The Importance of Being Earnest

When I was in college, I studied acting for a while... a really long while, like four years.  And in that time, I learned a little about acting, and a lot about myself, mostly that I'm a lousy actor.  But, I did learn that I enjoyed being in front of people and commanding an audience.  And that's why I'm SO lucky to be doing what I do, because I get to be on camera without acting...I get to be myself.  It's true, the person you see selling products on TV is exactly who I am.  When I laugh at something, it's because I genuinely think it's funny (catch me working with Robin Wall some time), and when I'm enthusiastic about a product, I'm really excited about what I'm selling.

It's authentic, it's real, and it's all I know how to do, because remember, I'm no actor.  Which makes it all the more strange to me when people new to the field always think they need to be someone else...some ideal pitchman they have in their head.

I train new presenters, so I get to see how hard it really is for them to be themselves.  They always want to be that guy/gal they see in infomercials. Now there is a school of thought that favors this method. Tony Robbins is one proponent of copying success...

If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do, and you'll achieve the same results.

Tony Robbins

And in certain situations, that's excellent advice!  But not when it comes to selling products on live television. Because unless you possess some next level acting skills, people will know.  Sure, when we're watching a TV series or a play, we KNOW those people are acting. But, we suspend our disbelief and go with it for the sake of the show.  That's not the case with television retailing. When you're watching someone present a product on live TV, you want the TRUTH.  You want them to be earnest about their item, and to not pretend to be someone they're not.  It sounds easy, but it can take years of practice to be comfortable enough to just be yourself...on TV...in front of millions of people.

Of course, there's more to being a successful Pitchperson on TV than just being yourself, but that's another story for another day.  For now, remember step ONE...be earnest, and be yourself!

We're back...well, I'm back.

It's been a REALLY long time since I last posted here, and I mean to change that.  Despite my hectic appearance schedule, I'm really going to make the effort to keep my blog current. Perhaps it'll be cathartic to get my thoughts out about being a Ptchman on TV, or maybe it'll drive me insane.  Either way, it should make for an interesting read.  Stay tuned!

Stay Frosty My Friends...

In addition to being a pitchman on television retailers, I also bring product to the networks. Often I am approached by very clever, industrious people with a new idea that they've worked on for countless hours developing. They have lived and breathed their idea, spent their life savings and truly believe it is the next great thing. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't...but all of that doesn't matter, because at the end of the day it all comes down to dollars and cents. You see, if even their idea is next best thing since sliced bread, if the numbers don't work no one will buy it. And I'm not talking about consumers here, I'm talking about the buyers at retailers, catalogs and TV shopping channels. While that might seem terribly elementary, it's a surprise to many people. It's all about margins, or the markup a retailer can make on an item, so if your wholesale price is too high, even if you've invented a perpetual motion machine, no one will give you a purchase order unless the numbers work. Too often, I encounter people who have fallen in love with their product and refuse to believe that it's not worth what they want to charge, or more often, what their costs and the margins demand.

So be practical, detached, aloof even, when it comes to your product. Believe in your invention, nurture it and watch it grow, but source it properly and make sure your costs are inline with the margins needed for the sales environment(s) of your choice.

The January Doldrums

Well, it's that time of year again. Time for all of us all to get our Christmas credit card statements and clamp down on spending like a mousetrap on a, well...mouse. Those of us in television retailing see it every year, and yet, every year we're surprised by it. Why is it so many of us in this business have such horrible sort term memory? Don't answer that. Anyway, sales these days are down across the boards, but I'm here to tell you, "don't panic!" Like I said, we go through this every year, so don't worry that your item has lost it's luster, run it's course or hit the end of the product cycle. It's the credit card bills! It's their fault! Buck up, the sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun! After all, if you think our short-term memory is bad, it's NOTHING compared to that of the general public when it comes to spending and bills.

And thank God for that;)

It's a Durafiber kind of day!

Well on 12/10/09 I will be selling the Durafiber cleaning cloths on HSN at 6AM and 9AM (then the Heat Surge Amish Fireplace at 5PM, but that's another post). This time we're featuring the 40 piece set of Durafiber for only $19.95, which is a really great deal. "What is Durafiber?", you might ask...well, I like to tell people that Durafiber is like microfiber on steroids.

Wanna see what I mean? Well, you can check it out by clicking here. OR, you could just watch me LIVE very early in the morning. The choice is yours my friends.

It's been a while...

Wow, it has been QUITE some time since last I posted anything here...shame on me. My bad. Mea culpa. Moving on...

A lot has happened in the last year or so. We have a new President, the economy is getting better (although I'm not sure the two are related) and I have a whole slew of new products I'm selling on TV. First and foremost is the Heat Surge Amish Fireplace, and yes, it is REALLY built by the Amish. I was there and I've seen them build the whole mantle and frame out of real wood. The heater insert is manufactured in China and imported by Heat Surge.

Another new item I'm pitching is the Magic Saw, which cuts thru everything, at least everything I've tried so far.

I'm also selling an item called the Autochron, which is a light switch timer...I know, "why didn't I think of that?" There's nothing else like it and it's patented, exclusive to HSN. Here is a the DRTV spot we shot for it...

Autocron from Lou Caputo on Vimeo.

Finally a Product You Can Trust!

I just had the great pleasure of hosting and producing a two minute DRTV spot for a product called Insta-Fix.  This stuff is amazing!  It's an adhesive that bonds instantly to ANY surface, so you can mix-and-match materials and you don't have to sit there forever holding your project till it dries.  In addition, the product comes with a filler that you can use in conjunction with the adhesive to fill or seal cracks, holes or gouges in anything.  The stuff dries rock hard in seconds and you can sand, paint or stain it.  I am totally sold on this product and you will be too.  Check out the spot here www.instafix.com and see what you think.  We did some amazing demonstrations that will blow your mind!