I ran 47 growth experiments last year. 37 failed. These 10 didn't - and they generated $1.2M in new revenue.
Here's the exact playbook, with data.
Experiment #1: The Competitor Hijack
Hypothesis: People searching for competitors are high-intent buyers.
What we did:
- Created comparison pages for top 5 competitors
- Bought their brand keywords on Google
- Offered a "switching bonus"
Results:
- Cost: $3,400/month
- Revenue generated: $127,000
- ROI: 3,735%
Experiment #2: The LinkedIn Voice Note
Hypothesis: Voice notes get higher response rates than text.
What we did:
- Sent 60-second voice notes instead of text messages
- Personalized the first 10 seconds
- Clear CTA at the end
Results:
- Messages sent: 500
- Response rate: 47% (vs 8% for text)
- Meetings booked: 72
- Closed deals: 8 ($240K total)
Experiment #3: The Free Tool Strategy
Hypothesis: Free tools generate qualified leads.
What we built:
- ROI calculator for our space
- Takes 2 minutes to complete
- Email gate at the results page
Results:
- Development cost: $5,000
- Monthly users: 2,400
- Email capture rate: 67%
- Customer conversion: 3.2%
Experiment #4: The Partner Webinar Hack
Hypothesis: Partner audiences convert better than cold traffic.
What we did:
- Partnered with complementary tools
- Co-hosted tactical webinars
- Split the leads 50/50
Results:
- Webinars hosted: 12
- Average attendance: 340
- Lead quality score: 8.7/10
- Revenue from leads: $380K
Experiment #5: The Case Study Swap
Hypothesis: Customer stories sell better than features.
What we did:
- Created detailed case studies
- Swapped homepage hero for case study
- Added results to every page
Results:
- Homepage conversion: +34%
- Demo requests: +127%
- Sales cycle: -11 days
Experiment #6: The Ungated Content Play
Hypothesis: Ungated content drives more total conversions.
What we changed:
- Removed all content gates
- Added inline CTAs instead
- Tracked content consumption
Results:
- Traffic: +450%
- Email subscribers: +230%
- MQLs: +67%
Experiment #7: The Pricing Page Test
Hypothesis: Showing price increases conversions.
What we did:
- Added transparent pricing
- Included a calculator
- Showed competitor pricing
Results:
- Pricing page views: +380%
- Qualified leads: +44%
- Tire kickers: -60%
Experiment #8: The Community Launch
Hypothesis: Community creates compound growth.
What we built:
- Slack community for customers
- Weekly office hours
- Member-only content
Results:
- Members: 1,200
- Monthly active: 44%
- Referral rate: 3.2x increase
- Churn: -22%
Experiment #9: The Cold Email Video
Hypothesis: Personalized videos increase response rates.
What we did:
- Recorded 30-second Loom videos
- Mentioned specific company details
- Embedded in cold emails
Results:
- Emails sent: 200
- Open rate: 78%
- Response rate: 34%
- Meetings booked: 28
Experiment #10: The SEO Content Cluster
Hypothesis: Topic clusters outrank individual pages.
What we created:
- 1 pillar page (5,000 words)
- 15 supporting posts
- Internal linking strategy
Results:
- Ranking keywords: 247
- Organic traffic: +1,200%
- Organic demos: 34/month
Key Learnings
- Test small, scale fast - Start with $500 experiments
- Track everything - You can't improve what you don't measure
- Kill losers quickly - 2 weeks max for initial results
- Document everything - Build a playbook
- Share results publicly - Transparency builds trust
The best growth isn't about silver bullets. It's about running lots of small experiments and doubling down on what works.
Keep Reading
Ready to implement these experiments? Here are three posts that will help you execute:
1. The $0 Marketing Stack That Got Us to $1M ARR
Every free tool we used to build a seven-figure business. Perfect for running experiments without breaking the bank.
2. How One Cold Email Generated $200K
The exact template and strategy that landed a six-figure enterprise deal in 14 days. A perfect example of a high-impact experiment.
3. LinkedIn Outreach: 47% Response Rate Strategy
The strategy that consistently gets responses from cold prospects. Essential reading for anyone serious about outbound experiments.