2 common-sense mistakes of the TV spending internet CMO!

1. Not creating a specific and customized landing page for TV Viewers– The excuse of an internet company squandering VC money on TV is- ‘we are expanding reach’. I think that’s half-truth. This implies that TV does expand reach, but reaches out to many people who are not completely ready for the internet experience and may need handholding. TV reaches out to many fence-sitters who are potential buyers or transactors.

Isn’t it then common-sensical to create a special landing page (for all new visitors) when the TV advertising is switched on? This landing page should be designed from the new and fence-sitting users’ perspective, guiding them about your promise and how to best use the site. The website should also win the trust of these first time visitors, and hence it cannot be the same old landing page that can be presented to a new visitor when TV advertising is switched on.

Developing a new page is out of bounds? No problem, create a Welcome Tab, or a Welcome Box on the existing site. Compel the first time visitors to download, click or ask for a welcome kit. The kit could be then sent via post. Or the kit can be in the form of a voice call, or it could be a video.
Idea is that if we are hoping to get fence-sitting users to transact on our site, then their first experience should be customized and it cannot be the same as a proficient internet user.

2. Not including a call back number in your TV ad: Your TV ad can have a great creative, but if people don’t convert, what’s the fun? Don’t flog a dead horse. Adding a Toll-Free number as a call for action is not shameful. Not doing that is shameful. Listen-up, this is India, and you are targeting the fence-sitters, they may forget your TV ad sooner than you think. However if you have a compelling story-then add your Toll-Free number and ask people to call or give a missed call or SMS, so that you can call back, help them take their first step and establish the first experience for them. Remember, the story about synchronous mobile surfing and TV viewing may not be true for the larger share of TV viewers in India.

It’s not enough to be a just a CMO, graduate to become a CMTO, leverage technology to understand consumer behavior and onboard the end-user smartly.

How many TV campaigns have you seen which do not have such glaring common sensical omissions? Let us know your thoughts.