The Awful Truth about Testing, Tracking and Tunnel Vision

Joe Vitale, http://www.mrfire.com

I believe in testing your marketing methods and tracking your results, but such activities can lead to a certain tunnel vision, and I see that happening here in cyberheaven. Here's a true story to illustrate my point:

When Rudolf Flesch's classic book, The Art of Plain Talk was published, it was sold only through bookstores. In two years it had sold 1,800 copies. Pretty sad for such a wonderful book. The author thought it was sad, as well.

Flesch persuaded his publisher to try a direct mail campaign. They agreed. Within only seven months they sold over 40,000 copies of his book by mail. Impressive. But here's the kicker:

Within those same seven months, without any other marketing efforts at all -- Please note what I just said: Without ANY other marketing efforts at all -- over 45,000 copies of his book were sold in bookstores. (!)

That means a whole herd of people got the direct mail letter but "didn't respond" to it. From a testing and tracking viewpoint, you might say the mailing bombed. After all, everyone didn't send in order forms. But those same people took the order form and went into the bookstores.

Successful marketing involves an orchestrated marketing strategy. You can't put up a web site and then complain that you don't get sales. You have to market that site. But you also have to realize many people will learn of your book because of the site and then go get it in a bookstore.

I do that all the time. Just last week I saw a terrific site for the book NetWorld! But rather than order online or call a toll-free number, I shot over to the closest bookstore and bought the book. Did that count as a web site sale? No. But without the web site, there may never have been that sale.

Just something to think about....

Joe Vitale is an explosive "results only!" marketing consultant, author of several books including The Seven Lost Secrets of Success and There's a Customer Born Every Minute, and a proven inspirational speaker. Get his ebook Secrets of Hypnotic Writing now available online at www.HypnoticWriting.com

© 1997-1999 Joe Vitale.

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