Most of my encounters with infomercials have happened when I’ve been ill. Why else would I be up late enough to actually watch one? After about two o’clock in the morning, the TV options narrow to half-hour “programs” about diet pills, exercise programs, zit medicine, a blanket with sleeves (like I would wear that to a football game) or a “magic” mini-blender. I don’t care to watch any of them, but I want some background noise while I sip my soda, so I pick one and try to ignore it. After ten minutes, I realize I’m not ignoring it. The presenter is over-the-top enthusiastic and sort of tacky. The demonstrations are pretty obviously “enhanced”, and the testimonials are probably paid…a pretty lame production all around. Then, after about twenty minutes, I start to change my mind. Yes, these people are awful actors, but who doesn’t want an appliance that can make salsa in fifteen seconds? My life would be so much better with fifteen second salsa. The presenter says, “is your blender a nightmare to clean?” and I realize that my blender hasn’t been truly clean in about a year. They slash their price from forty dollars to twenty and throw in an extra set of cups AND a knife that can saw a shoe in half. Then they tell me that their offer is only available for the next five minutes and, after I place my order, I understand how this tacky and obnoxious industry makes billions of dollars a year. They are marketing geniuses. Not every business makes products that are right for the direct-marketing infomercial format, but everyone can take a few tips from these marketing gurus and use them to their benefit. Here’s what we can learn from infomercials:

1. Ask questions. One of the most powerful ways to inspire an emotional response in a potential customer is to ask them questions about their own life. This instantly makes your product and your offer more personal and helps them to imagine their life as it is and how much better it would be with your product.
2. Give demonstrations. Sometimes it’s hard for customers to visualize and fully comprehend all fifteen of the different ways they could use your product when all they have to go on is a photo. Make a demonstration video to go with your product or take pictures of the many things it can do.
3. Provide testimonials. Customers like to hear what people like them have to say about your products. If you don’t have a ready collection of testimonials to use, you might want to give a few products out in exchange for honest feedback. Any positive reviews can be used in your ads.
4. Sweeten the deal. Most infomercials will begin advertising their products at a slightly inflated price with the intention of cutting the cost at the end of the ad. Many of them will even throw in a second product on top of the price cut to make the deal completely irresistible.
5. Tell people what you want them to do. Most people will tell you that they don’t like being told what to do, but their purchase habits will usually prove otherwise. When customers are watching television or surfing the internet, they aren’t always fully engaged in what they are doing and, despite what they think, they are much more receptive to commands. That’s why so many websites and commercials will throw in a call to action like “reserve your copy today”, “click here”, or “buy now” – customers are much more likely to do what you want if you tell them to.
6. Create a sense of urgency. Every infomercial that I’ve ever seen places a time limit on their offer, whether it’s real or not. Most people don’t really think the offer will be off the table if they don’t “call now”, but even the tiniest sliver of doubt can inspire customers to take action.