How Multivariate Testing Can Be Used To Optimize Profit

Do you know how to quickly increase the conversion rate on your sales page? If I could show you a method that will let you test all of the attributes of your sales page at one time would you be interested? Of course you would. In this article we will discuss multivariate testing and how it can help boost your bottom line.

Split testing has been around for a very long time and all successful internet marketers use it. This method allows you to test one page element at a time to determine what is more successful.

The major drawback to split testing is the amount of time involved. Testing one element then another, and another can be very time consuming. Multivariate testing will allow you to test as many elements as you wish at the same time thus saving valuable time.

Multivariate testing software is set up on your server and you supply the program with a number of variations for each element of your sales page that you want to test. This can be as simple or as intricate as you desire.

The attributes that you might test are headlines, lead in paragraph, font, layout, color, border, and price just to name a few. The list is almost endless.

After you supply the software package with all of your variables it will dynamically generate your sales page and track the corresponding results. For instance you will discover if the white or pale blue background produced more sales etc.

If you are seriously interested in conducting the most testing in the least amount of time then multivariate testing is the answer you have been looking for. Imagine simply testing a headline using the A/B split testing method.

How long would it take? In most cases I usually gave my test at least one week to build statistics. Then I would compare the two pages. If I had been using multivariate testing I could have tested twenty or more attributes in that amount of time and we all know that in our business time is money.

Multivariate testing is convenient in that it allows you to test as many variables as you like at the same time and all on the same sales page. You do not have to construct multiple sales pages to test each element and worry about distributing traffic to each page equally. You do not have to make changes to your advertising in order to facilitate the test, everything continues as normal.

While multivariate testing is the easiest way to test your sales page elements it has one drawback over A/B Split testing and that is cost. Split testing really only cost the internet professional some time whereas multivariate testing will cost them a few bucks. In the Low End (sub $500) price range there is really one one good option: The Evolutionary Splittester. If you want a more robust, more capable program, be prepared to shell out several thousand dollars.

Multivariate testing has distinct advantages when compared with the traditional A/B split testing methods that so many of us are used to. Multivariate testing saves time by allowing you to test multiple variables at one time and is convenient in that there is no need to set up multiple sales pages. Everything is done on one page.

The drawback to this form of testing is its price. Internet professionals who are just starting out may find the price tag somewhat discouraging.

Multivariate testing will help you increase your profit by constantly testing the variables on your sales page. You can then keep the good and toss the bad.

Don’t Miss Out On My FREE Report - Top Secret Copywriting Techniques To Increase Your Sales By Over 214% In Under 24 Hours!

For An Amazingly Powerful Split Tester That Can Do Thousands Of Tests At Once, Track Every Single Customer And Automatically Improves Your Sales page For You, Check Out The Evolutionary Splittester

How to Chose Automated Testing Software that is Right for You

Every seasoned internet professional understands that split testing is a necessity to improve sales page conversion rates. Most of them also know that this can be a long laborious process as well. If you want to free up more of your valuable time then automated testing software might be just what you need.

Automated testing software comes in every price range from free for very simple versions to more than a couple of thousand for the most advanced. With automated testing software, much like any other product, you get what you pay for.

Free and low priced versions may only allow A/B type testing with only one or two variables while the higher end packages which fall into multivariate testing allow as many variables as you would like.

I have conducted thousands of split tests and here are some of the things that I would look for when considering automated testing software

1.) It must be invisible

I do not want my customers to know that I am split testing. The automated testing software must be capable of using cookies to ensure that should a customer decide not to buy at this time and return later, they will be presented with the same page they viewed earlier.

2.) Number of variables tested

The automated testing software that I would choose must allow unlimited testing. This type of software is usually used in multivariate testing and I need to be able to test as many variables as needed. To purchase a software package with limited tests is simply tossing money out the window.

3.) Coding

My pages tend to get a large amount of traffic so I want an automated testing software package that can handle this. Packages that use PHP and mySQL tend to be very fast and would be the ones on the top of my list.

4.) Ease of Use

If I purchase an automated testing software package it is to save time. I do not want to spend a large amount of time learning the software. A package with an easy to use and familiar windows based control panel would make the learning curve much easier to handle.

5.) Installation

While I can install scripts and have done so in the past I prefer that those who are familiar with the setup and operation of the script install it for me. A good automated testing software package should offer either free or low cost installation.

There you have it, the five things that I would look for when determining which automated testing software to purchase.

Automated testing software can save time by performing time intensive tasks giving you more time to work on other aspects of your business.

When considering the purchase of a software package you should consider the visibility to customers, the number of variables that it can test, how it is coded, ease of use, and installation. Use automated testing software to free up your valuable time.

Don’t Miss Out On My FREE Report - Top Secret Copywriting Techniques To Increase Your Sales By Over 214% In Under 24 Hours!

For An Amazingly Powerful Split Tester That Can Do Thousands Of Tests At Once, Track Every Single Customer And Automatically Improves Your Sales page For You, Check Out The Evolutionary Splittester

How Mailing Lists Can Help Your Sales Effort

Mailing lists are an invaluable part of any sales and marketing strategy. Basically, the larger number of prospects you have, the larger number of leads you will obtain, and eventually the larger number of customers you will have.

That is why good, accurate and large mailing lists are essentials. They are the building blocks to the rest of your sales efforts. There are two main types of mailing lists: consumer mailing lists and business mailing lists. Here are some great ways to utilize mailing lists.

Direct mail is still an effective method of reaching your target audience. With the right mailing lists, you can send out information to your targeted prospective customers at any time. Direct mailers such as newsletters can be used with your mailing lists to ensure that your prospects get information about your company periodically. Staying in touch with your target is a great way to give them information about your products or services in an informative way.

Direct mail is also a great method to let your potential clients know about new products and services you are offering as well as any specials you may be running. By using the same mailing list and adding new contacts to it, you can easily keep track of who you have sent information to and track any responses.

If your company utilizes telemarketing or cold calling as a sales strategy, mailing lists are incredibly useful as well. By using your mailing lists with telephone contact information, you can call your prospects to discuss your services or products. Again, by using the mailing list, you can keep track of who has been contacted and what kind of response you are getting.

Compiling a mailing list can take a lot of time away from your sales and marketing team. Because of this, many companies are seeing the value in purchasing consumer mailing list and business mailing lists, as well as other related services.

There is such a demand for these products that the companies providing them have become experts in obtaining information for businesses like yours. More often than not, the cost of these mailing lists is far less than it would cost you to obtain the information on your own.

When purchasing these lists for mailing campaigns, telemarketing leads and other strategies, keep in mind what company you purchase them from. Find a company that has a wide variety of lists available, including different demographics and geographic areas. You’ll save a great deal of time and possibly money by purchasing your list from experts.

Wendy Moyer is a professional writer. Martin World Wide offers a variety of services including mailing lists and other sales data.

What Kind of Mailing Lists Do I Need?

If your company has decided to utilize mailing lists to help grow sales, you probably already know that mailing lists are becoming one of the most efficient means to obtain business and consumer contact information.

In fact, so many businesses have realized the value in purchasing mailing lists that the companies that provide them have become more efficient themselves in their services. You can have a customized mailing list created just for the contacts that your company is searching for.

Purchasing these customized lists can save your company time and money and get your sales teams following leads sooner. However, here are a few tips to save you even more time and money before your purchase your mailing lists.

Determine your demographics. If your company caters to other businesses, then you will need a business mailing list. These lists contain vital information for the businesses you want to sell to including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and contact names.

You can have these lists customized to businesses within your geographic area, businesses with a certain number of employees, businesses in certain industries, etc. By evaluating exactly what type of business you want to sell to, you can avoid paying for lists that you don’t need.

If your company offers products and services for individual consumers, then you will need a consumer mailing list. These lists will contain the same information as business mailing lists except instead of the vital business information you’ll have the consumer information.

Once you determine which type of list you’ll need and geographic area, you’ll want to consider a few other specifics. Does your product cater to households with children? Do you offer a service to non-profit organizations? Is your product specific to one industry or one demographic?

All of these questions should be considered so that when you purchase your lists, you are prepared with all the information the mailing list provider will need. These providers have millions of contacts in their databases, so the more information you have, the more efficient they can be in creating your mailing lists.

And the better your mailing list is, the better information your sales team has to work through the contacts, follow up on leads, and ultimately, make the sales. Another tip: you can use your mailing lists in direct mail campaigns, telemarketing and more. Additionally, your mailing lists can be used to organize and compile your sales information so you can track your success.

Wendy Moyer is a professional writer. Martin World Wide offers a variety of services including mailing lists and other sales data.

How to Use AB Testing To Transform Your Wimpy Sales Page Into A Profit Monster

If you have been in the internet marketing business for any length of time you should understand that your sales pages must have a high conversion rate for success. Your sales page must entice the reader to open up their wallet and get out their credit card.

There are many successful sales pages but most likely they did not start out that way. A truly successful sales page should always be a work in progress. What worked wonderfully a few weeks ago may not be converting at a rate that is satisfactory now.

To super charge your sales pages you should be AB testing them. AB testing, also known as split testing is a process whereby you create multiple sales pages for the same product or service and track which of the pages has the higher conversion rate.

In order to be a successful internet professional you must convert visitors to customers. The internet is very impersonal in that you do not meet a prospective customer face to face or even have a conversation with them on the phone. All you have is your sales page to persuade a potential customer to buy. AB testing can be the difference between a sales page that converts one or two sales per week and one that converts 10, 20, 50 or more sales per day.

Here is an example of how I AB test my sales pages:

1.) Creation

I begin with a new sales page that I have created and then create two alternate pages. On these alternate pages I change a single attribute. On the first I may change the headline and on the second I reword the first paragraph.

2.) Traffic

Once the pages are ready I start sending equal amounts of traffic to each page. In most cases I run the test for 7 days.

3.) And the Winner Is

The page that had the best conversion rate was the one on which I changed the headline. This is the one that I will keep. The other two I keep in a folder on my computer so that I can review them occasionally.

4.) Repeat

This time I start with the page that had the best conversion rate in my previous AB test. Again I write 2 new pages and change a single attribute. This time I will not change the headline because it was the winner in the last text. Then I run my process again.

The key to developing an exceptionally powerful sales page is constant testing. When I have tested all elements of the page I begin the process again. This constant cycle of testing will increase both sales and profitability.

If you are not AB testing then you basically saying “I don’t care about how many sales I make.” If you are saying something similar to that statement, you do not belong in the internet marketing business. Now that you understand the process you can start testing and start creating a profit pulling monster where you wimpy sales page used to be.

Don’t Miss Out On My FREE Report - Top Secret Copywriting Techniques To Increase Your Sales By Over 214% In Under 24 Hours!

For An Amazingly Powerful Split Tester That Can Do Thousands Of Tests At Once, Track Every Single Customer And Automatically Improves Your Sales page For You, Check Out The Evolutionary Splittester

Setting Goals For Your Sales Team

Setting goals for your sales team is one of the most crucial tasks that you as a sales manager will ever undertake. Without set goals, your team will not feel properly motivated and may also under perform due to a lack of internal work load and expectation structure. This article will help you discover some of the best ways to properly set realistic goals for your sales team.

First, sit down by yourself and draw up a master plan of the goals that you would like your team to achieve and then, write down the steps that you feel are necessary to accomplish these goals. Once you have your goals and objectives, make sure that your sales team is properly trained to achieve them. If you need to have them learn new methods or brush up on skills, remember that although this may take them off of the sales floor temporarily, it will also better prepare them to close more sales in the long run.

Make full use of all of the tools at your disposal, i.e. phones, fax machines, the Internet, and the various sales management tracking software programs available. The Internet is a powerful tool for research and also, for discovering new potential leads and sources of revenue. It goes without saying that the most powerful tool at you at your disposal, however, is your very own sales team, which is why it is so important to recruit effectively. Putting the wrong people in charge of a project or deal can cause you to lose it, and in the end, you will have no one but yourself to blame.

A lot is said at sales conferences and seminars about KPI or key performance indicators. These can be helpful when it comes to problems or potential pitfalls in your sales practices. For example, how often is a sales appointment advanced to the next phase, and what is your average revenue. You should also examine our sales cycle, is it a conventional cycle or do control it. Do some of your team members have shorter sales cycles on average then others do. If so, take the time to examine the reasons behind this.

Answering these questions, following these tips and taking the time to create clear goal plans and objectives will help you and your sales team go a long way towards creating, managing, and achieving your sales goals.

Cloud9 Analytics delivers easy-to-use business intelligence applications directly to sales, marketing, and support organizations as a service over the internet. Visit the website for more information on Sales Pipeline Management

Sales Management Tips: Developing Leadership Skills

One of the most important sales management skills to develop are leadership skills. While there will always be debate as to whether great leaders are born or made, the fact remains that everyone can learn new ways to improve and develop leadership skills.

Even people who are lucky enough to be born with the basic skills and personality of a leader are not simply leaders by default. Leadership, particularly in a sales management context is all about motivational skills. The first thing to do is to find out how your team views you as a manager. What does this mean. It could mean a survey, and or a relaxed forum where you ask for and receive input and constructive criticism from both your peers and the members of your sales team.

When someone from your team comes to you with a problem or a concern, listen. The best leaders are the best listeners and the reason why is simple: because they listen to the problems and concerns of others, people are more likely to listen to, and take direction from, them. When you have a problem, do you want to share it with someone who listens without interrupting or to someone who constantly interjects to tell you about their own problems.

This does not mean that you must simply listen and can never offer constructive criticism or advice, just be sure to put a positive spin on things whenever possible. Focus on the situation, not the person, asking questions such as, why do you think this problem occurred, and what do you think we can do to prevent it from happening again. You should not think of the people working under you as things that need to be controlled or managed, but rather, as people who are capable of doing their jobs with a little guidance from you. True leaders do not believe that it is their responsibility to always tell others how to do something. Instead, they understand that in some situations, it is better to allow people to discover their own solutions.

And always, remember that your sales management team will both respect and enjoy working with you much more if you let them get to know the real you. Be open about yourself and you will go a long way towards breaking down hierarchal barriers and gaining the respect of your sales team.

Cloud9 Analytics delivers easy-to-use business intelligence applications directly to sales, marketing, and support organizations as a service over the internet. Visit the website for more information about Sales Forecasting Software

Win More Sales with the Science of Social Dynamics

Many areas of selling that I’ve studied and taught to others are rarely, if ever, known and used in the world of professional selling. One of those is the science of social dynamics - before I ever began learning it myself and including it in my training, I’d never before seen it used in sales.

Social dynamics is the science of using nonverbal sub-communication to influence others. What does this include? The primary elements of our nonverbal sub-communication are body language, vocal tone, inflection and volume, eye contact, movement and carriage of the body, and other subtle but important elements.

The consequences of not using proper social dynamics in your sales interactions are severe, and most of us don’t even know we’re doing anything wrong because we haven’tt been taught. The situation is much like cold calling - salespeople who cold call only do so because they don’t know any alternatives. However, by not paying attention to our social dynamics, we unknowingly give our power away to prospects, let them have control of sales appointments, create an impression that we are not successful, give prospects the “gut feeling” that they should not buy from us - all unknowingly.

So, that said, what can we do to make sure we don’t short-circuit all of our efforts by using improper social dynamics? Following is a brief and very basic - but highly effective - checklist of things you need to watch out for while selling:

1. Body language. (This isn’t easy to explain without pictures so bear with me!) Be careful not to lean in to prospects when talking with them. Leaning in sub-communicates weakness and submission. Lean back when you are in front of prospects. This sub-communicates that you are the leader, are in control, and will cause prospects to be more willing to follow your lead and buy. In addition, you should never face a prospect more than they are facing you. In other words, if a prospect is not facing you straight-on while sitting or standing, you should be turned away just a degree more than the prospect is turned away from you. It is okay to face a prospect straight-on only after they have fully turned to face you directly. If you face them directly before they do so to you, you are sub-communicating neediness and submission. However, by allowing the prospect to do so first, they are automatically placed in the submissive role and will be much easier to close.

2. If you cannot hear a prospect, never lean in directly when they repeat themselves. Instead, turn sideways, so that your ear is facing the prospect, but your face is turned away. This allows you to hear the prospect better but without taking a weak stance.

3. Your voice. The single most important thing you can do to be a more effective salesperson is to have a powerful, commanding voice. Like a firm handshake, an impressive vocal presence sub-communicates power and leadership and will cause prospects to be much more willing to buy from you. Practice speaking louder in your everyday communications. You don’t want to yell or strain; instead, focus on speaking from your core, your abdomen, which will result in the commanding voice you need to have to be effective.

Imagine a general who speaks powerfully, but without yelling or straining. This is what you should strive for. I achieved this by simply talking that way all the time. An added benefit is that you will automatically become an excellent public speaker by having this talent, which you can then leverage into more sales by volunteering to speak at networking events, chamber of commerce meetings, and other “target-rich” environments. It will also be a necessary skill should you wish to go into sales training or public speaking later in your career, a choice that is available to all successful salespeople.

4. Your presence. This is closely related to body language, but has more to do with posture than with positioning yourself in front of prospects. For example, weak people are afraid of infringing on others’ personal space, so they keep a small presence. Avoid this by standing with your feet at least a foot apart, leaning back slightly, and having your shoulders back and chin up. This is a powerful stance that sub-communicates leadership and confidence. The same rules hold true while sitting - keep your feet flat on the floor (no crossed legs), with your arms spread wide rather than holding them close together. Unless you are sitting with your arms on the desk, lean back in your chair while speaking. Again, you’re demonstrating command of the situation by doing so.

What about pacing the movements of your prospect? Don’t do it. This is one of those “old, right answers” from the old school of selling that is now wrong. Most prospects can pick up on this because it’s been done to them so many times before, and, what’s worse, why would you want to pace your prospects’ mannerisms when you run the risk of reflecting their own weak body language? In addition, it shows a lack of independence, which is the biggest killer of the powerful, confident persona you want to demonstrate in appointments.

Finally, remember that this is not a competition. These suggestions are not given with the intent to rule your prospects. They simply allow you to present yourself as a powerful leader whose advice should be taken, and the end result is that prospects will feel extremely comfortable with entrusting their business to you. Follow these tips, and your close rates will suddenly explode!

Frank J. Rumbauskas Jr. is the New York Times best-selling author who redefined sales. Frank’s advice has transformed the careers of tens of thousands of salespeople! Click here to download ten free chapters of his award-winning cold calling home study course.

The Mobile Professional’s Last Frontier Conquered At Last

What exactly does it mean to be a mobile professional? If it means answering calls with a smart phone and possibly checking voicemail and reading and returning e-mail, then great. But what happens when the mobile professional needs to have move functionality in the field?

What about receiving and reviewing faxes? And calls that the mobile professional cannot answer while they are engaged in a client meeting or appointment. Smart phones provide an excellent range of services, but without the proper back-end software, they still leave a great deal on the table. How much business opportunities get missed by the mobile professional who cannot receive and review faxes in a timely manner?

Would it not be fantastic if your faxes could follow you from one location to another? Particularly for professionals who rely on certain types of documents, this feature could expedite decisions or transactions and serve as a value-add to your clients and prospects. And since growth results in income, we recommend that all mobile professionals investigate such a service.

For as little as $10 per month, any mobile professional can have incoming faxes sent by e-mail in any number of formats, and have their voicemail available on the internet. When assessing the annual cost of $120 (or $110 if you consider the free month), consider the time lost while driving to and from the office or a FedEx Kinko’s to retrieve important documents? Now, imagine just how convenient it would be to receive these documents by e-mail. Better yet, imagine reciving them by e-mail on your smart phone!

Many mobile professionals shun the traditional office in favor of a mobile work lifestyle for a variety of reasons. One of the most common however is to avoid making unproductive and unprofitable trips back to the office. Until myFax came along, the professional never really achieved true mobility. Since the system requires no software downloads or installation process, it makes perfect sense to sign up, at least for a free trial.

The leader in this segment is myFax and my1voice (which provides voicemail and auto attendant services). The faxing by e-mail solution is the simplest to use on the market today, hands-down. Since it is web-based, it is also easy to use, particularly for mass faxing. Regardless of their competitive edge, myFax will allow to allow you to see for yourself just how essential their service is to your mobility!

About the Author:

Christmas Cash - Change Your Life Using Christmas Sales

Christmas is a great time for the family, but if you are making money online then it can be a truly magical time of year. Internet marketing income in the run up to Christmas can easily surpass your income for the rest of the year if you create the right type of sites and target the right products.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Christmas sales can change your life. One year ago I was making a living at internet marketing. It was never going to make me rich but it covered my costs. The problem was I was working 10 hours a day 6 days a week to maintain and generate my income.

4 days before thanksgiving last year I made a blog post and posted 2 articles to EzineArticles. I then went to bed. In the morning when I checked my income my commission junction account was showing over $100 in sales from the page I had created before going to bed. The articles hadn’t even been accepted at this point. It took Google less than 2 hours to index my site and about 2 hours and 5 minutes before the first visitors came to the page I had created.

Over the next week the income from the blog continued to grow $150, $200 and then $300 per day. By the time Christmas was over I had earned almost $17000 from those 2 articles. After Christmas the daily incomes slowly dropped until It was averaging around $600 a month. Which is still not bad for a single blog post and 2 articles. Now that it’s getting close to Christmas again the income has risen above the $1000 a month level already.

That unexpected Income last Christmas has changed my life, I now work for 6 hours a day and try to only work four and a half days a week. It gave me confidence to pursue what I was doing in the full knowledge that the methods I was using worked and worked well. It also showed me that you don’t need to spend money on advertising and Pay Per Click ads. Of course the extra income helped as well.

You too can make money this Christmas and set yourself up for 2009. However first you need to ask yourself “Do I really want this” If the answer is yes and you are committed to creating an income for yourself and your family then I am prepared to help you.

I have set up a special forum as part of my Wordpress Goldmine guide. In that forum I will take you through each step you need to do to build up your income this Christmas. There are live examples, webinars and I am available to answer any questions you have. If you want it we will make it happen.

About the Author:

Next Page »