Direct Response TV Update – Response Expo

Response Expo 2012 brought together the top Direct Response TV professionals, Infomercial Producers and TV Media giants all at one great trade conference. InfoWorx Direct has attended every one of these since they started 6 years ago. We sponsored the Inventor’s Pavilion and I moderated a blue ribbon panel of Direct Response and DR marketing geniuses. I want to thank my great friends John Yarrington, who runs the Response Expo and Jenny Lawlor, who works with Inventor’s full time.

We met with Comcast, MTV, DirecTV, Turner Broadcasting, ESPN, Bounce and others to solidify those all-important media relationships and, of course, attended lots of cocktail parties at the Hard Rock and the Hilton Bayfront. It was phenomenal to see some of my dearest friends and colleagues and competitors – I love the Direct Response industry!

Each year, I try to help inventor and product developers learn more about what it takes to sell a product on TV and roll it out. Last year, I gave a DRTV 101 presentation that covered the basics. This year, 2012, I wanted to put together a blue ribbon panel of DRTV superheroes and have each of them explain an aspect of Direct Response Television marketing. BJ Fazielli of BJ Global Direct explained cost of goods and overseas sourcing. Al Diem, of Hampton Direct, explained licensing deals and royalties, Doug Frankel, of Broadcast Communications Media, explained media metrics and testing philosophies and Manish Israni, of Telebrands, spoke about the Telebrands product evaluation process and how inventors should pitch their products effectively. I asked some tough questions of the panel because I promised the audience high level information that they could not get anywhere else.

Here are five trends and tips learned from Response Expo 2012:

1. TV still reaches a mass audience and can target specific niches in a way that no other medium does. For any type of full roll out – marketers need TV.

2. Media rates have remained fairly flat, but the economy seems to be doing a little better.

3. Great DR marketers are working on new tracking and metric models as TV drives consumers to traditional inbound telemarketing as well as web, mobile and home shopping. New methods are being developed to track the web sales generated by TV. Traditional MER metrics just calculated from telephone calls do not give the full picture.

4. Hispanic DRTV marketing requires a specialist and many Hispanic homes still speak Spanish at home to preserve the culture even though they speak good English.

5. Celebrities can help – but they must be right for the product and must love the product.

Please check out my DRTV Media blog here for the latest news, updates and trends in the wacky, wonderful world of Infomercials and Direct Response.

2011 Housewares Show Inventor Pavillion

I’m here in Chicago at the Housewares Show. Each year myself and other top direct response experts help inventors evaluate their products. With me, will be a blue ribbon panel with friends from AllStar Marketing, QVC, and Thane Direct among others. It’s always a great time to see old friends and help the inventors understand the marketing of the wacky, wonderful world of infomercials. I always have a great time. Last year I bumped into legend Ron Popeil walking the floor seeking funding for a new project! There’s money to be made, and I wish all of the inventors much success. At InfoWorx Direct we have helped startups throughout our history, and we are always there for you.

Infomercial Cost Per Order

For over 18 years, I have been coaching, consulting and assisting my clients with every aspect of their infomercial projects.  Direct response selling is a science.  This means that in order to achieve infomercial success you must understand the concept of an allowable or cost per order. 

To scientifically optimize product sales, you must test different offers, different premiums, and different messaging.  One of the biggest mistakes newbies make over and over is to simply test one offer with one premium instead of multiple tests.  Edison tested over 6000 different filament materials while inventing the light bulb.  The most successful infomercial offfers are tested over and over before a roll out.  So, do the math, be patient, and test, test, test!

Ron Perlstein – Infomercial Producer

You know….when I started in this business (1992) an infomercial was a half hour program that combined information and a sales message for a product.   Back in the day, no one called a direct response commercial an “infomercial.”  Nowadays, the term is thrown around willy nilly for just about any advertising that makes a direct pitch to the consumer.  Having explained this business to thousands of marketers, product developers and inventors, it’s clear that everyone is looking for the cheapest, fastest and best way to launch a new product and bring it to market.

The classic infomercial, a half hour program that informs, entertains and sells is still the best format to achieve faster, cheaper, better.  Especially if you are reaching out to baby boomer and older audiences. Yes, it’s true that my son’s generation (he’s 22) uses the Internet and mobile devices for information.  But us old folks who have been brought up with Ozzie and Harriett, The Fonz, or even Seinfeld still love to watch TV for entertainment, information, and shopping from home.

There’s much power in the half hour and we can produce shows for as little as $30,000.00.  Airtime for half hours can be as lttle as $10.00, so the idea that half hour infomercials cost more then short form direct response commercials is not correct.  There are usually several long form infomercials airing with great success in a talk show format.  Why? Because viewers stop to listen to information that interests them.

Check back to blog frequently and I’ll give you many more insights into how to make the most with little or low budgets.