Direct
Response TV Branding
Why does my DRTV product need
a web site?
Unless you are the exception that proves the rule,
if you are marketing a product in 2006 – you
MUST have a web site. Much has been written about
the dawning retail revolution known as multi-channel
marketing (type “multi-channel marketing”
in Google for more information). The fact is, the
web is too important not to include in your channel
mix.
Consider recent statistics:
Web sites (38%) are practically on par with stores
(41%) as the primary place for multi-channel shoppers
to research products, according to a study by ForeSee
Results and FGI Research, conducted during the December
2004 holiday season.
In 2004, 83.4 million US consumers researched products
online then purchased offline.
Obvious advantages include the ability to serve customers
24/7, across time zones, languages and cultures –
through the use of automated systems that enable you
to pitch your product, in broadcast quality (using
video and sound), accept orders and process payments!
Make money while you sleep – it’s a beautiful
thing.
Why DRTV tools vs. the other
guys
DRTVtools will give your DRTV product a better chance
at success.
Four reasons:
1. We specialize. We don’t
make TV spots. We don’t place media. We don’t
operate call centers. We create strong product identities
– using three decades of experience to build
smart product strategies and apply to web communications,
branding and packaging.
2. Like you, we are entrepreneurs.
We are driven by love of the game. We hand select
a few projects per quarter and do what it takes
to win. Our principles produce your project, not
junior staffers – so you get the first string
team.
3. We are lean and mean. Our decentralized
structure means that we don’t carry massive
overhead like the big shops do (by the way, it’s
you – their customer, who pays that bill).
That means you buy just the services you need. You
get top quality work and your dollars go farther.
4. We use next next generation technologies:
Cheaper. Faster. Better. There’s a divide in
the programming world that goes something like this:
Microsoft dominated web programming tools for all
of the 1990’s. During that time, a whole bunch
of programmers learned how to program using these
tools. They know how to use a hammer – now all
the world is a nail. This is leading folks down an
expensive road that you really want to avoid. The
Microsoft model is notoriously buggy, unstable and
expensive to maintain (much less upgrade!). For most
applications, it represents yesterday’s technology.
Linux, Unix and other open source platforms, in most
cases, offer a far better solution. But don’t
take our word for it – Type in “Windows
vs. Unix” in Google and read some of the advantages/disadvantages
articles. Eye opening. More on the available options
that best fit your specific needs when we talk.
What does web development
cost?
This is also a tough one to answer because of a multitude
of variables. But we can break down the steps and
provide cost ranges. Assuming we have “the bricks”
to apply (see What does brand development cost?),
then we have a good start.
Applying these components to an e-commerce
web site requires some or all of the following:
Strategic planning – Assessment
of site requirements: positioning, ecommerce capabilities,
data collection and other functionality
Site architecture – Site
map development detailing navigation, functionality,
scope and flow of content
Style sheet development –
Stylistic templates dictating navigation structures
and graphics applications based on brand criteria
Content application – Copy,
illustration and photographic imagery required to
present product positioning messaging
Layout and design – Assembly
and application of brand components, style sheets
and content
Functionality programming – ecommerce
and other functionality on a stable, robust, always-on
platform
Web site development timeline: 4
to 16 weeks (average – through site launch)
Web site development cost range:
$4,000 – $40,000+ (depending on scope, complexity
and functionality requirements) A simple, single product
ecommerce site runs on the low end of this range and
can be assembled in about 4 weeks. Complex automation
features add dollars and time to the process. |
