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Why and How TV Advertising Works

By
Real Estate Agent with McGraw Realtors

You Gotta Have it!Don't Tell Me TV Advertising Doesn't Work and here's the reason why.  I know two people who, because of an ad they saw on TV, made a phone call and put certain things into motion in their lives.

The first gentleman is a friend of mine.  He has mesothelioma.  This is a cancer, usually of the lungs.  After spending most of his career around asbestos, he was recently diagnosed.  Not knowing what to do, he called the number on TV.  Since then, he's met with his new lawyer and somewhere around 40 more lawyers to talk about his case and come to settlement terms.

Case number two is another person I know.  They were injured terribly when they were younger and they now have a settlement that is received every so often.  Recently, there was not enough money in the budget to buy something they wanted, so what did they do?  They called a number they saw on TV for the Peachtree settlement folks.  After a couple of calls, they got their next settlement a year or so early and minus 30%.  Ouch!

Then there is me.  I am running TV ads this year as a part of program that my company was able to secure with one of our local channels.  It is a good deal.  Very affordable.  I've gotten some good exposure from the ads.  But the phone is not noticeably ringing any more than before I ran the ads. 

Why?  Why, in the first two cases, did they pick up the phone and call the number, while in my case, people don't?

Here's why.  It's all about what people want.  For example, my friend with cancer wants (and needs) what the TV ad was selling.  They'll help him receive financial compensation for his cancer.  In the second case, the settlement company will give the folks what they want - money without the wait.

In my case, I offer what some folks want too.  Houses and the services of a great Realtor.  But the difference lies in the felt need.  I am only offering houses.  If I was offering houses that were worth $175,000, but that were priced at $99,900, I could probably make the phone ring a lot more too.

Because TV advertising that makes the phone ring almost always is TV advertising that is too good to be true.  That or it offers something completely irresistible that people can't live without.  And in today's housing market, I'm afraid the cost of houses is something most people can live without right now.

Photo from Flickr Creative commons:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/dno1967/4656382254/

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Bob Haywood
Bob Haywood
Owasso, Oklahoma REALTOR®

Tulsa, OK REALTOR®/ McGraw REALTORS®
Bhaywood@mcgrawrealtors.com
(918) 272-7272

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Comments (6)

John Thomas
E3 Green HOMES - Boulder, CO
EcoBroker, MSEE, MBA

I agree with you that TV advertising is a great way to reach a broad client base. But to get results there must be a strong need or incentive to motivate the viewer to pick up the phone.

Jul 27, 2010 01:04 PM
Shelley Rowton
Move To Realty - Austin, TX
ABR, RSPS - (512) 507-5779 MoveToRealty of Austin

I think TV is a long term "top of mind awareness" type thing.  Keep it up, and it will pay off eventually.  It's like farming the Judge Judy watchers!  :)

Jul 27, 2010 01:27 PM
Betty Knowles
Southwest Missouri Realty - Springfield, MO
Ready to sell? Call Betty!

Bob, I always heard TV advertising was very expensive and the ROI was marginal.

Jul 27, 2010 01:32 PM
Richard Weisser
Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA
Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Bob...

I've done some TV in the last few years, but the results were not measurable, so we abandoned the medium.

Jul 27, 2010 02:35 PM
J. Philip Faranda
Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY
Associate Broker / Office Manager

I did radio about 10 years ago and it didn't work very well in terms of ROI. I think the medium is limited in getting a direct response without a really amazing hook, which I never came up with. I can see why it worked for the law firms. 

Jul 29, 2010 03:44 AM
The Elise Bickel Team
ReMax Select Realty - Pittsburgh, PA
Leasing, Property Management and Sales

I wish we had an afforadable solution for tv advertising here in pgh, pa. The average cost for tv advertising is around $500/week and that is just for minimal exposure.

Aug 08, 2010 04:59 AM