Driving DTC Growth by Harnessing Omni-channel Marketing and AI With Jane Schloth, Direct Branding

From the era of late-night infomercials to the cutting edge of AI-driven chatbots. With over 30 years in Direct Response Television (DRTV), Jane Schloth knows exactly what it takes to hook shoppers and convert them into loyal customers. So, when she describes a new tool as “the single most simple and effective app that I can recommend to my clients,” you know it’s worth a closer look. Watch the full interview as she shares how to skyrocket conversions, boost engagement, and deliver a hefty ROI:

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Here are highlights from the insightful conversation:

Bridging DRTV and DTC Success

“My background is in infomercials. I know that's maybe an outdated term. It's also called direct response television. Think of like Ron Popeil or George Forman Grill actually worked on that years ago back in the 90s.”

Jane built her career on DRTV campaigns, learning to measure viewer response down to the phone call or website visit. Today, that same “immediate feedback” mindset runs through every DTC strategy she crafts—particularly when it comes to omni-channel outreach and meeting customers where they are.

Discovering Rep AI: “Hands Down” the Best App

“And so what I found with Hello Rep as an automated chat feature, that has been probably the single most simple and effective app that I can recommend to my clients to use, hands down compared to any other sort of platform that I recommend for my clients to use.”

It started with a common challenge for brands moving from B2B to DTC: how do you handle customer inquiries without hiring an army of agents? Jane stumbled upon Rep AI (formerly “Hello Rep”) and discovered an effortless, AI-powered way to answer questions, drive sales, and keep everyone happy.

Turning Conversations into Conversions

“We've got anywhere from five to nine percent of people who interact with Hello Rep get converted to a sale, and it's huge. You know, that adds up over time.”

“We've got almost a 12% conversion on a high-priced product that’s around a thousand dollars… it's phenomenal.”

When people shop online—whether on Shopify, via social ads, or after seeing a DRTV spot—questions pop up. Rep AI handles the routine ones instantly, then escalates bigger issues to a live agent. In the process, it consistently moves a solid chunk of browsers to buyers, creating a 5–9% conversion lift (and a remarkable 12% on premium products).

Handling Up to 95% of Inquiries Automatically

“We don't talk to any of these customers, right? They just go in and they do the... 85 to 95% of those folks that interact with the chat feature or website get their problem handled through the chat feature completely. They don't want to talk to anybody.”

Not only does Rep AI capture more sales—it also drastically reduces support overhead. By addressing common questions on autopilot, the chatbot saves valuable time for human agents. That means increased capacity to handle complex queries while shoppers with straightforward needs get immediate answers.

50x ROI and 85% Engagement

“I think we're getting 50 times return on investment with the cost of it at this point for my clients.”
“We realized how effective that bit it is. And I think about 85% engagement.”

Those aren’t small numbers. In fact, Jane has watched Rep AI quietly go to work in the background, upping average order value (AOV) and generating five-figure revenue “without really doing anything.” On top of that, customers actually enjoy the interaction. They get answers right away and don’t have to queue up for support.

Streamlining DTC on Shopify

“It's a very simple tool. It's very effective, and it's very affordable, and you can’t ask much more than that.”

Jane’s clients often run on Shopify to keep site updates quick and conversions seamless. Rep AI’s plug-and-play setup fits right in, with minimal technical friction—something that stands out in a world of never-ending app fatigue. In Jane’s words, it “really has to work immediately,” and that’s exactly what Rep AI does.

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Jane’s Top Tips for DTC Marketing

1. Consistency is Key

“The biggest mistake I see is clients will try something for a month and then quit and then move on to something else. And they don’t really optimize it enough to know if it truly worked.”

Focus on refining and optimizing strategies rather than abandoning them too quickly.

2. Let Consumers Choose How They Interact with Your Brand

“Let your consumers shop where they want to shop. If they want to interact with a human, let them do that. If they don’t want to interact with a human, let them do that.”

Provide flexible shopping and interaction options to match customer preferences.

3. Focus on Omni-Channel Marketing

“Offer as many channels as possible. Let your consumers shop where they want to shop... on Amazon, via TikTok, YouTube, or directly on your website.”

A strong presence across multiple platforms ensures your customers can engage with your brand wherever they feel comfortable.

4. Hyper-Segment Your Audience

“Hyper-segmentation in email and SMS marketing lets you speak directly to your customer’s needs. It’s a game-changer.”

Use data to personalize your communication based on customer behavior and demographics.

5. Make Your Website Agile and Easy to Manage

“If it takes weeks or months to make a change to your website, that’s a problem. You have to be more nimble when you’re working with B2C.”

Ensure your website is easy to update and optimize for a seamless customer experience.

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Final Take: A Must-Have for DTC

For Jane, DRTV and AI chat share the same purpose: meeting customers on their own terms. Rep AI has become a core recommendation in her DTC toolkit, boosting sales and freeing support teams to focus on the bigger issues. That kind of seamless synergy, along with up to 50x ROI, 85% engagement, and 12% conversion rates on certain products, is exactly why she calls Rep AI “probably the single most simple and effective app” available today.

Learn More

Connect with Jane: Visit DirectBranding.com or email Jane@DirectBranding.com to find out how she bridges the power of infomercials with new-school AI.

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