CDs and DVDs Work, Plain and Simple
The shift from traditional media to interactive media is kicking into high gear. This is proving that interactive media is the key to the future of marketing and advertising in the 21st century. However, with this shift, people are extremely focused on the web and tend to neglect a medium that crosses both worlds of traditional and interactive-CD-ROMs and DVDs. This medium is truly interactive but it requires distribution through traditional means such as Direct Mail or direct sales efforts. Regardless one fact remains, CDs and DVDs work, plain and simple.
I have produced many successful disc-based campaigns so I know from personal experience that they work. But don’t take my word for it, industry research has shown the following results when it comes to disc-based marketing:
- CDs and DVDs deliver an average response rate of 7% which is much higher than traditional direct mail.
- Conversion rates increase to 19% when a target customer requests a CD or DVD (i.e. information toolkits)
- Message recall increases 50% to 60% over printed materials
- Production and distribution costs are usually 10% to 40% less (I’ve personally seen it as high as a 80% savings) than traditional methods
Many people ask, why do I need a CD-ROM when I already have a website? My typical response is, “How do people get to your website?” Websites are great, more than great, they are incredible. However, you can have the best site on the Internet but without traffic, it is useless. People have to be directed to your site because they are simply not going to remember to go there. Search, email, online display, blogs, television, radio, print are all methods to drive traffic. CD-ROMs, DVDs (and now USB thumb drives) are the only physical media that creates a bridge to the web. So a user can become engaged through a disc-based presentation and be led to a website to complete a transaction or take any other desired course of action.
CDs and DVDs can be used to deliver custom applications and presentations that engage prospects and customers. Examples include:
- Information Toolkits
- Training Aids
- Trade Show Handouts
- Education Kits
- Media Kits
- Sales Leave Behinds
- Catalogs
- Custom Applications
CDs and DVDs are a fantastic tool for the right situation. Consumers place a highly perceived value on a disc when they receive it which motivates them to act. It’s a way to differentiate yourself in the marketplace and let your customers and prospects know you value their business. The one problem is finding someone with the expertise to produce a high quality disc. The knowledge required to develop custom applications is highly specialized as well as optimizing a presentation for the medium. I highly recommend that you seek out experts if you pursue this tool in your future marketing efforts.