SurfControl is a provider of corporate security software that came to me with a challenge: Help them sell their product, SuperScout, in a competitive market with such heavy hitters as Norton.
To set SuperScout apart, we created a magalog that persuaded the CEO/CFO/top-level corporate prospects of the value and specific benefits of using SuperScout.
But to ensure the best possible results for SurfControl, we produced two different covers to test in the market.
In this case, both the headline and graphics were different on each cover.
Cover A says, “How fortune 1000 Companies are Losing Billions to Cyberslackers.”
Cover B says, “How an email joke cost Chevron $2.2 million dollars.”
The winner?
Cover B outperformed Cover A by more than 24%.
With this valuable knowledge, we were then able to print and mail more “Cover B” magalogs to produce more leads and sales for SurfControl.
Harry and David: Shopping Cart Icon Test
Harry and David conducted this test on the shopping cart icon on their website during their busiest season, in December.
They created two versions of their site header, which included a search box and cart icon:
Version A had the word “Keyword” written inside the search field, a magnifying glass search button and a cart icon with the words “Your Cart” next to it.
Version B had the word “Search” above an empty search field, an arrow for its search button and the word “Cart” for the cart icon.
Version A outsold Version B by double digits.
This test shows just how important it is to test small details that your might consider insignificant. Small tweaks can produce major impact.
Version A may have done better because of its more conventional design – people were familiar with the way the search box and cart button looked and so they used them.
Version B may have been too unorthodox and new.
The lesson from the story: Test everything.
Testing is critical to refining your strategy and gaining valuable leads. Don’t skip this critical step. It could make a massive difference in the results of your campaign.
