Are Direct Response TV Ads a Less Expensive Investment Than Postcards?

wooly chases cavemanThe earliest form of Direct Mail Campaigns was when a caveman would enlighten his fellow cavemen that an economic opportunity was coming their way. This was rapidly followed by print advertisements as a less risky alternative.

Postcards still work for many advertisers, but has the cost of TV commercial production dropped enough to make it as inexpensive as color postcards?

The answer is ‘Yes’. For the moment. Don’t ask during voting season, as the cost of TV air time dramatically increases!

But today, a top quality commercial from a real creative department, script, actors, studio, lights, camera, action can reach more people at less cost than postcards. (see below)

postcards vs tv postcards

What’s the catch?  Here are the facts:

FACT #1 – You can drop the cost of shooting and editing the commercial by 85% by using the Canon 5D or 7D, the cameras used to shoot the entire Season 6 finale of “House, M.D.”.

FACT #2
– The cost of airtime has dropped. Between political campaign seasons, the price of airtime drops back to “normal” and sometimes bargain levels. That’s happening right now.FACT #3 – To print and mail 6″ by 8″ color postcards to 44,000 households at least three times costs $66,969.   (printing, mailing list rental, postage)FACT #4 – For the same $66,969 you can reach 44,000 households twelve times with a 60-second commercial.FACT #5 – For $36,600 you can reach 44,000 households twelve times with a 30-second TV spot.

FACT #6 – Postcards have only color, still pictures and words to motivate the customer to act. They’re the silent salesperson. A frozen message.

FACT #7 – A TV commercial has color, music, voice, pictures, words, and emotional tones to really tantalize, demonstrate the problem, the solution and give them a real call to action to motivate the customer to act.

CONCLUSION: If your market development strategy doesn’t include TV, maybe it should. The facts are in your favor.

ADDED BENEFITS: You can use the TV commercials (spots) for your web marketing.

as_seen_on_TVBeing able to say “As seen on TV” on your website, adds tremendous stature, legitimacy and relevance to your web presence. It inspires confidence and trust.
If your sales department isn’t set up for a large spike of calls that occurs in the first ten minutes after your commercial airs, it’s important to set up the following:

call center

  • a live, American call center (100 calls/minute)
  • an automated, email, incentive fulfillment system
  • an automated email system to send leads to your sales team.
  • It’s an automatic, one-stop solution to lead handling.
  • COST – Between $8 – 14k depending on your requirements.

Many business owners have probably figured that TV advertising was well out their grasp cost-wise, so may not have bothered even researching it. But if the cost of a comprehensive postcard campaign is within their reach, TV can be an excellent and cost-effective part of an effective marketing plan.

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