You can use video to create a sales letter that performs just as well, or better, than a traditional sales page. Just think about it:

  • It’s more engaging (who needs to read when you can watch a dynamic presentation?).
  • It doesn’t require scrolling.
  • It delivers your product message more effectively (audio and video make for a great combo).

But it takes some work to make your marketing video sales letter convert better. Just sticking a video and a button on a page won’t do the job.

This brief guide will show you how to optimize your video sales letter for maximum conversions.

Optimize Video

Step 1. Structuring your VSL (Video Sales Letter)

Your marketing video will do all the heavy lifting, so it needs to be structured like a proper pitch.

When you write the script for it, use the tried-and-true formula of “Attention – Interest – Desire – Action” (A.I.D.A.), and it will get the job done.

For the page itself, you’ll need several key elements:

  • attention-grabbing headline and sub-headline;
  • the video itself;
  • a prominent call to action.

Step 2. Making everything as visual as possible

When you create a video sales letter, you need to save space and make all the content fit together, which is no mean feat.

Remember the #1 rule of screenwriting – “show, don’t tell”? The same applies to your video sales letter. Incorporate all the core selling points as possible into your whiteboard video, keep text to a minimum, and make every other element purely visual if possible.

For example, if you rely on urgency to sell your product (e.g. a timed special offer), you can have an animated countdown, as opposed to a simple “this one-time deal expires on X date” kind of deadline. And that’s exactly how “show, don’t tell” works!

Step 3. Eliminate friction

The more actions your potential customer needs to take on the sales page, the lower your resulting conversion rate will be. That’s why you need to keep friction to a minimum.

It might sound overly patronizing, but “don’t make your customer think” is the perfect approach to customer psychology!

Here are some of the things you can do to get rid of friction on your video sales page:

  • Set your video to autoplay.
  • Hide additional contents like call to action, and set them to display only when the offer is made in the video.
  • Integrate seamless one-step checkout on your sales page, so the visitor doesn’t have to go to another page to buy something.
  • Create an in-line call to action inside the video (using a tool like Wistia, for example).

Step 4. Creating a conspicuous call to action

Your call to action has one job – to be noticed and clicked. Those giant “Buy Now” and “Add to Cart” buttons may be annoying, but they work like a charm.

To create a call to action that stands out, follow these simple rules of thumb:

  • Use bright, warm colors in your buttons. Red, orange, and yellow work best.
  • Avoid standard calls to action like “Submit,” which your customers have seen a billion times, and so learned to ignore them. Instead, use “Get Instant Access,” “Order Now,” “Join Today” and other less overused ones.
  • This is optional, but creating a simple animation that changes the color of your Buy button when your potential customer hovers a mouse over it will also help.

(Optional) Step 5. Making a Hybrid Sales Page

Finally, when you’re offering a high-end product with lots of features and associated benefits, you don’t want to rely solely on a whiteboard video sales letter to convert people. Besides, nobody will watch a feature-length video describing every single benefit your product has to offer!

In that case, a hybrid sales page (combining video, text, and images) will do a better job.

Put your headlines, your video, and your call to action above the fold, but below that, add everything else that makes your offer even more compelling:

  • Social proof (testimonials, short case studies).
  • Guarantees (money-back guarantee or a results guarantee).
  • Breakdown of features and benefits.
  • Screenshots, infographics, and facts about your product.

…and more.

And to make your long-form sales page convert better, you will need to put duplicate calls to action throughout, so if your customer decides to buy mid-way through the page, they can do so immediately.

That’s it! By following these simple steps, you will optimize your video sales letter for higher conversions to close more sales and attract more loyal customers for your business!