What if I told you…
What if I told you the best performing marketing strategies right now are the exact ones most experts would warn you not to even try?
You’ve been told to follow the rules, play it safe, stick with what’s proven. But here’s the twist: some of the weirdest, most backwards-sounding marketing tactics out there are quietly crushing everything else. And yes, there’s data to back it up.
I’ve tested these strategies across thousands of campaigns, generating millions in revenue for brands like Google, Amazon, and Meta. Even skeptics were shocked by the results.
So, in this video, I’m going to share with you 10 digital marketing strategies that sound like they shouldn’t work but absolutely do. You’ll discover why ugly ads often outperform beautiful ones, how losing subscribers can actually boost your revenue, and why adding friction to your sales funnel can lead to more conversions.
These aren’t just theories—they’re research-backed marketing strategies that flip conventional wisdom on its head. And they might just become your unfair advantage.
1. Ugly Ads Break the Pattern
Let’s start with one that’ll make every designer cry: you’d assume the more polished an ad is, the better it performs, right? Turns out, the opposite might be true.
Some of the highest converting ads on the internet look like they were made in 2004 on MS Paint by someone’s uncle who just discovered Comic Sans—no branding, no sleek visuals, just raw, attention-breaking design.
Why does this work?
Because ugly breaks the pattern. Our brains are wired to ignore what looks polished and expected. But when something feels off—like a weird image, clunky text, or bad lighting—it triggers curiosity. It makes you stop scrolling.
In marketing, stopping the scroll is half the battle. Pretty much every marketing agency has tested this repeatedly. Ugly or amateur-looking Facebook and Instagram ads often get significantly better click-through rates and lower cost per click.
Try this:
Don’t ditch your design team—just test both. Run a version of your ad that’s intentionally unpolished alongside your more professional-looking ones. Use a blurry product photo, toss in some awkward spacing, or make it look homemade.
Start small, measure results, and see what happens. You might find that ugly makes you rich.
2. Speeding Up Purchases Creates Value
Here’s a surprising one: the people who buy from you the fastest are often your most valuable customers.
This goes against everything we’re taught about nurturing leads and building long-term trust. But the data says: the faster someone buys after first hearing about you, the more valuable they usually become.
Why?
Action takers act fast—they already know what they want. When they see that you solve their problem, boom—they’re in.
Studies from Cornell—like “Predicting Customer Lifetime Values” and others—support this.
Think of it like a restaurant line:
Some walk by, check the menu, and say “Maybe next time.” But those who see the food and walk straight in are hungry now and often become your most loyal regulars.
Try this:
Reward speed—offer a limited-time bonus early in your funnel, create urgency, give fast movers a reason to act quickly. This attracts high lifetime value buyers who don’t need much convincing.
Speed leads to loyalty.
3. Add Friction to Boost Conversions
What if slowing someone down could actually increase conversions?
It sounds backwards, but by adding a small intentional obstacle—like a quiz, qualification step, or an extra click—you can sometimes boost results.
Why?
Effort creates ownership. This is known as the IKEA effect—people value things more when they invest effort.
A joint study from Harvard, Yale, and Duke found that people significantly overvalue things they’ve put effort into, even if the outcome is the same.
Try this:
Add a micro friction point—like a short quiz before your lead magnet or a “Who is this for?” filter before revealing your offer. That tiny barrier makes the right people lean in, and when they do, they’re more likely to convert.
A little friction can pull people closer.
4. Losing Subscribers Can Boost Revenue
Yes, you heard that right. Losing subscribers can actually improve your bottom line.
In email marketing, bigger isn’t always better. If half your list never opens or clicks, they’re dead weight. Worse, disengaged contacts hurt your deliverability and drag your best content into spam.
Most marketers still believe “bigger is better,” but data from Litmus shows smaller, more engaged lists drive higher ROI.
Think of it like a house party:
Would you rather host 200 people who ignore you, or 20 who rave about your playlist and buy your merch?
Try this:
Regularly clean your list. Send a re-engagement email like, “Still want to hear from me? Click this. If not, no hard feelings—I’ll unsubscribe you.”
It might sound scary, but it works. When you stop chasing everyone, the right people lean in harder.
Personally, I clean my list every couple of weeks.
For beginners, unsubscribing inactive followers every 3–6 months is a good start.
Less can be more.
5. Negative Headlines Trigger Urgency
What if using negative headlines actually grabs more attention?
Our brains are wired for survival, not smiles. We react faster to danger than to light, cheerful messages.
Studies, including one from the NIH National Library of Medicine, show that headlines with negative words outperform positive ones.
Examples:
“Never do this,” “Stop making this mistake,” “The worst way to XYZ.”
Try this:
Balance positivity with negative-focused headlines that call out problems your audience struggles with. Sometimes, showing what to avoid is more powerful than what to chase.
6. Use Gaze Direction to Drive Clicks
Sometimes, it’s not what you say but where someone is looking.
Studies show that when a face in your ad or landing page looks toward your call-to-action (CTA), viewers are more likely to follow that gaze and click.
Eye-tracking research from Nielsen Norman Group reveals users instinctively follow gazes in images—like someone staring up at the ceiling, prompting you to look up too.
Try this:
Audit your landing pages and ads. Reposition photos so that the person is subtly looking at your button, form, or offer—no arrows or flashing animations needed.
Small eye movements can shift behavior.
7. Odd Pricing Builds Credibility
You’ve heard of charm pricing—$9.99 instead of $10. But we can go further.
Prices like $97.14 or $24,763 feel more credible because they seem calculated, not random.
A study of 27,000 homes found that properties priced with precise figures sold for more than round numbers.
Think of it like this:
If someone says it’ll cost “about 100 bucks,” you might doubt it. But “$96.14” makes you wonder how they arrived at that number. That curiosity builds trust.
Try this:
Instead of a clean $99 or $200, test oddly specific prices like $98.74 or $2,328.
Pricing psychology runs deep.
8. Momentum Over Logic
Sometimes, what gets people to say “yes” isn’t logic but momentum.
Start by asking for something small—easy, frictionless, a no-brainer. Once they say yes to a tiny request, they’re more likely to agree to the main offer.
Studies from Stanford show people are 50% more likely to agree to a larger request after agreeing to a small one first.
Think of it like pushing a shopping cart:
Getting it moving takes effort, but once it’s rolling, it’s easier to keep going.
Try this:
Before your main pitch, ask for a micro action—like “Click this button if you’re curious” or “Answer yes/no if you use X.” Then, follow up with your main offer.
9. Speed Wins Over Personalization
Most marketers think personalization is the holy grail, but speed is actually more critical.
Harvard Business Review found that businesses following up within an hour are seven times more likely to qualify a lead than those waiting 24 hours—even if the message is less personalized.
Why?
Attention fades fast. When someone is curious, they’re primed. Delay too long, and the window closes.
Think of it like a first date:
Showing up late doesn’t matter how good your outfit is—they’ve already moved on.
Try this:
Set up fast, imperfect automations for lead follow-up. Even a simple, generic response is better than silence. Layer in personalization later when it matters.
I use a tool called High Level to automate this. Check the link in the description for a free 30-day trial and training.
Speed beats perfection.
10. Smaller Call-to-Action Buttons Can Boost Clicks
Most studies show that increasing CTA button size boosts click rates—sometimes by up to 90%.
But in certain contexts, shrinking your CTA button can actually work better.
Why?
Big, bold buttons can seem pushy, especially for cautious audiences. Smaller, subtler buttons feel less aggressive—more like an invitation.
Luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior use tiny, simple buttons.
Try this:
Reduce your CTA size slightly, use calmer colors, and let your offer do the heavy lifting.
The Bigger Shift in Marketing
Most of these strategies aren’t just clever tricks—they’re part of a bigger shift.
Once you realize that the unexpected often works better than conventional advice, you stop asking “What’s the best practice?” and start asking “What actually gets results?”
This mindset change is how you go from guessing to growing.
Final Tip: The Power of Attention
Most marketers overlook this, but once you use it, people will start paying more attention to what you say—even before you say a word.