Video Sales Letters: A Beginner’s Guide 2024 (+BONUS Tips)

Videos rule! While we enjoy reading, no other media can be as entertaining and informative as well-crafted videos.

Unsurprisingly, over nine in ten businesses have teams dedicated to developing and publishing noteworthy sales and marketing videos to improve their bottom lines.

Moreover, 24 in 25 companies consider videos crucial for a successful marketing strategy.

But what if you have a small budget?

Does the production of video sales letters require costly specialty skills and resources?

Relax.

We will cover everything to help you develop and present video sales letters that sell and are cost-effective. Here’s our ultimate guide for effective VSLs in 2024.

What Are Video Sales Letters?

Many don't think too much when others ask, "What is a video sales letter?"

After all, these tools are nearly identical to traditional written (or printed) sales letters.

They persuade people to buy or act by offering a compelling reason – but in a presentation format.

However, there’s more to video sales letters (VSLs) than the visual representation of text.

Although both are visual (we use our eyes to read and watch), videos add sound and movement to create a better-rounded sensory experience.

And that tickles the mind and touches emotions more effectively than reading text.

Why Do You Need Video Sales Letters?

A video sales letter works like a well-written traditional sales letter. It persuades audiences to act or perform a direct response.

The difference is that VSLs leverage the internet and video technology.

Does that matter?

What if we told you over four billion people watch videos on their mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops?

And how many folks still read newspapers?

That’s only seven in a hundred US adults.

Can you see the huge difference?

One of the most significant advantages of video sales letters is their impressive reach.

You could create a single video, and billions of people can watch it, especially on social media.

The more viewers you get, the more leads you can generate. It gives you more opportunities to convert audiences into customers.

Needless to say, the future of sales is changing. That's why you must keep tweaking your marketing techniques to increase your bottom line.

Why?

Potential customers will know your brand better and appreciate how products work, including their unique features.

Moreover, video testimonials can boost your credibility and trustworthiness to make people more interested in buying your offerings.

What are the Elements of an Effective Video Sales Letter?

Video sales letters are effective only if they contain crucial elements.

Value

People watch VSLs because they have pain points or problems they want to solve or address.

If your video cannot communicate this message off the bat, viewers will likely think you're wasting their time.

Hence, effective VSLs must offer solutions (your products) to their concerns.

Authority

Why should viewers trust you? Are you an expert in addressing their problems?

You must convey to your audience that you CAN solve their issues and that you’re better than alternatives and competitors.

Proof

Saying your product is better than others in solving the audience’s pain points is one thing. Anyone can say theirs is better.

Offering proof of your product's work in real life should help build credibility and trustworthiness.

You can add testimonials, earnings statements, consumer reviews, and other evidence to support your claim.

VSL Marketing: 4 Easy Steps to Create an Effective Video Sales Letter

Thoughtfully created VSLs can increase lead generation and conversion rates.

Without even saying, they can boost the bottom line or revenue of your company.

But how do you produce one? Do you need technical expertise? How about your budget?

Would it surprise you to learn that you can create effective VSLs in four super-easy steps? And cost-effectively?

1. Develop a VSL plan.

Everything starts with a well-thought-out plan.

Your first task is to determine the product-market fit.

Remember value? You must position your product to appeal to target audiences (it must solve their pain points).

Otherwise, you will waste your effort, time, and other resources.

Conduct market research and analyze what audiences want to hear from brands.

Examine your product and check the areas or aspects that resonate with audiences or address some of their concerns.

Turn that into your VSL message.

Please remember that audiences want something other than a jack-of-all-trades or one-size-fits-all product.

They need a product that precisely fits into their unique situation.

2. Write a VSL script.

Consider this your VSL blueprint or roadmap.

A script allows you to create videos seamlessly, including what talents will say, how they say it, and the gestures they must execute.

It can include scene descriptions, lighting and sound effects, and onscreen graphics or text.

Are you looking for a video sales letter script example?

Example 1

Example 2

Video Sales Letter Template Source: Jasper

You can also use ChatGPT or other generative AI technology to create a script outline.

AI can produce attention-grabbing lines focusing on the audience’s pain points.

These technologies can develop an immersive story-telling tactic to entice viewers into your VSL video.

3. Produce the video.

You don’t need expensive video equipment for this task.

A Smartphone with a high-megapixel camera and reasonable video processor is enough.

Alternatively, you can use a web-based video tool, an online video maker, or a state-of-the-art animation generator.

You can check out our article “How to Make Professional-looking Videos with Zero Experience.”

Puppetry has an easy-to-use video maker powered by the latest AI technology.

You can generate an avatar or digital presenter to pitch your sales to audiences. And you will never need a camera for this.

The platform also has ChatGPT to help create attention-grabbing hooks and compelling sales messages.

Here's a sample of a ChatGPT-generated video sales letter script.

4. Refine and publish the video.

Creating videos is a cinch with AI-powered video tools.

Additionally, you can use beautiful templates online or on this platform to generate talking avatars for your video.

You can try the AI animator Puppetry for free.

Many platforms also allow you to add visual and audio elements to make your VSLs more appealing.

Sit with your team and watch the video.

Check elements you need to improve.

Sleep on it and revisit it the following day or after several days.

How does the video make you feel if you were the audience?

Publish the VSL on your favorite platform (i.e., website or social media).

The Secret Formula to a Successful Video Sales Letter

Although the steps to making a video sales letter are straightforward, you can observe the following tricks to ensure a more successful one.

Grab your viewer's attention.

Your video should grab audiences’ attention from the get-go.

It needs to surprise them. Why?

People’s attention span is a mere eight seconds, especially Gen Zers.

If your audiences are Millennials or Baby Boomers, they can stay glued to content in 12 or 20 seconds, respectively.

Hence, the video’s first 30 seconds matter.

It should stun viewers and set them up for your offer.

Unsurprisingly, the attention-grabbing hook must be within the video’s first three seconds.

Amplify the problem

Present facts and statistics proving their pain points are real and others have the same experience.

Your goal is to make viewers realize just how big a problem is.

Build emotional connection

Ensuring your viewers appreciate the gravity of the problem is easier when you tell a story.

You connect to their emotions to make them more amenable to your solution.

Pitch your solution… subtly

Some marketers and salespeople love doing a hard sell.

Please don’t.

You don’t want to look and sound pushy.

Slowly introduce your product into the picture and how it can help address the audience’s problems.

Build credibility and authoritativeness

Telling how your product can solve their pain points doesn’t mean anything if your viewers won’t believe you.

So, you must offer proof, such as statistics, customer testimonials, before-and-after images, and independent test results (if any).

Moderate credibility-building is needed to avoid producing the opposite effect.

Drive action

What do you want your viewers to do now?

Should they rush to your store and buy?

Do you want them to download your software or e-book?

How about grabbing the discount or promo code?

Be clear about what action you expect your viewers to take.

BONUS: Offer incentives, but ensure they are for a LIMITED TIME.

This strategy will make them act NOW.

Make a compelling closing

Many video marketers need to remember (or pay attention to this part.

However, it’s equally important as the catchy hook.

Remember this when writing your VSL script.

In this part, you could summarize your product's essential features, mainly how it solves viewers' problems.

FAQs

Is creating VSLs expensive?

No. VSLs are inexpensive, provided you don’t aim for Hollywood-type or big-name brand-style short films with A-list celebrity endorsers.

For cost-effective sales letters, you can leverage existing technologies (i.e., smartphones) and AI-powered video platforms, like Puppetry, as a VSL creator.

How can I promote my VSL?

You have many options for promoting VSLs. Most companies attach the VSLs to their newsletters and emails to customers and subscribers.

Others post the videos on social media, like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube.

Some brands create a dedicated landing page or embed the video on their website.

You could also share the link on messaging apps like Telegram, Viber, or WhatsApp.

Conclusion

Our guide on video sales letters in 2024 has helped you realize how easy (and potentially budget-friendly) creating VSLs is.

Everything starts with a sound plan, a perfect understanding of product-market fit, and a genuine passion to solve some of your audiences’ problems.

You'll always be reassured about VSL video sales letters because Puppetry and AI technology are here to support your endeavor.

Try Puppetry today!