How to Sell a Product on Cable Television
You've got the hottest idea since sliced bread and enough money to take a shot at selling it. If visual appeal and an over-the-top sales pitch are your idea of how to excite consumers, you can't beat cable TV. It's relatively cheap and you can even be your own star. Feeling insecure? Think about car dealers. No broadcast school for them, yet they manage to pull off their ads with aplomb. So can you.
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Instructions
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1
Watch cable TV commercials. Make notes about what you like and what you don't. Evaluate the talent, presentation style and effectiveness of each. Record the commercials that stand out and review them multiple times to see what is worth emulating.
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2
Choose a format based on conclusions reached in Step 1. Consider 1) testimonials (happy consumers sell your product), 2) interviews (one-on-one conversations), 3) celebrity endorsements (the mayor explains why she uses your product), 4) case histories (before and after using your idea) or 5) demonstrations (think Ginsu® knives).
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3
Meet with local cable TV sales representatives to obtain rate cards for each station. Expect to be offered pricey, predictable time slots, run of station (the station picks the air times but you save money and get more exposure) or station packages assembled to lure new clients. Select from standard 15-, 20-, 30- and 60-second spots or an infomercial slot that typically runs half an hour.
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4
Hire a professional writer to script your ad. Save money by paying a broadcast journalism student to do the job or ask if the station offers script-writing services as part of a package. Insist on doing it yourself? Use this rule of thumb: Write 75 words per 30 seconds or 135 words per minute and you'll generate the right amount of copy. For long infomercials, write small blocks of copy to be repeated regularly during the half hour.
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5
Issue multiple calls to action. Tell viewers where and how they can order your product repeatedly by splashing your toll-free number and website address across the screen. As a rule of thumb, repeat ordering instructions verbally two times per minute of run time.
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6
Hire talent if you don't plan to star in your ad. Invite only men and women with cable TV ad experience to an open audition. Select the man or woman who looks and sounds best, but don't rely solely on your opinion. Get reactions from others before making your selection.
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Produce the commercial at the cable TV station studios, a commercial studio or at an on-site location. A living room that's properly lit offers an inexpensive environment for filming---just as long as trains and street noises don't intrude.
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Keep it upbeat and honest. Claims and data in your cable TV ads must be on the up and up if you're to avoid any hint of impropriety. Pump up the copy with too many claims and you're inviting the scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission. Additionally, the Electronic Retailing Association works hard to protect consumers from false and misleading claims so do all you can to avoid attracting these watchdogs.
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