Direct Response Marketing: Why It’s Even Better Than Branding

Direct response marketing is aimed at getting immediate responses from the user. To implement it on TV, marketers can use a toll-free number, a subscription link, a download URL, or any other call-to-action that can be used for direct response to the ad. Apart from being quite easy to implement and cost-effective, direct response TV marketing can deliver an ROI like no other.

Reasons to use direct response marketing 

Direct response marketing (DRM) is often compared to branding, but these methods differ significantly. The main point of this type of advertising is to encourage a customer to make fast decisions here and now. Unlike branding, which is usually a multistep strategy, showing ads that require a direct response can pay off immediately. These types of ads are easy to track and are relatively cheap. since you only pay for showing your ads to the right audience at the right time. Other benefits of direct response marketing include:. 

  1. Easy measurement

When a viewer takes action, a marketer receives detailed analytics – what ad was successful and on which channel the activity took place. This data helps track the outcome of the marketing action and provides a basis for optimization if necessary.

  1. Precise targeting

DRM is not about reaching out to as many people as possible, it is about addressing a specific audience, meaning that you only show your ads to  viewers who could be potentially interested in your offer and are likely to respond.

  1. CTV benefits included

Connected TV is becoming a major marketing channel that can’t be ignored when crafting a marketing strategy. For DRM, CTV is a perfect solution – non-skippable ads guarantee high completion rates, and the content is almost always relevant to the viewer.

What makes a perfect direct response ad, one that will lead a viewer to take actions?

1. Sufficient information

Provide as much information about your product as you can, especially if your product is new and not yet popular. But do it concisely in order to persuade the viewers that your product is worth their attention. 

2. Catchy offer

Describe not only the benefits of your product, but the advantages of the purchase. You should evoke the customers’ emotions, explain how a product will make their life easier, and highlight why it’s great to use the offer right now.

3. Compelling call-to-action

Of course, the main aim of direct response advertising is to make a viewer give that direct response, e.g. click, subscribe, download, share, purchase. Make it easy for the customer to act and encourage them to act without a second thought.

The best direct response ad makes a user click almost on impulse. Thus, the offer should leave no chances to resist – a task that is made easier by the precise targeting options available, letting you reach your intended audience. Unleash your creativity, be brief, but mention all the benefits of your product to tempt a prospect to act.

The takeaways

Direct response marketing is about making potential customers fall in love with your product at first sight. A catchy presentation, a persuasive call-to-action, and audience segmentation are the key elements of getting many responses and maximizing your ROI. However, if your marketing efforts are not as successful as you expect them to be from the start, don’t give up and approach your target audience once more – DRM is a common follow-up practice. Be creative, persistent and let direct response marketing bring you the desired results!