It's important to test all your copy, and how you test it is just as important as testing itself. Testing helps focus your marketing dollars on results. Here are some copy testing strategies to help you determine which copy really works:
Rewrite the piece about your competitor, mail it to your boss, and see if it shows up in your office. If it shocks your boss, then you know the piece works but do reveal the secret before you get fired. Not the best test, just a fun one.
Turn the piece into a blind lead generation, deliver it to prospects and see how many respond. Don't mention your company anywhere, focus only on the offer and the readers response.
Post photocopies around your buyers office asking them for comments, use the one that makes sales. You really don't want their comments, you want them to call and ask how they can get the product. Try your customers first.
Mock up the campaign and send it to yourself, see if it grabs your attention or surprises you when you get it. Have your printer do a short run, or simplify the campaign to produce in house. Mail or give away at a trade show.
Do a low cost run of the campaign with even a black and white mock-up, send it to prospects and look for orders. Even if you build it on the office copier, you'll be out the door quickly with a reliable test.
Setup a web landing page to capture email leads or build an existing mailing list. Use the same copy just to drive the sign up without any incentive or change in offer.
The key is to get your copy in front of buyers. Not focus groups, but real buyers. If you want to see what works, then put your copy in front of people who you want action from.
In most business-to-business environments this kind of testing is good enough for quantity roll-out. If not, it provides some insight to real buyer behavior. That's something you can't get in an office full of people detached from customer experience.
Justin Hitt writes business-to-business marketing copy that makes sales and generates leads. Discover industrial copy that works at http://HittPublishingDirect.com/
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