Let's hope these IM techniques become obsolete in 2011

Keep dreaming my friend, it's good for the soul. The simple reason your dream is NEVER going to come true is that stuff WORKS. We are in the microscopic minority when we ask for such common sense to be applied, but the people that make those videos and sales pages couldn't care less about us, they are skimming the cream and fleecing the sheep and doing very well at it. Why do you think there are so many doing it?

I'm with you Philippe concerning those videos. That is a big reason I keep my sound off on my computer. I want to be able to control if I want to listen to a video or not. Most of the time I will listen but I want to be able to make that choice.

Very good point, Paula. I forgot to mention I always prefer when there is a PDF transcript of the videos offered.

Not everybody has the patience to watch long videos. I personally prefer reading text especially when the video is not in my native language. There are also videos that have text but is sometimes takes ages for the next text to appear.

I throughly enjoyed reading your article, my sentiments as well.

@Chuck, I agree with you, I have a hunch the long sales page is the way to go, that's why I didn't mention it in the article. Anyway, there's no surprise, we can scroll through it when we become experienced with sales pages. Thanks for split test tip. :)

I'm sure exit pop ups and videos that start automatic convert well, but my objective is always long term, I want people to buy my products again and again and again. The only way to do that is to reduce annoyances, IMHO.

@Tony, a few month

Usually if a video for sales is longer than3 minutes I do not stay at all. I have recently called in the Satisfaction guarantee on the spot when after initial purchase I get seven OTO pages. Reason given: if the marketer is not willing to offer a complete product then I do not want it. U also applaud you for calling out the "snake oil" tactics.

Good Stuff Philippe.

That's the old selling style. Nowadays it's all about KNow. Like and Trust.

Philippe,
All of your points are right on.
Interesting Statistics however.

What we don't like is making others tons of Money.
1. Exit pop-ups are converting well
2. Self starting Video is also converting well

I am not a fan of these techniques, but in a split test, a simple sales page did poorly against a "windy" long page???

Go figure.

Thank goodness my business does not thrive on Volumes of people but rather the FEW who are Serious about earning a respectable Income, On-line a

I feel like they try to hide their product within a very long hyped message that they repeat over and over again. It's horrible on the eyes.

@Meghan, I don't mind that much about the ultra-long sales page, I mean, I have the choice of scrolling down to the order button, and they always put a little table of what they offer just above it.

I Bert you won't for you are God's beloved and in His it says; He giveth his beloved sleep.I am strongly behind you all the way.

GREAT ARTICLE!!!!!!!!! All of these (except the part about the video controls) lower my confidence in a business opportunity/offer. Seriously developers! Focus your efforts on making a good product and less on trying to "capture" or "trick" others into buying. There are products that have had these AWFUL pages, but I bought because I later found out they had good PRODUCTS. Imagine the time we both would have saved by cutting out the fluff, red font, and yellow highlighted words, and just gave me

@charles, thanks for the feedback. An article like that was way overdue.

I will probably make a few enemies in the IM guru circles. LOL

That won't make me lose one second of sleep.

Hallelujah!!! someone has spoken out at last.I thought I was the one observing this things.And most time it get annoying when at the end of the presentation you got nothing out that will be of help. This is good Philippe, straight to the point.