Marsha Kent – TELL MORE, TO SELL MORE

Direct TV can be defined as a media activity that allows or enables customers to directly respond to the company advertising the product. DRTV combines the magnetic appeal of television with the accuracy of direct marketing techniques. DRTV has been highly successful in many products- from personal fitness to houseware, beauty and cosmetics to healthcare, even coins and antique collectibles. DRTV is a channel of marketing that elicits the consumer’s response that can translate into immediate sales. rnMarsha Kent, one of the pioneers of the DRTV segment has this to say about how to selling a product through the DRTV route: “…….Finding a product that can make a dramatic statement, by cutting through the clutter is what DRTV is all about. For that, advertisers of the product will have to ask this question of themselves- is this product really unique- does it stand out in the crowd, or is it just another ‘will do ok’ product? Also, the product should be able to solve mostly common problems and develop a broad appeal. The product should be capable of being demonstrated; most personal fitness equipments have this innate feature, so DRTV is usually able to build on this advantage successfully. Does the advertiser’s product have the capacity of being built into a brand- can it turn into a flagship product for its promoters? This is one of the key questions and an important one, at that. Finally, does the product relate to the current marketing scenario, and do the margins support it being routed through the DRTV model?” rnMarsha Kent delves into talking about her forte with a great sense of passion- she has been devoted to the entire mechanism of making DRTV what it is today. Over the years, all the products that she chose to market through the avenue of Direct Marketing have been runaway successes, many of these products grossed million dollars in sales within weeks of their being launched on TV. rnWhen Kent and Spiegel was formed along with Peter Spiegel, Marsha Kent managed to take their business venture to unparalleled heights of success, with K & D mushrooming into a multi-million dollar company. rnTwo decades ago, Marsha launched another enterprise – Sylmark. This was when Direct Response Marketing was still in its nascent stages. But her astute business sense and marketing acumen helped to propel all the products that she launched into big hits. Many of her products have been marketed through Infomercials, TV programs specifically promoting goods and services. She believes in the power of the Infomercial, according to Marsha, more than 60% of the American population watch some form of DRTV advertising at any given time, this means a huge target audience, and subsequently, good sales. rnIs there any single formula to success? According to Marsha, there isn’t. But most of her products have sold largely back-riding the testimonial or celebrity model, for reliable sales. “The product gathers immediate value if it is backed by a celebrity” says Marsha Kent. “And the more you tell, the more you can sell!” she affirms.