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In fact, TV offers direct mail practitioners two critical benefits. First, its communication power is unequalled. So when you need to break through in your communication, television is often the best option. Television is also unique in "reaching out" to consumers by introducing them to products they'd never considered before.
TV Doesn't Have to Be On-Air to Have Impact
Let me be clear that all forms of television are helpful for direct mail — on-air, in the mail and online. Even niche categories can benefit from the unique TV opportunity.
For example, the mailed DVD can have more impact than its online counterpart. Why? In part, online transmission typically loses more than half of TV's communication power. Online transmission fails too often. But perhaps even more importantly, a DVD is a physical item that carries your message merely by its existence.
In a recent B-to-B campaign, Graham Medical used our TV to help introduce the MegaMover Transport Chair, a compact, disposable patient transporter for paramedics (Archive code #397-717841-0905; see thumbnails below). Potential purchasers were sent a DVD, a trial offer and directed to distributors. The DVD not only got their attention, but the DVD was passed to the approval chain — usually safety committees. Because these committees had physical DVDs, they saw more persuasive TV and viewed it in a more persuasive environment — as a team.
On-Air Lead Generation ... Let People Sign Up to Be on Your List
When your market is big enough for broadcast, lead generation with direct response TV is very effective. Our clients at System Pavers, who create custom paving stone driveways, and White's Electronics, famous for metal detectors, use TV in this role. In both these campaigns, TV "reaches out" to new people — people who would never be reached effectively with lists.
Why? In part because relaxing in their living rooms, viewer minds are more open to new ideas. And by letting the viewer call for a brochure or consultation, these companies put their consumers in control and their ensuing direct mail is more likely to be read.
All Your Television Should Be Online
Any TV you create should also be used online. But, there are some critical lessons about online video that the broad market has yet to learn. Importantly, despite "viral video" hype, online TV can't live by itself. If it's to be effective, you have to drive viewership through your website, mail, email, PR and other campaigns.
Say Something Meaningful in Your Online Video
In a fit of collective attention disorder, we are often told that "online video must be short." I disagree. And I'm not alone. In a surprising result, a recent study showed that when viewing commercial clips online, younger audiences prefer longer clips — and that's exactly the young audiences we're told won't listen to long messages.
We find this to be true every time. For the recently released U•beTM salon hair weave product, we created a 12-minute in-store piece that lives online in a short section and a long section. Online, the long "how-to" section is viewed six times more often than the short piece. Why? I think it's because online viewers want answers, and they know that "how-to" video is usually where valuable information can be found most often.
In the aftermath of the recession, direct mail is regaining its importance. Especially now that studies are showing that well-executed direct mail campaigns readily outperform most of the new media. And that means there's no better time than right now to begin to make persuasive TV a core part of your direct mail campaigns.
Doug Garnett is a pioneer in the branded use of DRTV as well as founder and CEO of Atomic Direct — an advertising agency specializing in brands, consumer strategy, infomercials and all forms of driving sales with television. He has developed DRTV campaigns for established brands like AT&T, AAA, DuPont and Rubbermaid, as well as new or emerging brands like the Drill Doctor, White's Electronics and Kreg Tool. Doug is also an adjunct professor of advertising in the business school at Portland State University. For more information, visit www.atomicdirect.com.
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