Infomercials are a way to advertise that product that you just know in your heart is a winner! Another word used for infomercials is DRTV or Direct Response Television. In DRTV, there is a call –to-action with a telephone number inviting the consumer to call and place an order. Let’s go step by step as to what it takes to produce and air an infomercial. But keep in mind the one word that becomes three – Repetition, Repetition, Repetition!

There are two types of infomercials. The long form infomercial is around 20 - 30 minutes in length. This is quite costly to air as the client will have to book 30 minute airing slots. In long form the price point of the product or service is normally higher and thus a bit more difficult sell. The most common infomercial is the short form which is 30, 60, or 120 seconds long. It is more cost-effective to air and is generally a little easier to sell as the price point hovers around $19.99 and less.

First – there is the product. Does it satisfy a need? Is there anything out there like it? One thought is to take an already successful product, improve upon it and launch your campaign. Another is to come up with that little trinket or tool or product that no one has thought of, something novel, yet useful.

Next – the copywriting. The copy must be crisp and to the point, allowing for every question as to ‘why this product is terrific’ to be answered. It should allow for the product to be shown in its application and explain why every household needs it or will love it.

Third- there is the shoot. You must arrange for the product to be shot showing it in its application with a strong presenter. This is where professional talent factors in. Your on-camera spokeswoman or man can be someone well known or someone not so famous who has great delivery. Some companies opt for high profile celebrities as their endorsers, but others simply do not have that type of budget and look to strong local talent. Look at the successful infomercials airing. Generally, there is a personality type that sells!

The shoot(s) may take place in a studio, on location, or a combination of both. It may or may not contain testimonials. In long form, testimonials are almost a necessity as this is a higher ticket item and consumers are more reluctant to order unless they are thoroughly convinced of its necessity in their lives.
Once the shoot has been completed, it is time to lay down the voice tracks. Here again, a strong, reputable voice-over talent is important as delivery is key to success.

An infomercial website must be developed as many of the orders will come via the web. It is estimated that between 30-50% of potential consumers will look to the web for product ordering after seeing the product on television. An infomercial website is quite specific and looks nothing like a regular corporate website. It should be one page with an order form on the front, the video of the product, and a method that accepts credit cards. “In and out” is the motto for an infomercial website. You have a captive purchaser and it should be simple reading, show a video of the product, be easy to navigate, and easy to pay. If this site points to another site with additional products, there is the risk of consumer confusion and a decline in sales or ‘drop-off’ will normally take place.

Upsells and Premiums. Everyone likes the word ‘free’. In DRTV, it has become standard to offer freebies or other products that compliment the featured item at a discount. While a single product can be sold, consumers are accustomed to these add-ons and are often more likely to purchase multiples or additional products if given the option.

The test. Now you are ready for the testing phase. This is where media placement factors in. Your dollars must be invested wisely so as to get a cross section sampling of your strongest markets and networks. The buying power for DRTV skews toward women. They are primarily the ones doing the purchasing and believe it or not, a strong time for ordering products is on overnight airings.

Testing should be spread out over several networks, using historical successes with similar products, as the basis for determining the media placement. Once the test is complete, an MER report is issued giving the return on investment.  It is at this juncture that the ad, the talent, the media placement is then analyzed in order to ‘tweak’ and perfect the campaign. Once modifications have been made, it is time to either re-test or roll out. ‘Roll out’ means that the product has shown its success and you are ready for the more major networks and a larger advertising campaign.

Back to that word ‘Repetition’. Advertising on both television and radio has taught us that on average it takes three times for a consumer to see or hear a product before they initiate a call. It’s part of the branding process. More airings send a subliminal message to the consumer that this product or company is successful. It provides a comfort level. The more airings, the greater the likelihood of success.

There is no way to gauge whether a product will or will not become successful. Sometimes a dark horse proves to be a winner. Sometimes a product does not perform well on television and is best suited for retail. The testing phase is a good barometer of whether there is indeed a market for the product. Economy, time of year, type of product, all play an instrumental factor in ordering. There are many variables. The key is to isolate those variables and turn them into an advantage.

The major infomercials that you see are often backed by large corporations with strong budgets but many an inventor gets his product to the masses through investors or funding from a small business center or bank. The cost for a short form is normally around $40, 000 from start to test phase. For long form, it is higher – approximately $150K.

When choosing your infomercial company, be prudent as some companies do not make good on their promises. One that pressures you or proclaims that you have a hit is surely a red flag. Beware of those companies who take your money and never air you. Beware if you’ve handed over a large sum of money and production tends to lag for months on end. These are all warning signs.