Day 48: Early Results from the 'Story' Split-Test

It’s Saturday, October 18th — Day 48 of this challenge, and we’re closing out another strong week.

The numbers are looking solid:

• 💰 Yesterday’s Sales: $1,103

• 💸 Ad Spend: £349 (≈ $469)

• 📈 Profit: $630

That’s now two consecutive $1,000+ sales days, and comfortably in the profit zone.

Today’s pacing looks promising too — around $678 by mid-afternoon, with a realistic chance of ending near $800–900.

When your daily ad budget sits around $460, everything above that is margin. So once I pass that threshold, I can finally exhale a little.

But while the numbers look good, the real story today is about what’s happening behind the scenes — specifically, the early data from the new landing page split test.

The Test: Story vs. Statement

A couple of days ago, I launched a split test between two landing pages:

• Control (A): My long-running page, written to speak collectively to my audience — “Finally, a guitar method designed for the over 50s.”

• Variant (B): The new story-driven version, inspired by John Caples’ 1927 piano ad, rewritten to fit my audience and voice — “My grandson laughed when I said I’d learn his favorite riffs…”

The goal?

To see if a personal, emotional story can outperform a direct, audience-based statement in converting visitors into buyers.

Early Results Are In (But Still Shifting)

Here’s what the first two days’ worth of numbers look like so far:

Version Visitors Sales Conversion Rate Control

(A) 592 visits, 21 sales, 3.55% conversion

Story Variant (B) 591 visits, 12 sales, 2.03% conversion

At first glance, the control page is well ahead — almost a 1.5x improvement in conversion rate.

That’s a significant gap.

But — and this is key — it’s still early days. Two days and roughly 600 visitors per version isn’t enough to call the result. I’ll wait until we’ve got at least 1,000+ visitors each before making any final decision.

The numbers can (and often do) swing in surprising ways once more data comes in.

Storytelling Still Matters — Even If It’s Losing (for Now)

Even though the data currently favours the control, there’s a deeper takeaway here.

This new version wasn’t just about chasing higher conversions — it was about exploring emotional connection and empathy-driven copywriting.

The story-based version speaks to a reader’s journey — it shows a person like them going through the same struggles, doubts, and little victories.

And for a demographic like mine (men 50+, rediscovering guitar), resonance matters.

Even if this variant doesn’t win, it might still inspire how I write the next iteration — blending the clarity of the control with the empathy of the story.

Because storytelling isn’t an all-or-nothing strategy. It’s a tool you refine until it hits that perfect emotional chord.

Next Week’s Focus

This weekend is about observing and planning. But next week, the focus will shift back to improving front-end efficiency and backend value:

• 🎸 Carousel Split Test: Checking if the new carousel ad (now properly optimized for placements) is outperforming the original.

• 💌 Backend Offers: Adding another product to my backend automation flow — all about increasing customer lifetime value (LTV).

• 🔍 Ad Metrics: Evaluating what’s driving the biggest swings in daily performance — identifying where the volatility starts.

Because this business is really a mix of micro-optimizations and macro-patterns.

One day you’re fixing image crops; the next you’re testing century-old copy principles.

Both matter.

Key Takeaways

✅ Control landing page currently leads: 3.55% vs 2.03% conversion rate.

✅ Still early — too soon to call a winner.

✅ Storytelling builds empathy, even if it doesn’t outperform at first.

✅ Backend offer expansion coming next week to boost LTV.

✅ Always test — numbers teach, but emotion sells.