5 questions every D2C advertiser should ask

This may feel like a bold or self-serving statement, but I truly believe no one knows how to do Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) advertising better than a Direct Response agency. Think about it. DR agencies have a long history of eliminating the middleman and selling straight to consumers.

Direct Response agencies understand how to engage and connect with your target. We know what kind of messaging can help take a consumer from intrigued to ready to buy. And we have a line of sight on when and where to reach them. Direct agencies possess real-world knowledge of the opportunities, and the mistakes, that come with this territory.

Success for D2C brands isn’t always easy and often happens in phases. So, if you have plans for a direct-to-consumer TV or digital video initiative or are in the middle of one, here are some often overlooked questions to ask.

1. What is different about your D2C buying experience? More convenient? Better pricing? Easier to shop? Are you offering something unique through D2C? Is there a special offer? If it’s the only way to buy your product, let the consumer know. If it’s one of many ways to buy it, let them know “why they should do it this way.”

2. What’s the value of a new customer? When launching a D2C campaign, don’t just look at the first sale. Quantify the lifetime value of the consumer. This is particularly important for subscription-based models. However, any business model (if it’s done right) will enjoy a healthy share of return customers.

3. How can I best utilize my digital learnings for TV? If you’ve already been advertising on social and other online platforms, those efforts can be very beneficial to you as your marketing moves offline. Identify a partner that can leverage your existing data to structure a test that can maximize learning while minimizing risk. It's all about test and grow. An experienced agency partner will have the relationships and case histories to be able to balance growth ambitions while managing your bottom line.

4. What is your SEO and digital plan? Make sure you’re aligning your digital strategies with TV. From buying keywords to adapting your TV commercial for further reach and re-targeting online, prep your digital strategy for a TV launch. Here’s a link to an article that goes deeper into this topic.

5. What’s the ultimate goal of your advertising? Is it immediate sales and leads? Or is it brand awareness? While this may seem like a 101 kind of question, advertising creative and the marketing objectives often don’t line up. This is usually the result of not fully answering these questions. The marketing objective affects everything from length of spot to where the media runs and how it’s optimized. For greater depth on this, learn about our Storyselling approach and how it differs from traditional brand storytelling.

With the success of companies like Dollar Shave Club, Casper, Bonobos and others, more D2C strategies are launching each day. For all of them, advertising will undeniably play a role in acquiring new customers, increasing sales and growing the business. The expertise and methodology of a Direct Response agency can be a real difference maker for them. After all, making a direct connection, from introduction to final sale, to consumers is what we do… and always have done.

To find out more about how we’re helping D2C brands make the most out of TV and digital video, contact us here.