Is your product suitable for an infomercial?

Over the past few months as the VP of Product Development for Kevin Harrington from the hit ABC show Shark Tank, I have seen literally hundreds of interesting and often really amazing products. The great
ideas arrive here daily...but deciding which ones are the most
appropriate for infomercials. What am I looking for?

- Products that have a "wow" factor and are truly unique

- Pricing is important - for a 2 min infomercial the price needs to be 19.99 or less....9.99 is a hot price point

- For longer spots (30 minutes) the price can be much higher - think exercise and wellness items

- People who understand the costs involved and more importantly the risks

- If your product does well on TV it may do very well at retail....and retail is where the big money is made!

- Do you actually have the product in stock or nearly ready? Without stuff to sell we can't make money

No one in this business has a crystal ball to predict the big successes. Each of the big DR companies has passed on some of the biggest hits we all know of such as the Snuggie. The Snuggie is a
perfect example of a product that many people laughed at and passed on
by, but it goes to show you that there are no really bad product
ideas. Great marketing and mass awareness can do wonders for a product
and allow the inventor to make huge sums of money if all things go
well. Being first to market doesn't hurt either....

Having a finished product that most people can use and enjoy along with a great value for customers will give you an opportunity to succeed in this high risk business....along with your passion and
dedication to your business....

Jim

-------------------------
Jim DeBetta Retail Product Placement Specialist

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Comment by Anne Keefe on July 12, 2010 at 11:08am: Jim, that is an important clarification-thank you for that!

Comment by IBN Member Jim DeBetta on July 12, 2010 at 10:48am: Hey Sydney.....

It is important to note that selling a product on HSN or QVC is very different than doing an infomercial. HSN/QVC buys products just like other retailers and follows the same process whereby you submit a product and if they accept it they pay for the airings, etc. You do not need 10,000 pieces minimum to go on HSN...I sell them products regularly and they will take hundreds and sometimes thousands....so don't let that discourage you.

Comment by Sydney Driver-Janis Zimmermann on July 9, 2010 at 8:53pm: ..and there is a Consulting firm out there who will for 'quite a few $$'s' groom you on how to get your products on HSN. Remember, you must have a minimum 10,000 pieces of each item you want to present in stock, ready to ship once you get thru the 'grooming' if you're accepted to be interviewed. The group handles everything, including 'snap and flash' coaching for the interview, teeth whitening(can you believe it?!?), best hair style...makes you wonder just 'what you're selling'!! Things have really changed. Some Cable TV providers offer local commercial time in their studios and not a looott of $$'s. But remember most people walk away during commercials so 'bide you $$'s when looking for 'face time'.

Comment by IBN Member Theresa Matthews on July 9, 2010 at 5:34pm: Cathy,

I received information from QVC regarding the requirements to have your products showcased on their program. And let me tell you thr requirements are tough and the amount of products that you what have to have in stock already will have you working from sun up til sun down. I still have the packet from 4 years ago, I don't know how much they're requirements has changed since then. But if you are considering going that route be prepared to put in alot of work.

Comment by IBN Member Jim DeBetta on July 9, 2010 at 4:14pm: Hey girls....

To give you the best answer on the cost for a 30 minute infomerical, it can cost tens of thousands of dollars but usually if you do a top quality production it can cost close to 100k and up....it all depends of the quality, where it is shot, the quality of the scripting and editing, the media time, talent used, etc. 2 minute spots can be much less and often run 40-60k...

The best thing to do ladies is to call me to chat.....770-880-2606 - will be much easier to talk and answer your questions and I can also email you a Infomercial FAQ :)

Have a great weekend...Jim

Comment by Deanna Chaffee on July 9, 2010 at 3:41pm: I too would love to hear more detail about infomercials! Thanks!

Comment by IBN Member Cathy McCracken on July 9, 2010 at 2:51pm: Jim, Thanks for your advice! Could you tell me approximately how much a 30 min infomercial would cost? How would one go about exploring this option? Are there in-stock expectations such as QVC has? Thank you! Cathy

Comment by dM, CEO on July 8, 2010 at 3:17pm: This is such a great post, Jim! Thanks for sharing it here. I will be sure to feature it in tomorrow's update!

Miss you!

dM

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