Why Marketers Don't Measure: A Test to Find Out

Last week's post Why Marketers Don't Measure generated some interesting debate on whether the problem is lack of time or lack of knowledge. It dawns on me that this should be a testable question -- something the assembled measurement gurus should find congenial.

My initial thought is an a/b test of email headlines, one offering "quick and easy ways to improve your marketing measurement" (i.e., time) and the other offering "learn how to do a better job measuring your marketing results" (i.e., knowledge). These could offer a book, Webinar, white paper or something else; what matters is which value proposition is more attractive, which would be measured simply through the open rate. Come to think of it, this could also be a split test in paid search or display ads.

I don't happen to have a suitable event upcoming to actually test this against, but perhaps someone out there could give it a try and share the results? Or can you think of a better test to answer the time vs. knowledge question?