Effective marketing is vitally important no matter what business you're in. Consider what marketing expert Jay Abraham said about a vital key to marketing success: "Anyone can become a virtual marketing genius equivalent by doing one simple thing: testing."

In other words, learn how to test various elements of your marketing to find which of them really work - and which don't - and you can learn how to market effectively.

Notice that Jay did not say that by testing anyone would BECOME a marketing genius. He said "marketing genius EQUIVALENT." In other words, if you're willing to do what most marketers don't do - test, and adjust accordingly - the results can be the same.

Yes, by testing, you can generate the same results as a marketing genius, without having to be one.

Despite the dramatic increases in response that can be gained through scientific testing, most marketers and copywriters today still don't take advantage of it. Still others either don't test enough, or don't test properly.

One reason many don't test is that by focusing on "institutional advertising," they don't have to be held accountable for the results (or more likely, the lack of results) of their marketing.

Their view of an ad's success is, more often than not, whether it "looks good," "makes people laugh," or "wins advertising awards." Not whether it produces bottom line results.

On the other hand, virtually all true marketing experts preach about the importance of testing your advertising and marketing. Yes, marketing "geniuses" are usually very big on testing! Why?

Because even professional marketers often find it very hard - if not impossible - to predict how prospects will react in a given marketing situation. So even if you have some marketing savvy, testing can show you how to boost response that much further.

You don't have to be able to write a perfect sales letter on the first draft, or the second, or third. You don't have to instinctively know what the most profitable price is for your new product or service. You don't have to guess which of your potential headlines will pull the most response.

By scientific ad testing, the true value of all theories, opinions and educated guesses are laid bare. If they truly contribute toward marketing success, testing will prove it. If they don't, testing will prove that, too.

In short, you don't have to be a literal marketing genius to generate better conversion rates from your online or offline marketing efforts. Nor should you always listen to the marketing advice of others, which may be inaccurate and unprofitable, though well meaning.

Your prospects and customers can show you exactly which marketing approaches are truly most profitable in the above areas, and many more, if you only test.