Re: Testing 1…2…3…Testing….Testing.

> I am now of the opinion that testing is for
> those people who can afford to do it. You
> need to have results first, a baseline of
> information on which to compare your test.
> You need to have a control.

> You can test until something works, and then
> tweak and change it, or you can test against
> something already working. That might be a
> smarter way to go.

> Testing gets much easier ONCE you have a
> pocket full of money, just like finding a
> job is much easier if you already have
> one...

Gordon,

No question that testing is easier once you have the money to test, but...

how much do you need to test? As you know, I'm testing various products. These tests are costing a ton, only about $7-$8 per thousand circulation in daily newspapers. I can blanket someplace like Altoona, PA for a couple hundred bucks. Sure $150-$200 might be a lot for some folks but for many that is affordable.

Will I have to run multiple tests? Absolutely. Just like Ben Suarez has said you will only hit upon 1 out of 7 great ideas. Joe Sugarman said it was more like 1 out of 10. The point is once you hit on one it will more than pay for everything else when you roll it out to 20-40 million people.

Will I sacrifice a couple grand to see if one of my concepts will as Denny Hatch says "fog the mirror" or in other words-have life? As a direct marketer I say YES.

I don't know anyone that is successful in direct marketing that hasn't said YES also.

Spending money on tests that probably will not work, as Bart Simpson says, "Sucks and Blows".

Off to create some more money-losing ads...

Mike Winicki

Hi Mike!

> how much do you need to test? As you know,
> I'm testing various products. These tests
> are costing a ton, only about $7-$8 per
> thousand circulation in daily newspapers. I
> can blanket someplace like Altoona, PA for a
> couple hundred bucks. Sure $150-$200 might
> be a lot for some folks but for many that is
> affordable.

Yes, it seems to me that good testing is an investment....

It's taken me a while to get into that "mind set"!

I already see reading good books and taking courses as an investment -- an investment in myself and in my future!

But, in reality, testing is the same.... It's an investment too....

As long as you plan for only 1 in 7 (or 1 in 10) to be successful, or even LESS than that (to be safe), I expect you should probably do okay.... While I'm doing this kind of thing online now (also testing), I'm also planning to do newspapers too in the future, probably for Gordon Alexander's "Think and Reach Par" and "How to Play an Unknown Golf Course". (In the USA, you can get these from Richard Myers at www.thinkandreachpar.com .)

> Will I have to run multiple tests?
> Absolutely. Just like Ben Suarez has said
> you will only hit upon 1 out of 7 great
> ideas. Joe Sugarman said it was more like 1
> out of 10. The point is once you hit on one
> it will more than pay for everything else
> when you roll it out to 20-40 million
> people.

Yes, you've got to plan for that.... I wonder how many people do one failed test then give up? I bet that's the majority of people who try....

BUT, if you remember that only a small number of your tests will be successes, you should do okay, as long as you plan for it and work out your finances before-hand....

> Will I sacrifice a couple grand to see if
> one of my concepts will as Denny Hatch says
> "fog the mirror" or in other
> words-have life? As a direct marketer I say
> YES.

Yes, I agree....

> I don't know anyone that is successful in
> direct marketing that hasn't said YES also.

> Spending money on tests that probably will
> not work, as Bart Simpson says, "Sucks
> and Blows".

> Off to create some more money-losing ads...

Thanks Mike! I thought that was inspiring.... :)

It's hard to learn to swim until you jump into the water.... :)

And I think you really need to do the testing yourself.... As Gordon pointed out, TIMING is critical. Like Melvin Powers promotion, which worked one year but not the next (see my post below).... I've also heard of someone who took a very successful promotion in the USA, and duplicated it in Australia exactly, and found that it didn't work. Who knows why? There could be all kinds of reasons....

I think there's probably no short-cut to doing your own tests....

- Dien

> And I think you really need to do the
> testing yourself.... As Gordon pointed out,
> TIMING is critical. Like Melvin Powers
> promotion, which worked one year but not the
> next (see my post below).... I've also heard
> of someone who took a very successful
> promotion in the USA, and duplicated it in
> Australia exactly, and found that it didn't
> work. Who knows why? There could be all
> kinds of reasons....

> I think there's probably no short-cut to
> doing your own tests....

> - Dien

Dien,

Correct...there is no shortcut. And if someone knows of a shortcut-they aren't tellin! But I'm sure if there was one it would have leaked out well before now.

Gordon post (and the responses) on M. Powers is good stuff.

Joe Sugarman has said that "80% of any ad is the product itself." Which in itself means the type of product it is but more specifically the timing.

Sugarman talks about your product "harmonizing" with your prospects. That is when you are 'golden' and the money rolls in. But if your product is not hitting your prospects at the right time he believes (and so do I) that you could have ads appearing all over the country written by folks like Gary Halbert, Ted Nicholas, Ben Suarez or even Gordon himself and you'll still take a financial beating.

I agree with Gordon...timing is everything. Timing is more important than copy (including the headline) by a large margin.

As Gordon points out the "Piano Lesson's" ad struck paydirt because the timing was perfect...was the copy/headline good? absolutely but the timing was excellent.

Look at the success Ted Nicholas had with his "Incorporate for $50" book or

Ben Suarez and his Astrology stuff or even

Cory Rundl and his "Car Secrets" product.

While copy is worth 1x, timing is probably 4x just like Gordon and Joe Sugarman have said.

Take care,

Mike Winicki

P.S. Speaking of timing, I see there is a movie coming out the end of November that will offer great opportunites for tie-in type products (be careful of copyright infringements though).

Hi Mike,

Great post! Thanks.... :)

> P.S. Speaking of timing, I see there is a
> movie coming out the end of November that
> will offer great opportunites for tie-in
> type products (be careful of copyright
> infringements though).

Mike, please tell what it is.... I'm in suspense! :)

It sounds very interesting!

- Dien

> Hi Mike,

> Great post! Thanks.... :)

> Mike, please tell what it is.... I'm in
> suspense! :)

> It sounds very interesting!

> - Dien

About some kid by the name of 'Harry Potter'.

Take care,

Mike W.

Hi Mike,

> About some kid by the name of 'Harry
> Potter'.

I think you're right.... Probably a whole lot of products will receive a "sales boost" when the movie comes out. Especially stuff linked to "wizards" or "witches" (the friendly Harry Potter types)....

On different kinds of "witches".... Last year I spent a few months in Boston, and during that time I also briefly visited Salem, Massachusetts. The home of the Salem Witch trials. Wow, that town is really capitalizing on their notoriety -- it seemed every second store had a "witch" theme to it! Whether it was a restaurant, music store, souvenir store, or whatever....

I guess it makes sense. You know (from Remote Hypnosis) that people who go to Salem must have witches on the mind (as their P.O.), so it makes sense to appeal to them through that! Remote Hypnosis is a fantastic business tool.... :)

And you're right.... The same should apply for when Harry Potter comes out....

Thanks! :)

- Dien