1. Marsha Kent – the Call Centre’s role in DRTV Marketing
Article Body:
Marsha Kent, the pioneer in DRTV marketing talks profoundly about the importance of a good Call
Centre in the DRTV ensemble. A responsive Call Centre, using a wide range of sophisticated
software, answers inbound, or places outbound telephone calls. To handle the high volumes of
inbound calls, and place outbound calls, the call centre should be suitably equipped. Ideally, a good,
hi-tech Call Centre should have the following facilities:
• Customized entry system for placing orders with web access
• Scalable answering and call routing
• Caller identification with pop-up order screen
• Automation of call distribution environment
• Call recording facilities
• Call Centre reporting facility.
According to Marsha Kent , making use of the services of the Call Centre will take a big load off the
marketer. Apart from the basic services that they offer, Call Centers are also equipped with other
skills:
• Skills-based routing
• Upselling
• Save-the-sale
• Save-the-continuity
• Well-trained call centre staff
• Multi-lingual customer service.
Marsha Kent advocates some detailed research before choosing the right customer centre. She says
that a call centre can be suitably customized and adapted to your specific needs. Moreover, you will
need to invest some time in training your representatives in understanding your product thoroughly,
before answering calls of consumers. A well-laid out, detailed script is also of prime importance. This
will have to be given to the call centre staff for interacting with customers who call up with their
queries. According to Marsha Kent, computer scripting is also important in facilitating any last-
minute changes in strategy.
After garnering years of experience in product marketing, advertising and sales, Marsha
Kent started Kent Television Marketing in the late 80’s. This was a time when the direct
response television industry was in its infancy, and had just begun to make its presence felt.
Thus began her foray into the world of infomercials, with her launching the Miracle Blade I
Infomercial going on air in 1990. The program which was all about a set of multi-purpose
knives, took the country by storm, raking in sales of $1 million in just 3 weeks of its being
aired on television. The Miracle Blade is now running its 4th version on the Infomercial, and
according to market reports, over 12 million knives have been sold since 1989, proving how
adept Marsha Kent was in her judgment of the direct response markets. Marsha Kent feels

2. that it is important to reinforce key selling messages at regular intervals. When producing
the Infomercial, it is also necessary to involve well-known people like celebrities, who can
endorse the product. Marsha Kent has always made the use of people who can vouch for
the products that are being marketed. This leads to a sub-conscious mind buy for the
consumer. “When you use a well-known actor or a sportsperson, you have already made
inroads into the consumer’s mind.” Marsha Kent says. “It becomes that much easier to get
your point across. There is a sense of security in the mind of the consumer. An endorsement
by the celebrity works in full favor of an appeal getting built up for the product”, says
Marsha Kent.
To know more about her please visit www.marshakent.com
Resource box:
“Marsha Kent has an uncanny ability for success. She is spot on, all most all the time!” She
always has the perfect antidote to failure. Companies who are trying to make their presence in
the industry seek her out for helping them to launch their products can contact her here or to
know more about her please visit www.marshakent.com