What Are We Split-Testing Today?

I ask myself the same five-word question at the beginning of each day… and I’ve asked it repeatedly ever since December 2004: “What are we ’split-testing’ today?” One of the things I’m certain of is that this has unlocked the secret passageway to accelerated business growth, wealth, and success.

I encourage you to ask yourself (and your team) the same question. Ask it at the beginning of each day, and then sit back, relax, and watch what happens.

Magically, this powerful declaration almost instantly puts you (and your team members) into a market-centered mindset. It puts you in the marketing driver’s seat to capture more profits – faster, better, and easier.

In my own business, this question has helped me achieve accelerated growth month after month, without the stress and worry that accompanies marketing guesswork.

What can split-testing do for you?

Split-testing is the best way to find out which marketing efforts are working best… and which aren’t working at all. You merely choose an element you want to test – a headline, for instance – and test one version against another. Whichever version best helps you achieve your marketing goals – collecting names for your e-mail list, making sales, etc. – is the winner, the one you run with. (Of course, we are always testing new variables against the original winners.)

The more split-tests you do, the more chances you have to increase your profits.

Below are eight single-variable split-tests I’ve conducted during the past few years – and the results of each test. You should consider trying these split-tests for your own business. The results you get could accelerate your sales and profits for the rest of your professional life!

• Split-Test #1: Inbound Phone Order Script

“Call now. Operators are standing by…” (Loser)

“Call now. If the line is busy, keep calling…” (WINNER)

• Split-Test #2: Online Order Button Copy

“Add To Cart >>” (WINNER)

“Buy Now!” or “Order Now>>” (Losers)

• Split-Test #3: Free Shipping & Handling Pitch

“Free shipping and handling…” (Loser)

“We pay for your shipping and handling charges…” (WINNER)

• Split-Test #4: 2nd Product Free

“Get 2 for the price of 1…” (Loser)

“Buy 1 and your 2nd one is free…” (WINNER)

• Split-Test #5: Online Audio & Video Testimonials

Testimonials WITHOUT “Case Study” story (Loser)

Testimonials WITH “Case Study” story (WINNER)

• Split-Test #6: Auto-Responder Follow-Up E-Mails

7 daily e-mail reminders in 7 days (WINNER)

7 weekly e-mail reminders in 7 weeks (Loser)

• Split-Test #7: Special Existing Customer Offer

One-Time Buyer Sublist – sending the offer to subscribers who have made only one purchase from us (Loser)

Multi-Buyer Sublist – sending the offer to subscribers who have made at least two purchases from us (WINNER)

• Split-Test #8: “Good-Better-Best” Price Test

The traditional pricing method:

Good = $X, Better = $Y, Best (Good+Better) = $Z (Loser)

The decoy pricing method:

Good = $X, Better = $Y, Best (Good+Better) = $Y (WINNER)

Try some of the split-tests I revealed above. Or create your own single-variable tests. They will teach you a LOT about your marketing. And the results can ensure that you will maximize your marketing efforts and make the biggest possible profits.

Keep in mind that outside variables can significantly impact your split-test results. When I say “outside variables,” I’m talking about things like business-to-business lists vs. business-to-consumer lists… the time of year (not to mention the state of the economy!)… whether your sales package is conveyed through audio or video… and many others.

You can have the same offer, product, and price and your split-tests may differ when these outside variables come into play.

Remember This: For each split-test you do, your decisions should always be governed by your results.

If you decide not to put split-testing into your daily marketing ritual, here’s the typical downward spiral you can expect just before your business goes on life support…

No split-tests leads to no results. No results leads to no growth. No growth leads to no innovation. No innovation leads to no market relevance. No market relevance leads to no business.

Game over. Thanks for playing

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king,” said Desiderius Erasmus. No truer words have ever been spoken in the context of marketing today. Each of your split-tests gives you 20/20 vision with both eyes wide open.

What NOT to Split-Test: Split-testing, like any other important marketing activity, will cost you some time and money. Duh! So it doesn’t make sense to test whispers. In other words, split-test “screaming” variables. It’s not worth split-testing price points of $199.95 vs. $199.98, for example, or font formats of Garamond vs. Times Roman.

To paraphrase marketing legend Ted Nicholas, “The Holy Grail of direct marketing is the single-variable split-test.” By split-testing, you’ll never again have to chase down winning offers… winning offers will chase you down!

[Ed. Note: Alex Mandossian knows a thing or two about building profitable relationships with customers. He has generated over $233 million in sales for his clients. And in the past three years, he increased his own revenues from $1.5 million to $5 million. At ETR’s 2008 Info-Marketing Bootcamp, Alex will reveal a strategy that could ensure you marketing success like no other method you have ever seen.]