to know about the project, I have a toddler in my arms sleeping and I can't turn on my speakers to listen to it. I perfer slide shows with no sounds and the words on the images. Easy as pie for a work at home mom like myself. Or people can just stick with a normal sales letter...
I'm already deterred by most sales letters to begin with, so seeing one with just a long video of some stranger blabbing on and on enthusiastically about their product is doubly annoying. It's especially grating if it auto starts the second I get there, usually by a wayward link since I never willingly click these things. Some people may like spending what little time they have watching someone talk, but I'm not one of them. I barely have a few minutes to spare per new website I visit, and if I do, I sure as hell won't be wasting it watching them hawk their crap. If these marketers do put up videos, they better be something extremely special. Life-changing, like you said. No one else will want to waste their time listening to pointless drivel that could have easily been written right on the page.
I believe video sales letters are quite effective. These days, people learn via the internet by audio and video, not text/reading. However, I agree that 10+ minutes is too long. If you can show a viewer how you solve a problem people in their situation commonly experience, you're well on your way to selling.
I really like online videos! I think they rock when done properly. The thing is though you have to get to the point and deliver what you said you would. As far as long sales letter videos the only reason I would be watching one is that the person in the video has already shown me how to do something and I want to find out how I can do more. In fact that is really the only reason anyone would be willing to watch a sales video. One last thing as much as some people hate sales videos they still convert better than a traditional sales letter.
That's interesting - my wife is currently developing a virtual business course and one group we are hoping to reach is stay-at-home parents. We were considering video for the sales page. Would downloadable content have any appeal? - Adam
That's interesting - my wife is currently developing a virtual business course and one group we are hoping to reach is stay-at-home parents. We were considering video for the sales page. Would downloadable content have any appeal? - Adam
I enjoy video sales letters for the most part. However when they start to break the 20 minute barrier....it's time to wrap it up!
I have to agree and disagree. I do agree long videos can kill the whole sale and I do agree mini videos are better. You need to find a happy medium. I like to throw in a mini video about 3 minutes long but also have plenty of text explaining the product along with the video.