Testing Anyone? Why DM Copywriters & Clients Need to Test More
By Roberta Rosenberg on Jun 11, 2008 in DM Copy Tips & Tools
One of the hardest jobs I have as a direct marketing copywriter/consultant is to get my clients to test variables in their promotions. Test headlines, offers, lists, color, etc. With smaller clients I urge them to test single variables where the difference to their response/bottom line will be the biggest. Larger clients can afford the luxury of sophisticated multi-variate approaches to their campaigns.
So here’s my segue to today’s interesting article from Target Marketing. Brian Kurtz, leading marketing genius at the power publishing house, Boardroom, Inc., shares his thoughts on testing here. Good stuff and I’m sharing it with you!
Brian Kurtz on DM Testing in Hard Times
Got a testing story to share? By all means, let’s hear about it.
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James Hipkin | Jun 11, 2008 | Reply
Three thoughts on testing:
First, my post on testing, http://tinyurl.com/5tpcxd.
I find most clients don’t want to / aren’t interested in the rigor required by testing. Too much transparency, they might look bad. And / or they haven’t identified an R&D budget into their annual plan, or it was removed, so they have to fund the test from results. Which leads me to my third thought.
This makes me really crazy, they decide to increase the size of the test cells because if it works they will be able to move the business. I believe this is the direct result of the short-term financial outlook most companies take. Of course when it doesn’t work, which if you are testing properly will happen frequently, the blame is easily shifted. In my old age I now walk away from this client type. Better for all concerned.
James Hipkin’s last blog post..If No Blood Flows it’s a Success
Tom Chandler/Copywriter Underground | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
In the article, they’re talking about direct mail, where testing can be difficult, so it’s often underutilized.
In online marketing, testing really has come into its own; the problem isn’t testing or getting data, it’s interpreting it.
The holy grail now seems to be finding new metrics to measure things like engagement, and I’d love to someday measure long-term values like lifetime customer value. It’s one area where brand marketers and direct response specialists could meet (sans name calling).
Tom Chandler/Copywriter Underground’s last blog post..Learn the Success Secret of the World’s Greatest Chessplayer: Making Fantasy Pay
Roberta Rosenberg | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
@James -I often hear “Don’t worry about it, Roberta” or “We’re in a time/money crunch”, etc. All short-term thinking which, to my mind, seems to be getting shorter all the time.
@Tom – No question that DM testing $$$, online essentially free but it never fails to amaze me that even then few of my clients are actively testing/analyzing their results. As far as your last statement, well, the name calling is essentially the marketing foreplay. I’d miss it.
Tom Chandler/Copywriter Underground | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
James: You said
No kidding. I dubbed it the Conspiracy of Silence, watching how ad agencies and corporate marketing folks steadfastly refused to test or even generate worthwhile metrics around their work, largely due to fear about the outcome.
Roberta: You have a point about the name calling. Marketers can be a dour lot to begin with; what would we do for fun?
Tom Chandler/Copywriter Underground’s last blog post..For $10/Hour, You Should Write “Perfect” Copy, and Lots Of It
Website Design | Jun 26, 2008 | Reply
Isn’t the old saying you can’t improve what you don’t measure applicable here? Doesn’t every marketer want to improve their conversion rates?
Roberta Rosenberg | Jun 26, 2008 | Reply
@WD – you’d think so, wouldn’t you?