Are you really testing different ads, or just tweaking the same message with different words? Here’s a hard truth: changing “Best Plumber in Sydney” to “Top-Rated Sydney Plumber” isn’t real testing. It’s the same basic message, and it’s likely to get you the same basic results.
Let’s fix that with the Swiss Army Knife method – a systematic way to uncover truly different angles for your ads.
Start with These Core Testing Categories:
- Deep Motivations
What keeps your customer awake at 3 AM?
Test ads focused on their fears vs. their aspirations
Compare urgent problem-solving messages against future benefit messages - Relationship Triggers
Who are they trying to impress?
Test ads speaking to personal achievement vs. social status
Compare messages about standing out vs. fitting in - Market Forces
What external pressures are they facing?
Test ads about beating competitors vs. staying ahead of industry changes
Compare messages about immediate threats vs. future opportunities - Action Catalysts
What finally makes them take action?
Test ads focused on pain points vs. opportunity cost
Compare deadline-driven messages against loss-aversion messages
Here’s how to create genuinely different angles using the “Deep Motivations” category as an example. Let’s say you run a business productivity software company:
The 360° Vision Method: Creating Truly Different Ad Angles
When picking your first category, "Deep Motivations" is often the most revealing place to start. It directly taps into what keeps your customers awake at night, worrying.
How to Test Properly
Here's how different your angles should look within this category:
Angle 1: Fear of Falling Behind
Ad Concept: "While You're Buried in Spreadsheets, Your Competitors Are Already Done"
- Targets anxiety about becoming obsolete
- Focuses on the growing gap between them and successful competitors
- Emphasises time being wasted right now
Angle 2: Personal Achievement Status
Ad Concept: "Be the Person Who Goes Home at 5 While Everyone Else Works Late"
- Targets desire for work-life mastery
- Focuses on personal identity and status
- Emphasises who they could become
Angle 3: Financial Impact
Ad Concept: "Your Business is Leaking $4,000/Month in Manual Tasks"
- Targets concrete financial waste
- Focuses on measurable business impact
- Emphasises specific, tangible losses
Notice how these aren't just different ways of saying the same thing. Each angle:
- Triggers a different emotional response
- Speaks to a distinct motivation
- Could appeal to entirely different segments of your market
This is what real testing looks like. If your variations don't feel this different from each other, you're probably still testing the same basic message.
Remember: Let each test run long enough to gather meaningful data before moving to your next category. It's better to deeply understand one category than to superficially test them all.
What Not To Do:
Here's what NOT to do - these are fake "tests" that many business productivity software companies waste time and money on:
❌ Bad Example: Testing Minor Variations Instead of Different Angles
Ad 1: "Streamline Your Business With The #1 Productivity Software"
- Features: Easy to use, saves time, cloud-based
- Free trial available
- Start today
Ad 2: "Boost Your Business With Leading Productivity Software"
- Features: User-friendly, time-saving, cloud-based
- Try it free
- Get started now
Ad 3: "Enhance Your Business With Top-Rated Productivity Software"
- Features: Simple interface, efficient, cloud-based
- Free trial offer
- Begin today
See the problem? These ads:
- Use the same basic value proposition
- Make the same core promise
- Just shuffle synonyms around
- Test different ways to say "we're good software"
You’ve spent money to learn absolutely nothing about what actually motivates your market to buy. This is like ordering the same meal three times but with slightly different plating – it’s still the same meal.
Compare this to our previous example where each ad attacked a completely different motivation: fear of falling behind, desire for status, and financial waste. That’s real testing.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Through managing millions in ad spend, we've learned what typically goes wrong when businesses try implementing this technique alone:
- Over-complication: Trying to use too many ideas at once
- Insufficient testing: Not giving each variation enough data
- Poor tracking: Missing valuable insights from results
- Inconsistent execution: Failing to maintain systematic testing
At Untapped Profits, our proven systems help you avoid these common mistakes while maximising your results.
Next Steps
Ready to transform your advertising with The 360° Vision Method? Here's how to get started with Untapped Profits:
- Book a Free Strategy Session
We'll analyse your current advertising and identify immediate opportunities for improvement using this framework. - Get Your Custom Implementation Plan
Our team will create a detailed roadmap showing exactly how we'll apply these principles to your business. - Watch Your Results Grow
We'll handle everything - from research to implementation to optimization - while you focus on running your business.
Don't let your competitors beat you to these powerful advertising insights. Contact Untapped Profits today for your free strategy session..
Remember: The difference between average and exceptional advertising isn't just what you say - it's understanding the deep emotional triggers that make people act. Let us help you unlock these triggers for your business.