How To Build A VSL Funnel

A VSL funnel is a type of sales funnel designed to generate leads, appointments and clients using a video sales letter.

A VSL Funnel can be used to sell a product or service or get a lead to book a sales call in your calendar (also known as an appointment funnel).

In this guide, we’ll explain how you can build a VSL funnel and integrate it into your sales funnel.

Quick Summary

A VSL funnel consists of five main pages:

• Opt-in page
• Video sales letter (VSL) page
• Application page
• Scheduling page
• Call confirmation page

You can see a real-life example of a VSL funnel by clicking here.

Here are some additional resources that will help you with your video sales letter:

• How to create a VSL
• How to market and advertise your VSL
• Best VSL software

Now with that out of the way, let’s go through how to build a VSL funnel step-by-step.

Step One: Create A Great VSL

The first step to building a VSL funnel is to ensure you have a high-converting video sales letter ready to use on the funnel.

A high-converting VSL funnel uses lead generation strategies to drive clients or customers to your video presentation. But there is no point in advertising the funnel if the video doesn’t do an effective job of converting leads into clients.

So, you must create a high converting VSL first. This is about 80% of the equation. If your VSL does not drive the actions you desire, then there is no point in building a funnel for it.

Once you have a VSL, you can move on to the next step (planning your funnel).

Step Two: Planning your funnel

To build a VSL funnel, you need to sit down and plan your strategy. For our clients who use VSL funnels to generates appointments and clients, here is a diagram of each step of the funnel:

As you can see from the flowchart, each landing page must have a clear goal. For example, the first landing page (opt-in page) is designed to take people to the video page, which is designed to take them to the next step of the sales process (schedule a call).

For clients, we also provide done-for-you VSL funnel templates. Watch this video to learn how to get access to these templates.

Now that you’ve planned how your VSL funnel will work, you can move to the next step.

Step Three: Create Your Landing Page

The first landing page in your VSL funnel is called the “opt-in” page. This is the most important page of the VSL funnel because this is the page that will actually generate leads.

If this page doesn’t do a good job of converting cold traffic into leads, then you won’t get anyone watching your video sales letter or booking a call to work with you.

Here’s an example of an opt-in page:

Here are some best practices for creating a high-converting landing pages:

• Keep the design clean and uncluttered
• Remove the navigation menu and other distractions
• Use persuasive headlines and subheadlines create curiosity and explain how you solve a big, painful problem for prospects
• Include social proof, such as testimonials or customer reviews, to build trust and credibility.
• Ensure the page loads quickly and is mobile-friendly.
• Use attention-grabbing visuals to capture interest
• Implement clear and prominent calls-to-action (CTAs) that encourage viewers to watch the VSL.
• Use funnel building software to build the funnel

Additionally, consider using tools like heat maps and user recordings to identify areas for improvement and optimize the landing page for better performance.

Your landing page is the gateway to your VSL funnel, and it needs to be optimized for maximum conversions.

The rest of the landing pages are much easier to create. See an example of what they look like here.

Step Four: Marketing Strategies

So, you have a great VSL funnel. Now what?

Well, you need to market it.

Here are some of the most popular methods you can use to promote your VSL funnel:

Paid Ads

If you have the budget, you can use Facebook/Meta ads to drive users directly to your landing page.

The average Facebook/Meta CPC is $0.53 if you focus on clicks. However, it is advised that you take a more penetrable action and use conversions as your end goal.

This means that you only pay when someone lands on your website.

You can also try Google Ads, which has a more intuitive conversion capacity, but the price will be much higher. Note that if you use paid ads, you should familiarize yourself with each channel.

Facebook, Google Ads, and Twitter/X all have different mechanisms. If you choose to pay for an ad that leads to your landing page, then your VSL funnel should be targeted and precise.

Email Marketing

Do you have a successful mailing list? If so, realize that 64% of businesses use email marketing for a reason: it works, it is free, and it is effective.

If you have the resources to send out an email promoting your VSL’s landing page every week, use it. However, do not rely solely on email marketing; that is not advised.

Your strategy must be contextual and involve multiple marketing methods to get the word out. However, email marketing should be part of your VSL funnel even without a large mailing list.

Word Of Mouth

The average person has 250 people in their social troposphere.

Word of mouth is the most potent form of marketing and should be an integral part of your VSL funnel. Talk to family and friends, and even post a link with some creative copy on your social media accounts.

Furthermore, ask them to share the post on their own social page or website or to blast out an email to their much larger mailing list! Offer a discount on your product or service in exchange for 5-10 shares. 

This is relatively simple to measure.

Simply take a look at their social media accounts to see if they shared it. 

If they did, send them 20% off.

At the end of the day, incentives are a valuable, albeit affordable way to gain exposure.

Organic Outreach

If you cannot afford paid ads on social media or a search engine (like Google Ads), try reaching out to others who have larger followings.

We have all heard the term: “social influencer,” and the first thing that comes to mind is money. However, you can easily dictate free ways to integrate social influencers into your VSL funnel.

One strategy is simply to ask.

You do not need Taylor Swift to post a link to your landing page.

Post in Facebook/Meta Groups; post in Twitter/X Communities.

However, be wary of each’s rules. If you can word your post effectively without sounding like you are trying to sell something, you will not be violating often-integrated “anti-promotion” rules.

Post On YouTube

Ever think YouTube might be a great place to post your VSL?

Consider adding an uploaded VSL to your YouTube channel as a part of your strategy.

YouTube is the second most popular website after Google (third is Amazon). This is almost a no-brainer, yet many will forget that their VSL is just that: a video sales letter.

So, if you can access the world’s largest video platform, use it! It is a valuable part of your VSL funnel.

Additional Strategies

There are many strategies for marketing your VSL funnel, far too many to list in this article.

Some popular marketing methods include:

• Using AI lead generation tools
• Posting on social media
• LinkedIn outreach

If you need additional advice, check out this article on our top lead generation strategies.

Step Five: Follow Up

Just because someone views your VSL does not mean you are done. Marketing states that it takes an average of 11-13 touchpoints, or a fancy word for “interactions,” to account for actionable results.

Implementing effective follow-up sequences is crucial for nurturing leads, encouraging repeat purchases, and maximizing customer lifetime value.

Here are some strategies for creating effective follow-up sequences:

• Send a welcome email sequence to new customers, providing them with valuable information, resources, and additional offers.
• Implement an abandoned cart sequence to recover potential sales from customers who didn’t complete their purchase.
• Use email marketing to promote related products, upsells, or downsells to existing customers.
• Leverage retargeting ads to stay top-of-mind and encourage repeat purchases.
• Collect feedback and testimonials from satisfied customers for social proof in future marketing efforts.

Remember, the key to successful follow-up sequences is providing value and building a strong customer relationship.

Step 7: Split-test your VSL funnel

Building a high-converting VSL funnel is an iterative process that requires continuous testing and optimization. Here are some areas to focus on for ongoing improvement:

• A/B test different elements of your landing page, such as headlines, visuals, and CTAs, to identify the most effective variations.
• Experiment with different VSL lengths, styles, and messaging to find the optimal approach for your audience.
• Test various upsell and downsell offers to maximize average order value.
• Analyze metrics like conversion rates, bounce rates, and customer lifetime value to identify areas for improvement.
• Gather feedback from customers and implement their suggestions where appropriate.

Regularly testing and optimizing your VSL funnel can lead to significant improvements in conversion rates and overall sales performance.

Step 8: Outsource if needed

Building a successful VSL funnel requires a diverse set of skills, including copywriting, video production, landing page design, and marketing strategy. If you lack expertise in certain areas, consider outsourcing or hiring professionals to ensure high-quality execution.

Here are some roles you may need to fill:

• Copywriter: Responsible for crafting a compelling script and sales copy for your VSL and landing page.
• Video producer: Handles the filming, editing, and production of your VSL video.
• Landing page designer: Creates a visually appealing and optimized landing page for your offer.
• Marketing strategist: Develops and implements effective marketing campaigns to drive traffic to your VSL funnel.
• Project manager: Coordinates and oversees the entire process, ensuring timely delivery and quality control.

Investing in professional help can save you time and ensure your VSL funnel is executed at a high level, increasing your chances of success.

Need help creating a VSL funnel? We provide a complete done-for-you VSL funnel service. This includes creating your VSL, funnel landing pages, follow up emails, advertising and more.

Conclusion

Phew! That is a lot, right? Creating a successful VSL funnel may sound like a daunting endeavor, but the truth is that it is no different than any other form of marketing.

A VSL funnel is about more than just getting someone to view your video. 

You need to have an actionable result.

Be sure to add forms or other ways to reach out to you.

Your goal with a VSL funnel is to drive people from Point A (your landing page) to Point B (where they sign up as a client).

To learn how to set up a VSL funnel and see a real-life example of my VSL funnel, watch this video.

FAQs about VSL Funnels