What motivates a person to buy a product?  Without getting into discussions on supply and demand, it all comes down to one word: value.

“What does this product mean to me?”

“Why should I choose this product over that one?”

“And why should I pay that much?”

As a marketer, you’d better have convincing answers to all these questions.  But telling your product’s whole story and overcoming barriers to purchase, all within the confines of a fleeting, 30-second commercial, is a tall order.

Enter, DRTV.

DRTV’s longer format – 60 seconds to a full two minutes – allows you to build value, which, not surprisingly, has to happen before a sale is going to occur.  A longer format commercial is perfect for effective storytelling.  It strikes up a longer conversation, and it engages the target with more compelling illustrations.  It educates consumers about your product or service.  It can identify problems, and pose solutions.  These spots don’t just allude to product features, they can explain and even demonstrate the benefits and advantages the target will experience.  All this builds value with every passing second.

More compelling stories build greater value.  As value increases, the issue of price decreases.  When you reach critical value, the barriers to purchase crumble.  And a sale is made.

Lest you conclude that DRTV is the realm of the slicers and dicers and kitchen magicians, none other than David Ogilvy has proclaimed that direct response was his first love, and later it became his secret weapon.  See for yourself.

Jim Madsen is a Copywriter at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America’s largest DRTV agencies.