Though traditional TV infomercials of the past had the taint of tawdry, they now have the stamp of public approval. They are no longer just for the Tae-bo, Turbo Cookers or the Bun and Thigh Rocker, but are currently sanctioned by respectable authors, celebrity chefs, and speakers--and people like you. With the advent of Internet geniuses Mike Koenigs and Rocket Helstrom, a whole new generation of infomercials, called online direct response video, have come of age--on websites.



With more than 120 million homes worldwide accessing the Internet through high speed broadband connections you no longer have to give away half of your earnings to a big infomercial production company. You can do it yourself, in your home or office, and keep all the profits. Here are 5 ways that you can use this state-of-the-art technology as your new sales letter strategy.

1. Do a talk show demo.

Many TV show producers and bookers want to see you live before booking you on their show--especially at the level of Oprah, The View or Good Morning America. You need to be a proven commodity as producers can't take a chance that you'll freeze, ramble or bore their audiences. Your demo should have the camera trained on you, in a professional looking setting, with a few shots of the interviewer asking you precise questions. Make sure your answers are about 15 seconds and leave no doubt that people won't reach for the remote.

2. Do a mini-course.

As an alternative or in addition to your newsletter you can give a course over a month, a year or anything in-between. A mini-course is a way to let viewers get to know you leisurely, to trust you over time. One of my clients decided to do a series of 3 minute talks that can be downloaded once a month for a year. Once she's shot them all she can give her viewers the option to buy the whole course on CD instead of waiting for the monthly tip. You create an instant product that puts money in your bottom line. If people want the information gratis they wait. Their choice.

3. Do an interview.

Want prospective clients to know more about you, your business, your book, your product or your cause? Do an in-depth interview about all the aspects of what you're selling that would be of importance to your audience. You can cover both obvious and hidden objections, tout benefits, inform, entertain and instruct in a few short minutes. You can do a live FAQ and speak directly to your viewers. Seeing you eye to eye gives people confidence. I don't know about you, but I never trust a website that doesn't have photographs of the

people running the company or of the staff. I want to get an image, an impression of the person I'm dealing with. With video, you give people a chance to get a gut reaction and make a decision as to whether they want to do business with you.

4. Do testimonials.

Having other people use your product or service and expound its virtues is perhaps the best way to influence your audience. For Kathan Brown, founder of Crown Point Press, the world's premier printmaking/etching studio, I interviewed artists on-camera who had worked in her studio producing etchings of the finest quality. They simultaneously discussed their experiences working at Crown Point Press and how Kathan made a space, both physically and creatively, where ideas could live and breathe. The artists each talked about the process of how the art pieces they produced came into being with the help of Kathan's master printers. You got both the insider's view from famous artists and a look at their own inner creative process. We shot the artists in front of the work they were discussing so the viewer could have a visceral experience of both. The result? Very exciting.

5. Do a product demo.

One of my clients is going to set up a demo for his product so he can show prospective customers every aspect and detail of how his patented product works. His market is Walgreens and Walmart as well as direct consumers so he can reach a range of prospective buyers. In fact, he's already in negotiation with QVC to do a TV infomercial. So it can work both ways, especially since the TV buying audience may not be the same as the Internet buying audience. You can have an infomercial on your site and have a TV infomercial, too. Double exposure, double profits.

Copyright (c) 2006 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.