The Lab Routine
What should you test next, and what did your last test really teach you? A steady routine for testing one change at a time and keeping what works.
Ask yourself first
- What is the last thing you tested, and what did you decide?
- If you could change only one thing in your welcome email, what would it be, and why?
- Which test do you think would do nothing, and would you run it anyway?
When to use it
Use it when you have ideas but no system for trying them, or when tests are run once and forgotten. It keeps every idea in order, forces a clear question before each test and records what you learned, including the tests that did nothing.
What is in the workbook
- Test backlog. Every idea with a hypothesis, audience, metric and priority.
- Test log. Dates, result, decision and what you learned for every test.
- Action plan. What to test next, and what to roll out.
How to use it
- Add every idea to the backlog.
- Pick one and write the question and the metric first.
- Change one thing, and run the test for full weeks.
- Judge by clicks, replies and orders, not opens.
- Decide, record what you learned and move on.
Common mistakes
- Changing several things at once.
- Stopping early because of one good or bad day.
- Drawing conclusions from small differences on a small list.
Questions people ask
Can I test with a small list?
Yes. Test big changes such as the offer or send time, and compare whole weeks. Small differences on small lists are usually noise.
Why not judge by open rate?
Privacy features inflate opens. Clicks, replies and orders are more reliable.
What should I use next?
Bring your results together in the Email Experience Index. See all fourteen workbooks.
Curious what we would find?
Run the free scan, or book a call and we will plan your next test together.