Ep. 083: TSL vs. VSL - Which is Better for You?

SUMMARY

Kyle Kosteca, in a Monday Minute podcast episode, compares Text Sales Letters (TSL) and Video Sales Letters (VSL) for affiliate marketing, weighing costs, conversions, and traffic sources while advocating a budget-friendly VSL strategy.

STATEMENTS

A TSL is a traditional long-form sales page consisting entirely of text.
A VSL is a long-form video sales letter, typically ranging from 45 to over 60 minutes in length.
TSLs are generally cheaper to produce and easier to design, test, and adjust compared to VSLs.
VSLs tend to achieve higher conversion rates than TSLs due to their engaging format.
VSLs provide access to more traffic sources, especially cold traffic from paid media like video ads on YouTube.
Cold traffic sources in paid media rarely promote TSLs because of the lack of congruency with dynamic ad formats.
Using a TSL might lead to misleading performance results, as an offer could succeed better with a VSL's medium.
High-production VSLs can cost between $15,000 and $30,000, deterring many entrepreneurs from choosing them initially.
The initial 5 to 10 minutes of a VSL are crucial for viewer retention, determining if they will watch the full length.
Producing VSLs in segments with high production only for key parts and slideshows for the rest can significantly reduce costs.

IDEAS

TSLs offer quick cost-effectiveness for beginners, allowing rapid iterations without heavy investment in video production.
VSLs outperform TSLs in conversions by maintaining viewer engagement through visual and auditory storytelling.
The mismatch between video ads and text-heavy landing pages creates poor user congruency, limiting TSL viability on platforms like YouTube.
Entrepreneurs risk misjudging an offer's potential by starting with TSLs, akin to using premium fuel in a low-performance vehicle.
Focusing production on just the first 5-10 minutes of a VSL captures initial attention, as viewers hooked early are likely to stay for the full duration.
Segmenting VSL creation into high-quality short bursts followed by simple slideshows balances cost and effectiveness without full high-production expenses.
Cold traffic media sources favor VSLs because they align with impulsive, short-form ad experiences leading to longer video commitments.
TSLs enable easy split-testing and adjustments, making them ideal for refining copy before scaling to more complex formats.
VSLs unlock broader traffic channels, including paid video ads, which TSLs struggle to integrate seamlessly.
Starting with a partial VSL approach avoids the all-or-nothing trap of full production, allowing entrepreneurs to test high-converting mediums affordably.

INSIGHTS

Choosing the right sales medium like VSL over TSL can reveal an offer's true potential, preventing premature abandonment due to mismatched formats.
High initial engagement in VSLs drives long-term viewer commitment, highlighting how early content quality trumps exhaustive production.
Cost barriers to VSLs can be overcome through modular creation, democratizing access to superior conversion tools for resource-limited entrepreneurs.
Congruency between ad formats and landing pages is essential for cold traffic success, underscoring VSLs' alignment with modern digital behaviors.
Misinterpreting performance metrics across mediums risks flawed business decisions, emphasizing the need for vehicle-appropriate testing strategies.

QUOTES

"a TSL will be a tech sales letter this is traditional long form copy it's going to be all riding it's going to be all text on a page"
"it's really hard to get something to work on say YouTube if you're driving people from a video ad to a long form sales letter it's just not going to work there's not good congruency"
"the risk with that is you might find one the modes are different and you might think that your offer is not performing really well when it could perform great as a vsl only because you're using the wrong vehicle"
"it's kind of like putting premium fuel that's super expensive and you know it's going to work great but you're dumping into a Miata well not a Miata but like a Jetta you know that's not really the performance vehicle you're looking for"
"in reality with a video sales letter the part when you're testing and trying to figure it out that matters the most is just the first five minutes there's five ten minutes if someone's gonna watch the first five the first 10 10 minutes there's a good chance they're gonna watch 50"

HABITS

Prioritizing cost-effective testing by starting with simpler TSL formats before scaling to VSLs.
Iterating quickly on sales copy through easy adjustments and split-tests in TSL setups.
Focusing production efforts on high-impact initial segments of content to optimize resource use.
Evaluating offer performance across different mediums to avoid misinformed decisions.
Recommending modular content creation to balance quality and budget in video projects.

FACTS

VSLs typically range from 45 to over 60 minutes, designed for in-depth persuasion.
High-production full VSLs can cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
Cold traffic paid media sources generally avoid promoting TSLs due to format mismatches.
Viewers who watch the first 5-10 minutes of a VSL are likely to continue to the end.
TSLs allow for rapid design changes, making them faster to iterate than video equivalents.

REFERENCES

YouTube as a traffic source for video ads.
ClickBank for scalable affiliate programs and top offers.
ClickBank Media Buyer free course.
E-commerce to Direct Response Success Center on ClickBank.

HOW TO APPLY

Define your offer and audience to determine if text or video medium aligns with their consumption habits.
Start with a TSL for low-cost prototyping by writing long-form copy on a simple landing page.
If pursuing VSL, script and produce only the first 5-10 minutes in high quality to hook viewers.
Use a slideshow format for the remaining VSL segments to extend content without full production costs.
Test traffic from video ads to your VSL, monitoring drop-off rates after the initial hook.
Analyze conversion data from both mediums to refine and decide on scaling the higher performer.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Prioritize cost-effective VSLs starting with key initial segments for superior conversions and traffic access.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Begin with VSL testing focused on the first 5-10 minutes to gauge interest without full investment.
Avoid TSLs for cold video traffic to maintain ad-landing page congruency.
Segment VSL production into high-quality hooks and low-cost slideshows to cut expenses.
Split-test adjustments easily with TSLs initially if budget constraints are tight.
Evaluate offer viability across mediums to prevent misleading performance assumptions.

MEMO

In the fast-paced world of affiliate marketing, Kyle Kosteca breaks down a perennial dilemma: whether to launch with a Text Sales Letter (TSL) or a Video Sales Letter (VSL). TSLs, essentially long-form text pages, shine for their affordability and ease—quick to design, test, and tweak without the hefty price tag of video production. Yet, as Kosteca notes, they falter in conversion power and traffic versatility, particularly when drawing from dynamic sources like YouTube ads, where the shift from snappy video to dense reading feels jarring.

VSLs, on the other hand, command higher engagement through their immersive format, often spanning 45 to 60 minutes to build persuasion. The catch? Costs can soar to $15,000-$30,000 for polished versions, deterring newcomers. Kosteca likens starting with a TSL to fueling a modest sedan with premium gas—potent but mismatched, potentially skewing results and leading to abandoned offers that might thrive in video.

To bridge this gap, he advises a pragmatic hybrid: invest in high-production for the crucial opening 5-10 minutes, where retention is won or lost, then pivot to simple slideshows for the rest. This approach unlocks VSL benefits—better conversions, broader channels—while slashing expenses, empowering entrepreneurs to launch effectively from day one.