When Terry Bennett wanted to develop a leave-behind to reinforce the message he or his sales staff convey in sales calls, he came up with something homeowners would remember: an 11-minute DVD that ticks off, David Letterman–style, the top 10 reasons to hire Terry Bennett Builders & Remodelers of Westlake, Ohio.

“A lot of companies have a brochure,” Bennett says. “This is far more powerful. It verbally and visually brings home the points we need to reinforce our professional image and why we're worth a little extra.”

It also allows homeowners to “meet” Terry and Mary Bennett for a personalized view of the company. That's particularly important if one of his three salespeople makes the sale rather than Terry himself.

Bennett wrote the script, then paid $10,000 to produce 400 DVDs and videotapes. He also produced five 30-second television commercials from the same footage, for $2,500 more. Earlier this year, the HBA of Greater Cleveland's 13th Annual Cleveland Choice Awards recognized the DVD as the “Best TV Marketing Video.”