TV viewership is not anymore a focused, quiet family time as it was long ago. Lower attention spans, simultaneous usage of electronic devices and multitasking are well documented realities. What's the impact on DRTV and what are examples of easy solutions that can be implemented in light of this new reality?

1. How to Solve A
Problem All DRTV
Advertisers Have
Written by Eddie Treizman.
Eddie is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Dial800, a
Marketing Optimization firm helping companies run more
profitable Direct Response campaigns.

2. "Honey...What was the
phone number on that
commercial?"

3. TV viewership is not anymore a focused, quiet
family time as it was long ago. Lower attention
spans, simultaneous usage of electronic devices
and multitasking are well documented realities.
For example, Forbes reports that Using A Second
Screen While Watching TV Is The New Normal.
Market Research firm TNS Global surveyed 55,000
internet users from 50 countries in their Connected
Life 2014 report. They found that 41% of
respondents watch TV while visiting social sites
such as Facebook, using email or shopping online
("screen stacking").

4. Discovering the opportunities that this trend
creates for Digital Marketers, as well as the
challenges that it presents to traditional media
advertisers in terms of media attribution, are some
of the key topics of common discussion.
The impact of Second Screen viewership on
Direct Response TV advertisers is less frequently
discussed, but requires serious consideration due
to its potential effects in the form of:
a) Suboptimal media budget performance and
sales
b) Higher average costs per order

5. THE PROBLEM
Been here before?: You sit on the couch to relax
and watch your favorite program. Soon after, you
get three Facebook messages on your phone,
which you force yourself to ignore. Exactly at the
moment you feel something unexpected is about
to happen: Commercials!!!
Frustrated for the interruption you decide to
quickly reply to those messages, check email,
and listen to your spouse who wants your
attention for a very important "quick thing”.

6. In the midst of all that, the TV commercial catches your
eye. The product (or service) looks really useful, the
price is reasonable...and suddenly you start feeling the
desire to “Call Now”.
"Should I do it or not?” You finally decide to call…but,
by then, you can’t remember the phone number: Was it
877 something or 800 something?”...
“ Honey...What was the phone number
on that commercial? ”

7. Later that night you Google the product to try to buy it
online. At least 4 alternatives you didn't know about
come up. Now you feel the need to research each
one and read the reviews to find the best deal
possible. A few days pass and you still have not made
a purchase.
The scenario does not intend to oversimplify the many
factors that influence success in Direct Response.

8. It does speak clearly though to the problem that
traditional DRTV Advertisers in Consumable
Products, Health Care, Education, Financial or any
other "Call Now" type of vertical have:
Generate the maximum volume of calls possible
and find mechanisms to counteract their target
audience's increasing lack of attention.

9. The Solution: Build "Recall Ability"
A very simple, but often ignored, way to address
this need is to consider what I call the “Recall
Ability” that advertisers intrinsically build into their
spots. By this I mean:
- How easily can the average consumer respond
to the “Call Now”?
- How long after the spot ends will calls continue
to come?

10. For example, which of the following two
commercials do you think will generate more calls if
they play on the exact same stations and schedules:

11. Most certainly, all things being equal, the one on
the right will outperform the other in call traffic
volume and sales because of the higher "Recall
Ability" built in the spot by the Toll-Free used. It
requires viewers to remember only two things:
885 and 8000. Contrast that with the need to
remember seven unrelated digits.

12. IN CONCLUSION
Regardless of their industry, highly profitable TV (and Radio)
Direct Response advertisers know that:
• 1. They only have a few short seconds to get their buyers
mental attention and make it very easy for them to remember
how to call them back.
• 2. Increasing the "Recall Ability" of their Ads depends greatly
on using easy to remember (800) Toll-Free Numbers.
• 3. Highly memorable phone numbers are the actual conduits
that will generate the success they strive to produce.

13. Considering the significant time and resources invested in
creating successful DRTV campaigns, it makes sense to
reduce the chances of losing sales from willing buyers that
may say at the end of their spots:
“ Honey...What was the phone number on that Ad?”
Disclaimer: The choice of RapidRoaster is for illustration purposes only. It does not
represent a critique, endorsement or promotion of the product or the company responsible
for its production and marketing. I have never conducted business with them in the past.

14. HOW TO CONTACT EDDIE
Email: eddie.treizman@gmail.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/eddietreizman
Twitter: twitter.com/EddieTreizman
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Eddie Treizman is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Dial800, a
Marketing Optimization firm helping companies run more profitable Direct
Response campaigns. He enjoys blogging on LinkedIn about various
thought provoking topics. Unless otherwise noted, all statements or
opinions made reflect only his personal views.