Video Copy That Sells: Here's a World-Class Example You Can See Two Days Before It Airs Nationwide - and, The Cost Is Real-World, Not Out of This World!

Most super-cool marketers sniff that the day of the infomercial has come and gone.  And in a way, they're right.  For most businesses and most products, the $100,000-plus launch budget just to test a new show is an unacceptably high risk.

But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Video has always been a great way to sell, and still is.  You just need to find the right deal for what you're doing.

Bob Andrews is a graduate of the Tactic 7 seminar I recently gave with John Carlton and Harlan Kilstein.  Bob and his wife Nancy own The Golf Collection, a successful and profitable business.  They have and use a marketing budget, but a traditional infomercial just wouldn't be a good idea for them at this time, for many reasons.

However, they found a very good opportunity with America One, a broadcast network with stations in smaller U.S. markets.

Take a look at the infomercial segment Bob filmed with the America One host earlier this month.  It will start airing on September 1 and will replay in a number of markets across the U.S. for the month of September.

Not only is it affordable - I'll leave it to Bob or America One to tell you exact rates, if they choose to, but it's well within the range of a smaller business's marketing budget - but I think the 'copy' (dialogue) and production value are both excellent.  There's plenty in this spot that any business can learn from and adapt to their own marketing.

I believe that, unlike a lot of infomercials or traditional shorter TV commercials, this spot will sell a lot of product itself, and quickly.  My prediction is it will pay for itself in multiples -- and yet, it's fun to watch.

I'll follow up and let you know what Bob tells me it did after the month is over.

Here are three things in particular to note about the clip:

• Bob's personal story about the golf glove, when he reached into water to pick up a ball
• The "computer-illiterate father-in-law" story about the GPS unit
• The interaction between the host and Bob

There are many more good things about this video.  If you'd like to point out what you like -- or don't like -- just leave a comment below.

David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter

Comments

[Ronda Del Boccio]

Hey - did you know you have "infomerical" above? :D

What stood out most for me was the power of stories and how much those stories made the products stand out. Everybody loves stories; they pull us into any conversation, even if the topic isn't of special interest. I also thought it was good that the website was mentioned early on, then a screenshot, then at the end again as a frame without it being "harped on" during the interview.

Ronda Del Boccio
Author, copywriter, teacher, coach
who happens to also be a legally blind proofreader
http://ipushusteer.blogharbor.com

[David Garfinkel]

Thanks, Ronda!

And the day a legally blind proofreader is finding typo's I missed... is the day I need to start being a little more careful with my blog posts before I publish them!

LOL

Thanks so much

David

P.S. I went back to the post, found the typo, and fixed it. So if any other reader is looking for it, it is long gone by now!

[Ronda Del Boccio]

Nice hearing your voice on Ben Mack's Legend Platform call! That was a great teleseminar.

I appreciate your blog because I can always learn something valuable.
Thanks,
Ronda Del Boccio
part of the team at www.AwakenTheAuthorWithin.com

[Copywriter, Kevin Francis]

Hi David,

Interesting case study. Agree with Ronda, the stories drew me in even though I'm not a golfer.

Also, the products themselves were prominently featured, taking advantage of the visual aspect.

There's a great Discovery Channel DVD called "Gadgetmania" which is all about infomercials and worth checking out for anyone interested in the field.

As an aside, I'd agree with you that infomercials like this can be surprisingly affordable. Down here in Australia, I'm working with a client who is running 3 minute slots like the one in your example on national daytime TV. We actually got the infomercial filmed at no extra cost when we bought the airtime.

We're exploring other media packages to run the ad in different segments of the market.

Results have been quite good so far, certainly comparable to the traditional direct mail campaign that we run. The initial cost, however, is somewhat higher (but we're not talking anywhere near $100,000!!).

[David Garfinkel]

Just found out from a friend that a true infomercial pioneer, Arthur Schiff, died last week.

Mr. Schiff invented the name for Ginsu Knives (it sounds Japanese, but it was actually made up in a flash of inspiration at 3 a.m. one morning).

Over his career, he wrote over 3,000 long-form TV commercials.

Here's an acknowledgment to a great and influential copywriter. Anyone who runs an infomercial has probably been influenced by him directly or indirectly and owes Mr. Schiff a debt of gratitude.

[Howard Campbell]

David,

You've been kind to track my progress in my PhD. I hope you won't be disappointed in me, but I had to drop my "Writing For Promotions" graduate class...

I was fearful I would do physical harm to the professor and criminal prosecutions might undermine my funding for next year. In the one class I attended, I learned:

Ads "full of text" aren't effective.

I asked her what was the basis of her statement.

Her proof was simply that her previous professors at Rice University told her so.

I know you're disappointed I won't be able to bring the wellspring of cutting-edge tactics from academia into your blog, but I'm afraid I can't control my emotions well enough to stave off actions that might require the maintenance crews to use bleach on the floors. And, you know how much I hate the smell of bleach.

Best,

Howard

[David Garfinkel]

Howard,

Good choice to drop the class.

I know from conversation that there really was a professor at one of the Universities that Newsweek calls one of "The New Ivies" who told you, straightfaced and with conviction, that text ads really aren't effective and "the best way to put someone to sleep is with a page full of text."

Yes, newspapers, magazines and book publishers have been relying on this wisdom for years.

... NOT!

Anyway, glad you dropped the class before you were forced to do something untoward.

David

[John A. Manley]

David,

I liked the way they managed to weave in a lot of benefits without it sounding like a sales pitch.

The interviewee seems so relaxed. It doesn't have any of that "I need you to buy from me" feeling.

John
http://www.realitycopywriting.com
http://www.naturalpersuasionmarketing.com