How Effective Are Infomercials? Questions and Answers

1. 

Do longer spots hold more credibility?

The first element of DRTV production (What is DRTV?) is that each and every infomercial or commercial spot has to be a full and complete, sales-oriented presentation – near the end of your spot, the viewers should have received enough information to feel comfortable making the purchase.

Presenting many different advantages, features, benefits, answering concerns and overcoming possible objections. Don’t loose a sale by leaving information out of your spot.

2. 

Is the focus the product, or the features?

Talking about your product or service is all your spot should be focused on – any time spent on anything else is a poor design choice.

3. 

Do longer TV spots perform better? (Infomercials vs commercials)

The longer your DRTV commercial is, the more effective it will prove to be. Period.

120-second commercials are more effective than 60-second commercials -
60-second commercials are more effective than 30-second commercials -
30-second commercials are more effective than 15-second commercials.

4. 

Do focus groups help with infomercial development?

Focus groups may help weed our weak areas of your DRTV commercial, although focus groups are not a true representation of how much buying power the commercial will have. Putting the preferences of focus-group viewers before the elements that makes potential viewing-consumers buy should not be mixed together.

5. 

Do customer testimonials work?

Viewers of your infomercial cannot touch or interact with the products the see on screen – as such having to display the product or service in ‘real-life’ situations is essential. Time and time again, customer testimonials have shown to help sell the product or service, and should be incorporated to help show the product or service in action.

6. 

Do infomercial demonstrations really sell product?

Having shots that show the product or service in action help captivate the audience and reinforce the need to purchase. Product demonstrations help seed the idea that these are devices that the buyer will be making use of in day-to-day situations, and help push the aspiration to purchase.

7. 

Can animation and graphics be dropped?

People tend to remember information better when they see and hear it – thus post-production graphics play an important role when reinforcing key points about the product or service you are presenting to them in an infomercial. A strong voice coupled with eye-catching graphics will have a powerful impact on a potential-consumer.

8. 

Does the offer help seal the deal?

If you want a good response from your DRTV commercial, a solid offer is paramount. A strong offer will mean the consumer may be missing-out on a deal, something consumers generally do not like to pass on.

9. 

Will my low-value product still sell?

The value of your offer is based on perceived value and not real value – a complimentary offer helps boost the perceived value.

10. 

Does the talent of the host matter?

Infomercial talent is an incredibly important aspect of the infomercial production process – a poorly chosen host alone has the potential to undersell the commercial and contribute to missed sales.

11. 

Infomercials seem repetitive, is that an important component?

Repetition is a key element in infomercial DRTV spots – if you want your viewers to remember the key selling points of the product of service, continued repetition of product or service highlights will help drive sales.

12. 

Does the infomercial host make a difference?

The spot host alone holds a lot of the selling power for the given DRTV spot. They need to be passionate and informed about the production, and need to be on-board about selling the idea. If the host isn’t enthusiastic about the product and offer, the buyer won’t be as well. Passion is contagious.

13. 

Does the infomercial need to be persuasive?

If your looking for people to purchase, persuasion must be part of the equation. Not many people sit down infront of a TV looking to buy something; that is why it’s important to persuade them that the product or service presented to them is worth their time, and money.

14. 

Do I need to asses all possible objections in the infomercial?

Fitting all possible objections into a spot may prove difficult considering the time constraints. Making a list of the biggest possible objections and including them into the production will help for the product to sell as the spot is watched, not later in time.

15. 

Are infomercial effective?

If your product or service is much better than the other one’s on the market, explain to the viewers why. Which features and what kind of innovation made your product or service better, give all reasons for the viewer to understand why your product is worth buying.

This will help increase the effectiveness of your infomercial, as well as help with your return on investment (ROI)

16. 

How can I establish credibility for my product and service?

Building and establishing credibility can be created via studies, testimonials and endorsements – it is crucial to consider these points especially with new market products and services.