• By michelle
• In Marketing Strategy
• Posted Oct 23, 2014

How to Make Your Video Sales Letter Script Sound Natural

 

Have you ever listened to a video sales letter (VSL) that sounded robotic and dull?

We sure have, and it’s worse than listening to sharp nails on a chalkboard.

VSLs have the power to captivate both the eyes and ears of a prospect, so it’s no wonder why so many brands are using them.

If you want a VSL for your business, it takes a lot more than saying, “Let’s do a VSL!” to make the magic happen.

And since a well-done VSL will run you a few thousand dollars, you want your VSL script to have a naturally sounding cadence and flow.

In this post, we’re going to give you several suggestions for how to make your VSL script sound conversational and exciting.

Read the First Draft Aloud

When your professional video sales letter scriptwriter sends you the first draft, it’s an exciting experience.

But no matter how enthusiastic you are about going off to record your VSL, you must proofread it first.

Reading your first VSL script aloud will help you make it match your or your brand’s voice (or the voice of whoever is speaking in the VSL).

But you must do more than read it aloud… which brings us to the next tip.

Take Notes While Reading

As you read the VSL, have your preferred note taking method ready (e.g., pen and paper, Word doc, etc.).

When you encounter an idiosyncrasy in your script, make a note of it.

Another way to take notes while proofreading your VSL is to simply express it orally while recording your read-through.

This recorded and instant expression of thoughts is very helpful for your writer because he or she can listen to both the script AND your feedback.

As you’re reading your script, you might be wondering what to think about or pay attention to.

We’re covering that in our next tip.

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Proofreading Your VSL Script

So you have your draft and you’re going through it, but you’re not sure what to look for.

While you should trust your VSL writer, there are some things to pay attention to that he or she might have missed:

• Audience. Does the script speak to the right audience? Your marketing will differ depending on whether you’re speaking to college students or seniors, so the copy must match the demographic.

• Pace. Does the copy have the right speed? When you read it aloud, you will notice when some parts seem too fast (or too short).

• Transition. Does the VSL transition well? The intro of a VSL should grab your attention. After that, there’s usually a big promise made. If your VSL has a story, it should sound natural — as if you’re talking to a friend.

Keeping these 3 things in mind — and making notes — while proofreading your first draft will help your VSL writer.

Copywriting and conversion optimization is a process. Once your VSL goes live, you’ll want to test and measure your conversion rates, so you can maximize the success of your VSL.

Has your business ever used a VSL? Feel free to share your experience in the comments. Or, if you really want to share the love, Tweet this to your tribe!

Photo Credit: saaste (with text added by Sūmèr)