I think split testing is valuable and every business needs to be using it. However, you need to be smart about it just like you’ve suggested. Test the elements that REALLY MATTER. It does seem as if many business owners get a bit too excited and go overboard with split testing.

Derek’s approach to split testing echoes rule #2:
2. Revenue before cost—that is, prioritize increasing revenue over reducing costs.

And the 300$ haircut definitely reflected rule #1:
1. Better before cheaper—in other words, compete on differentiators other than price.

Both of these rules really helped me out financially while I was struggling and switching from being a webdesigner to an agency (basically a business owner) in my early 30s.

And there was one more thing that helped me out: As a small business or startup, we cannot sell for cheap & build in bulk. We are 1 or 2 people max: That means we can build a few things at most in a month. Big companies with production lines & logistics divisions can build in bulk, but small companies just can’t. That means, we have to position ourselves at high price & unique&great service.

First I have to say, I loved the “sexy” part of your video! 😉

What you said makes so much sense that I wondered why I didn’t think of it before. I’m still building my site, but I’m learning to KISS and not put too much “busy work” on my plate, but concentrate on what will benefit my audience and bring them to my site.

As to what I *almost* did just because I could… but thankfully decided that “just because I can, doesn’t mean I should”. I was creating the intro to my craft class videos in Powerpoint. I started goofing around with all the ways to animate the photos and titles in that short video, when my other half mentioned that I could waste a LOT of time on little “artistic touches” like that. I realized he was right, and within 30 seconds decided upon a “theme” and created a simple .jpg intro for the video.

But now that you’ve open my eyes to what makes of why to split test, it doesn’t seem so overwhelming.

LeslieZ

Joy

I started utilizing the internet since 1998. And yes, we started split-testing right away, and let me tell you, it was hard back then with almost non-existing tools to do such things.

Derek, you are right. It was a waste of time, effort and money..since time is money. We didn’t have the enough traffic to apply those tests on. Instead we should have focused on increasing traffic and maintain conversion rate.
Things like that are the very same reason why I decided to start online marketing again from scratch and unlearn everything I’ve learnt in the past.

Thank you Derek for brining that up.

All the best.