Direct response advertising is used when you want to prompt an immediate response from potential customers. You want them to make an on-the-spot decision to purchase your product or service directly from you and not through a retailer or dealer.
• Direct mail is a good first choice if you are trying to sell a product directly to consumers that is not available through retail outlets. It is expensive, but by limiting your target audience to those most likely to place an order, it can be more effective than using another medium that may create interest but not an overwhelming desire to buy.
• Television is a remote second choice because it is very expensive. It is no coincidence that most direct response ads you view on television run on weaker networks or local access channels during nonpeak viewing hours.
• Magazines work well if your industry has a specialty publication that allows you to target a specific audience.
• Newspapers aren't particularly effective venues for direct response advertisers. You do find these types of ads in national magazine supplements to Sunday papers. But don't be fooled into thinking this can work for you. Some direct response advertisers who chose the newspaper medium purchase ad space at remnant prices, when the publication has odd ad spaces to fill in at the last moment. Still others negotiate deals to buy ads at further reduced rates when the publication can't even find advertisers to place at remnant rates.
• Radio can be used, but isn't recommended. Very few listeners are likely to write down product or ordering information.
