Social media is putting the “wow” in direct response mar- keting for companies such as Allstar Products Group and
pitchmen like Vince Offer. During the
past few years, Allstar —marketers of the
Snuggie and Topsy Turvy, among other
successes — and Offer, the Sham Wow
pitchman, have effectively utilized Internet and mobile applications to positively
attract consumer attention and increase
sales and — like others in their field —
are learning how to re-engineer some of
the previous direct marketing techniques
used by well-known names like Ron Popeil and Billy Mays.
In a testament to social media’s growing
importance, three out of four marketers estimate their social and digital expenditures will
increase in 2011, according to a recent Alterian
survey examining brand engagement. Success
for companies and individuals like Allstar and
Offer is due in part to the unique environments
that social Web sites offer and marketers’ understanding of how to correctly implement those
resources and increase sales by turning a product
into entertaining, social phenomena.
“We view social media as a longer-term branding strategy
and less as a direct retail push; social media enhances the
brand,” says Anne Flynn, vice president of marketing for
Allstar Products Group. “I think the best thing we’ve done
(in 2010) is to listen to our fans and to provide them with the
content they want — whether that’s new product news or tips
or offers. And (social media) initiatives such as the Snuggie
Choice Film Awards have helped fuel engagement.”
Continued >
Making ‘Friendly’ Conversation
The beauty of social media platforms is that by their nature, they alleviate the risk direct response marketers face in
capturing and keeping consumers’ attention all the way from
the initial pitch through to the final call-to-action. Most
social-networking sites are already prevalent in the day-to-day
lives of the majority of tech-savvy consumers. Therefore, the
