Can TV Sell the Soap?

Can TV sell the soap?

Since 98 percent of households own a television, and people spend an average of 15 hours or 38 percent of the week in front of television, what would be your conclusion to the above question?

Television is indeed one of the most dynamic mediums that can deliver a greater reach than almost any other vehicle. The use of color, visuals and sound can enhance the impact of the advertising message and can influence people's brand preference. It can reveal more about a product or service merely by adding the elements of motion and sound, which cannot be achieved in print advertising. Furthermore, television provides time of day and scheduling options, which allow for flexibility in choosing a targeted audience. Daytime audiences of soap operas, for example, are clearly a different demographic from evening news watchers.

Budgeting Your Time

The simplest method to figure out what television programming to buy is to meet with your local television sales reps. You'll need to tell them what market you're trying to reach, specific demographics, income and what budget you have to spend. They can make recommendations based on your specific needs.

Some of the considerations to keep in mind are being aware of seasonal rate fluctuations (second quarter rates are considerably lower than first quarter), and getting the most reach out of your budget. You can make a budget work more for you by running a heavy three-day schedule every other week than buying a small full week schedule. And you're better off committing to a schedule for a full quarter rather than a month at a time. It's hard to truly test the effectiveness of a campaign in only a few weeks. Plus, if you commit to a longer schedule, you can usually negotiate slightly better rates, which can also yield better time slots.

Sometimes you can stretch a budget even further by seeking co-op funds. Some vendors or manufacturers will actually help underwrite a percentage of the Television advertising costs if you meet certain criteria. Some require a minimum level of sales; others request specific representation in the television spot. For instance, some vendors may require that you mention their name a certain number of times and show their logo. Check with your vendors and request their co-op information packets, which should provide you with a complete guide.

The most practical television commercial is 30 seconds in length, plenty of time to deliver an expanded sales message detailing a product or service. The spot should contain the store or product name at least three or four times and the location of your business. It needs to include your unique selling proposition such as a special sale or unusual offer and a call to act soon. Plus it should make a good impression to gain attention.

Approach the Senses

Okay, so what sells the soap specifically? Humor is a great attention-getter and can help to make the audience remember your message. Think of the dialoguing frogs in the Budweiser commercials. The only problem with humor is that it's very difficult to write truly funny spots -- so unless you have a really great creative team, don't even try!

Another extremely persuasive method is to use demonstrations that visually explain how a product or service works. Testimonials, which show loyal customers attesting to the virtues of a product, can work very well to convince an audience and change people's perceptions. The use of "characters" can also help solidify an identity for a product, but it can take many months or a very large budget to establish this approach.

A good script can make the production of your spot much easier. Make sure the message is simple, clear and uncluttered. If you want to communicate a conservative image, choose softer colors and a softer focus. For a more contemporary, avant-garde impression, select more vibrant colors and use a sharper focus. For example, red is probably the most vibrant color and can convey a sense of youth and vitality but it can also "bloom" or vibrate on a television screen, so it should be used judiciously. Blue is a friendlier color, more traditional, and probably one of the most popular colors for winning people over.

To achieve the best results once you begin to run a television schedule, you need to coordinate your efforts with your staff. Make sure your salespeople are well informed about the television offerings. Keep them informed about the times and dates of the campaign and preview the commercials for them. You'll also want to highlight the items or services in store. You might want to have posters, window signs, video displays or TV commercials running on monitors to help reinforce the message. An obvious concern is to make sure you can fulfill orders with enough back-up stock on hand.

To prove that your television advertising is a wise investment, set up some form of measuring feedback. A simple approach is asking customers how they heard about your shop or product. Some businesses incorporate an incentive within their advertisement such as a free offering or a discounted item. Then when the customer mentions seeing the television spot, you can track these comments. Another response mechanism is to include a request for the order within the ad and a phone number to call. When the ad runs, the number of phone calls should increase!

Peggy Sealfon, owner of Naples-based advertising agency Sealfon & Associates, has written on a variety of topics for national magazines and newspapers.