November 26, 2013

Skinny Steps

Description: A weight-loss system
Main Pitch: "Retrains your body to be skinny again by simply walking"
Main Offer: $10 for the 'Secret Success Formula,' 'Slim Eating Secrets,' Quick Start Chart and Talking Pedometer
Bonus: Skinny Belt (just pay a separate fee)
Marketer: Telebrands
Website: www.GetSkinnySteps.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

I continue to give Telebrands credit for trying different things. If anyone has the funding and capacity to go outside of the box once in a while, it's this company, so it makes sense for them to take a few flyers every year. It's how exceptions to the rules are discovered and, in that sense, those who are paying attention are getting free "market research" on Telebrands' dime.

So what is Telebrands' research team up to here? One, they are trying to disprove the popular theory that fitness programs can't work on short-form DRTV. Two, they are testing my hypothesis that "kitchen sink" offers cause so much confusion that they kill the sale (whether they realize that or not).

As for that offer, it's a basket of failed (pedometer) or recycled (belt) DRTV items with a few ideas borrowed from the book business Telebrands is trying to build (see my review of Dump Cakes).

Incidentally, that last sentence explaining the offer was difficult for me to write in a way that was clear, which does not bode well for this project.