A New Marketing Direction

Like the picture filled catalogues that first invaded our homes during the early days of mail order, infomercials now serve as standard fare on our televiewing menus.

In fact, references to "those late night things on TV" are no longer accurate, because infomercials now air and make money during daytime and mid-day hours as well as late night, selling every conceivable product, from Ginsu knives to Body by Jake.

Direct response television is faster and more effective than conventional mail order in marketing products direct to the end users for several reasons:

1. It's audio visual. Direct response television presents your sales message with both sound and pictures.
2. It's instantaneous. You can monitor your sales results seconds after your message is delivered.
3. It's cost-effective. Airing your infomercial may cost less than a conventional mail order campaign. Example: You can buy a half hour of airtime at WNEU and reach over 200,000 homes in Pittsburgh for around $200. With conventional mail order marketing, $200 will only buy 606 first class stamps. Add to that the cost of mailing lists, production, and printing of your mailing piece.

The future of marketing is in the consumer's own living room, in the TV set, where a new, more convenient way of shopping is taking shape.

For the advertiser, the reasons for using infomercials and DRTV are obvious. Producing a half-hour infomercial is a lot cheaper than opening a new store in the mall. And for a month's rent, an infomercial can be aired on cable stations that reach 60 million homes nationwide.

It is inexcusable for an entrepreneur to ignore infomercials and DRTV spots as integral parts of his marketing mix. At the same time, if you're looking for a new frontier with exceptional growth potential, DRTV is an exciting new territory with no boundaries - a territory that has all the ingredients you'll ever need for success