Call Now!: Words that Make Us Buy, Buy, Buy

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PSYCHOLOGY OF SELLING |  INFOMERCIALS |  ARE WE GULLIBLE?

So, the guy on the infomercial has convinced us we'd benefit from owning such-and-such product. Now, how do they get us to actually pick up the phone and have our credit cards handy?

Traditional infomercials fill 30 minute time slots on television, but they're usually repetitious as opposed to a straight-through sales pitch. In between segments that demonstrate the product's value, answer any potential objections that might arise in a viewer's mind and offer testimonials from pleased owners who're absolutely dumbfounded as to how they survived before owning said device, there are shorter segments known as calls to action.

A call to action contains several elements, and the main purpose is to get a response from the viewer. The goal? Convert that viewer into a consumer. Chances are good you'll recognize several of the call to action cornerstone phrases that are frequently used to pawn these products -- but what sort of roles are they playing? Read on to find out.

I am so convinced that you'll love this product...

During the typical 28.5-minute long infomercial, assuming you sit through the whole program, you'll generally see about three or four segments, each concluding with a thrilling call to action. Just a couple minutes in length, these shorter portions offer a wealth of information.

All the benefits of the product are briefly recapped, the features again tallied up and a final plea is added for good measure. Then it's down to business. A high price -- maybe with the classic "this product usually costs..." -- is shunned and quickly overruled. A lower price is named and the wheeling and dealing really gets under way.

A $50 value absolutely free, if you call within the next 30 minutes...

The incentives run the gamut, but might be along the lines of "If you're one of the first 100 callers we'll slash $20 off the price" or "Call within the next 10 minutes and we'll double your order" and "For three easy installments of $19.99, all this can be yours."

Now, most people can rationally see what's going on here, but on an emotional level, things get a little murkier. A viewer might have been toying with the idea of purchasing this product -- or even one that's similar -- but now they'd be getting four and at the same reasonable rate. Perhaps a holiday or family birthday is right around the corner, so the viewer can rationalize the purchase. These are the things that keep us pondering -- and watching.

Once the terms are named, the host might offer yet another bonus such as a money-back guarantee or free trial. These common marketing tactics often reassure people that if the product really is a piece of junk -- and assuming they'll actually take the time to return something by mail that cost $14.99 -- they can do so without penalty. This helps soothe any worries of getting suckered.

Pick up the Phone and Call Now!

The final element of a strong call to action is to thoroughly go over the contact information and payment options. This can mean rattling through a toll free telephone number, Web site or mailing address a couple of times -- and preferably all three. The easier it is for a customer to order, the better.

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