Resources > Articles

Beta Program Testing: Beginner Marketing Guide

program

A successful beta test program accomplishes three goals.  The first is to get greater test coverage.  The second is to get market feedback.  The third is to prepare your organization to support the new product. All of these goals should be considered when planning a beta program and are equally important. From the engineer’s perspective the beta is a way to move the product into the hands of potential customers who will use the product in wide range of environmental conditions that could not be simulated in the lab.  But a beta program should never be a substitute for good testing practices or usability testing.

program
Photo By Markus Spiske on Unsplash

You still have a responsibility to provide the best testing you can and the UI should be baked.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, but ship a buggy beta you may have a very difficult time finding beta customers for the next release. From the marketer’s perspective the beta is a way to get customer feedback of what is liked about the product and what needs to be improved.  It’s also a way to validate market research and assumptions about positioning.  Funny things happen when a product gets into the hands of customers.  New uses for your product will be discovered and some things you thought were really cool (and differential) will get lukewarm response.

Be prepared and be open minded. From a customer support perspective a beta is a way to interact with customers in a relatively forgiving environment to gain experience handling common issues.  Often developers want to be the ones with direct contact with beta customers.  The upside is direct feedback.  The downside is once the product ships those customers will know who you are and may expect to reach you directly when they have problems.  Using customer support as a first line of defense enables the development team to be more effective in the long run. Beta tips:

  • Don’t use a beta program as a substitute for good testing practices
  • Involve development, QA, customer support and marketing
  • Have someone with a good market understanding take the lead
  • Don’t flood beta customers with new releases
  • The beta program will always take much longer than you think it will
  • Require registration for all beta customers
  • Give beta customers something for their efforts
  • Reach out to customers for feedback, including making phone calls
  • No feedback = failed beta

Other articles on beta programs:

Author

Other Resources in this Series

Most Recent

Is Your Training Budget Going to Waste?
Article

Is Your Training Budget Going to Waste? How to Calculate Training ROI 

The latest report from Training magazine has some news – U.S. companies have, for the first time, spent over $100 billion on training.  So, why the big spend? In the fast-paced, competitive business world, companies...
: OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise Takes Center Stage
Article

How ChatGPT Enterprise Addresses Key Concerns in Generative AI

OpenAI just released ChatGPT Enterprise, a business-oriented upgrade of its popular AI chatbot—make no mistake, this is a big deal. 
AI and Product Management
Article

AI and Product Management: Navigating Ethical Considerations 

Explore the critical aspects of AI product management, its challenges, and strategies for ensuring responsible and successful implementation.
How to learn AI for Product Managers
Article

How to Learn AI as a Product Manager: Start Here 

As a product manager, harnessing the power of AI can be a game-changer for your product. Whether automating mundane tasks, providing personalized experiences or making data-driven decisions, AI has many applications that can propel your...
Category: AI
Article

Beyond SEO: Driving Customer Attraction, Retention and Top-Line Growth

Does your website speak to your customers and fulfill your business objectives?

OTHER ArticleS

Is Your Training Budget Going to Waste?
Article

Is Your Training Budget Going to Waste? How to Calculate Training ROI 

The latest report from Training magazine has some news – U.S. companies have, for the first time, spent over $100 billion on training.  So, why the big spend? In the fast-paced, competitive business world, companies...
: OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise Takes Center Stage
Article

How ChatGPT Enterprise Addresses Key Concerns in Generative AI

OpenAI just released ChatGPT Enterprise, a business-oriented upgrade of its popular AI chatbot—make no mistake, this is a big deal. 

Sign up to stay up to date on the latest industry best practices.

Sign up to received invites to upcoming webinars, updates on our recent podcast episodes and the latest on industry best practices.

Subscribe

Subscribe

Training on Your Schedule

Fill out the form today and our sales team will help you schedule your private Pragmatic training today.