Shocking Video Split-Test Results Prove Most Marketers
Are Going About Many Aspects Of Their Business All Wrong…

And 2 Simple Business Tweaks You Can Make Right Now To
Seize The Gobs Of Extra Cash You’re Currently Leaving On The Table!

This may come as a surprise to you…

Over the past week we’ve been conducting a top-secret video split test on this blog.

None of our readers knew about the test. Yet, for many the results will create a serious degree of discomfort. Probably for you as well…

Why will the results of our secret video split test cause you discomfort?

Because if I write this post correctly, it’s going to force you to look at how you approach your current business activities, and face this cold, hard truth: Your current approach is possibly leaving a ton of extra money and opportunity on the table.

A blunt statement, perhaps… but one I’ll back up as you read on…

Listen, if you want to reap maximum financial and business-growth rewards from your efforts, and achieve founder-status in your business (i.e. build a business that grows, thrives and “gets better” without you) you simply must be able to do two critical things:

1. Translate winning strategies and tactics into action so you can consistently increase your own performance and the performance of your business.
2. Be able to consistently, methodically, and strategically step outside your individual and business comfort-zone, which is where all growth and business breakthroughs inevitably come from.

But I’m jumping way ahead of myself here.

So let me tell you about our secret split test, the logic behind it, the surprising results it delivered, our readers polarized reactions, and what it should mean to you about growing your business rapidly to the point of absolute freedom.

The Path To Becoming A Founder
Begins Right Here

Over the past two weeks, Todd Brown (the marketing wiz at Strategic Profits) and I have been delivering advice (on this blog) about what you need to do to make the shift from typical, average entrepreneur to autonomous business Founder.

And, to reiterate, by Founder we mean: an entrepreneur who has complete and total financial and time freedom from their business. And, an entrepreneur who has a business that has been engineered to grow, thrive and improve without the necessary direct input or involvement from the entrepreneur.

In other words, as a Founder you’ll be an entrepreneur with a business where you have no day-to-day responsibilities, and even better, your business will continue to grow and make you more and more money without your direct involvement – the ultimate entrepreneurial nirvana.

Well, Todd and I started our series on “Becoming A Founder” with a video (from my favorite cigar lounge) that received rave reviews and many AHA! Moments.

In fact, that first video – located here http://www.strategicprofits.com/strategy/new-video-how-to-get-complete-personal-financial-freedom-from-your-business/

- already has 344 comments and has been retweeted well over 135 times.

We recorded this video the day before I finished-up the, now infamous, Billy Mays Marketing Magic mega-blog post. And, then we released the video the day after the Billy Mays post went up on the blog.

This is a critical point in this lesson and story because it was the Billy Mays blog post that inspired the secret split test I’m going to tell you about in a second.

Well, when it was time to shoot our second Founder video, it seemed obvious to Todd and I that we should put the golden nuggets we learned from Billy Mays to the test.

So, together we hatched our top-secret plan to see just how it would impact our opt-in conversions if I “channeled” a little Billy Mays in our next Founder video.

And, that’s exactly what I did…

The Secret Video Split-Test
Enters The Scene

We created two different versions of our second video in our Founder series.

However, my message was the same in both videos. Even the call to action was the same: “Opt-in for more great advice on how you can become a Founder”.

The difference:

Version A took almost everything I wrote about in the Billy Mays blog post and applied it:

Version B was my normal approach to delivering advice through video:

So, while the content was identical – the approach taken was obviously dramatically different between the two. And, the variation in response was equally as different.

Funny thing is… many of the comments about video A weren’t even based on the content presented in the video, but on the style of delivery. Many marketers seemed to freak-out over my change in style.

The Strategic Profits Tribe
Revolts Against Rich Schefren!

For example:

Jesse said “What happened to Rich’s voice… Not believable at all.”

John said “I know that you’re pitching in this video… I twinged at hearing you at such a high pitch. ”

Tom agreed “…Rich, you have a persona, a relaxed, calm, and cool persona – this is what attracted me to you. Change that and you will alienate a big chunk of people…”

Cory challenged “I know you have passion for Billy Mays… However, I not real sure if changing your approach to sort-of mimic his style is going to be beneficial for you since you already built what Seth Godin refers to as “Your Tribe” Rich.”

Another commentor said this “In other words you need to be YOU accomplishing the same objectives rather than trying to recreate a persona… . Unfortunately, your particular take on his style detracted from your message… Obviously your readers believe you are authentic. So keep your authenticity and accomplish your objective Rich’s way.”

Matt said “Trying to push yourself into another mold will fail… ”

An anonymous poster said this “Rich has sold his soul to the devil.”

Now, the average online marketer would think, with the volume of negative comments and feedback from our loyal tribe of followers, students, and readers –that version B (my normal delivery) would blow away version A (my “infomercial-style” delivery) in opt-in conversions.

I mean… let’s face it… if one video gets lots of negative comments and another one with the same content doesn’t get any negative comments… it should seem logical, right, to see a decrease in opt-ins from the video with the negative comments.

But guess what?

If, like most of the average marketers out there, you assumed the same thing, you’d be DEAD WRONG!

Not only did the “informercial-style” video with the negative comments beat my normal delivery. It CRUSHED IT! It blew it out of the water!

These Marketing Results
Shocked Even Our Team…

Version A (Billy May’s Style) outperformed Version B (Normal Style) by a whopping 42%!

In other words, Version A – despite all of the negative comments – generated 42% MORE opt-ins than the video with my normal delivery.

Who would have thought, right?

Now to be fair – some readers congratulated me on my willingness to step outside my comfort zone and do something different. But, NO ONE thought we would get better results with the “infomercial-style”. NOT A SINGLE ONE!

Yet, what most assumed would get killed, actually did the slaughtering. This is why assumptions in marketing and business-development have no place.

This is also why the most advanced marketers often answer hypothetical marketing questions with the caveat: “To truly determine which is better you need to test it…”

Now, frankly, I could end this blog post right here and still have delivered major takeways for you. You did get those takeaways, right? If not, you may want to back a re-read the beginning of this post. J

But there’s so much more to glean from the results of this video split-test. In fact, there’s 2 critical lessons buried in this story that can help you quickly get on the path to becoming a Founder, of all things, in your own business.

So, if you’re really serious about wanting to have a business that delivers the financial freedom you desire… with absolutely no day-to-day responsibilities… keep reading.

Because I’m about to share with you 2 simple tweaks you must make in how you function everyday, if you truly want that personal and business freedom.

This Keeps Most Marketers From Ever
Progressing To Their Goals And Dreams

There no doubt in my mind…

The average internet marketer that read my Billy Mays Marketing Magic blog post, got to the end, and felt it was a good (or possibly even great) because they learned quite a bit about the secret psychology and sales strategies behind Billy Mays’ billion-dollar infomercial empire.

But – truth be told, they really didn’t learn a damn thing.

Why do I say that?

Because in the end; their newfound knowledge doesn’t translate into any sort of change in their business or personal actions.

Sure, they absorbed the information they’ve read in that post. But, when it comes time for them to create a new video, most marketers will do the same exact thing they’ve done every other time before. They won’t change anything in the slightest.

The result for them?

Nothing changes. Their results don’t change. Their business doesn’t change. Their income doesn’t change. Their lifestyle doesn’t change. Their level of freedom doesn’t change. Nothing changes. Even with new knowledge, everything goes on like it did before. So, where is the learning there??

Meanwhile, these “ever-learning, never-evolving entrepreneurs” continue to ask themselves, “What do I need to change to get better results?”. Sadly, they don’t realize they’ve already been shown the answer. Yet, they were simply unwilling to experiment and put their new knowledge to the test.

So, How Does An Entrepreneur Truly Evolve Into A Founder?

Listen: you learn, evolve, grow, and develop into a founder BY DOING… not by just absorbing new information. Period.

Your willingness to do – creates your ability to do – and nothing else does. This is why true learning comes from the application of your new knowledge, not just the acquisition of it.

And you evolve and grow as a marketer and entrepreneur by stretching yourself and getting out of your comfort zone. Plain and simple: as an entrepreneur none of your marketing or business-building decisions should ever be made based on your level of comfort.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that thing you’re most uncomfortable with is probably THE thing you should be doing to grow to the next level. Never forget that.

For instance:

Making video version A wasn’t easy or comfortable for me. How could it be – version B is my normal style.

But how could I have studied everything that made Billy Mays’ delivery-style so effective and not test that style against my own normal delivery method? Doing that would have done a massive disservice to Strategic Profits and my personal growth and evolution as a marketer.

Truth be told – I couldn’t NOT test my new knowledge of Billy Mays. And my hope for you is that you’re either the same way already or that I can help you evolve to that point where you’re always putting your new knowledge into action.

Are You Honoring This More Than Your Dreams? Because Founders Don’t…

Here’s why: If your not progressing daily toward the reality of your dream business and lifestyle, it’s because you’ve trained yourself to honor your comfort zone more than your dreams.

Just to be clear – your comfort zone encompasses all of the things you’ve done often enough so you feel extremely comfortable doing them again (i.e. video version B, in my case).

The reality is that the feelings and activities most of us label as “uncomfortable” are, in fact, the very tools necessary to fulfill our dreams.

Frankly, average entrepreneurs often treat their business as if it were a bicycle with training wheels still in place – limited, entirely too safe, and somewhat boring.

They believe that “being comfortable” is reason enough not to do something new, or worse yet, to let “what other people might think” affect their behavior.

Please understand: taking calculated risks or playing it safe is totally your choice. It’s always your choice. And you will always live out the choices you make.

Founders understand when, where and how to take calculated risks with their new knowledge. And, then they do.

So, the bottom line question for you is this: Are you going to take the proper calculated risks, like Founders do, to pursue what you truly want or are you going to continue to do what’s comfortable?

Are You Ready To Become A Founder
With A Business That Thrives On Its Own?

Here’s the deal: to become the Founder of a business – one that grows and grows without you and gives you total freedom and autonomy – you need to evolve from the entrepreneur you are right now to the Founder you can be.

Founders understand that success is a journey, not a destination. And, they understand how, when and where along that journey to take calculated risks that get them out of their comfort zone.

Unlike average entrepreneurs, Founders are almost always on the cutting-edge of something new and big– a breakthrough, a discovery, a game-changing business distinction.

How do Founders stay on the cutting-edge and always one-step ahead of average entrepreneurs?

Well, Founders possess the skillsets necessary to spot and seize upcoming opportunities and trends early in their market. Founders have a specific method for identifying and calculating the risks that are most likely to produce the results needed to move their companies forward everyday. And, Founders know how to decipher between the myriad of tactics and strategies that will allow their businesses to continue to evolve and prosper.

All of these things combined… and this is exactly why Founders are the entrepreneurs living life on their own terms, by their own rules.

So are YOU ready to become a Founder?

P.S. Have you recently reaped the rewards of getting out of your comfort zone? Or, have you been struggling with doing something to grow your business you’re uncomfortable with? If so, why not join the conversation by sharing your experience below. We’d love to hear from you. Leave us your comment below.

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