Once a DRTV campaign is underway, marketers naturally want to know the score. This generally means tracking inbound traffic. For many years, the preferred tracking channel was the phone call. The more voice responses pouring in, the better. Or so the thinking went.

But times have changed. The once-mighty phone call is now sharing the spotlight with other methods of gauging DRTV success. Any marketers putting all their chips on the once-preeminent phone will be getting a hazy picture at best.

Think about it. A station might be generating a blizzard of phone calls. But what does that really tell you about the value of those incoming leads? A station pulling in a fraction of those calls actually might be tapping into a richer mine. What’s really important is the quality of leads, not quantity.

Knowing the true worth of your leads is matter best left to multiple tracking mechanisms. There are numerous digital options available. Therefore, before unleashing a campaign, implement a system for tracking all core response metrics – not just phone calls. This will give you a fuller picture.

Phone responses, of course, still have their place. And it’s a mighty big place. After all, many a sale is closed in the call center. Given this importance, marketers should set the stage by developing an effective call-center script geared toward generating conversions.

Would you like to learn more about improving DRTV tracking, or about any other DRTV topic? Reach out to IDR for additional information and answers to all your questions. You’ll discover why we’re Orange County’s premier producer of TV commercials, infomercials, and online videos for every kind of business and brand.