Most marketers understand the value of periodically testing a new product or strategy, but testing should be a regular part of your email program. It's easy to become complacent with testing, especially if your program is performing well. But adopting a consistent approach to testing will ensure that you understand the impact of changes you are making to your program over time and that you are committed to continuous learning.
 
Here are some key things to keep in mind as you evaluate your own testing approach:
 
Define your goals
Testing without defining your goals is a sure way to waste your time. Make sure you clearly define what you are trying to learn. Are you trying to increase conversion? Are you trying to increase open rates? Are you trying to increase engagement or clicks? Create a list of questions you want to answer and then use that as a starting place for building your plan.
 
Make sure you can measure results
Before you execute a test, make sure you have the tools in place to measure response. You may need separate revenue tracking codes for test cells, or you may need to apply a special code to test records so you can separate results. Figure this out in advance and you will save yourself a headache on the backend.
 
Make sure your test is significant
First, make sure your test sample size is large enough to produce actionable results. Since program response varies, there is not a magic number of records to test, but there are calculators you can use to determine if your test sample size is statistically valid. Second, make sure that your test is different enough from your control to produce actionable results. For example, if you are testing subject lines your probably will not see a significant difference in response if you only change one or two words. Differences need to be more drastic to be measurable.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week to learn more about selecting tests that make an impact and the importance of consistent, regular testing.