Today we’re talking about how to launch your beta version to customers.
1. Keep your waitlist active.
Having a big waitlist of customers who have expressed interest is great, but it only matters if you can convert them into customers. As you approach your beta launch, keep the waitlist updated regularly with good news and ask if they want to be among the first to try your new product.
2. Launch to Small Groups.
Don’t launch your beta publicly or even to the entire waitlist. Instead, start by launching to small groups of 5–10 customers, so you can collect feedback, iterate, and launch with the next small group.
3. Focus on Engagement.
It might be tempting to focus on distribution or revenue at this stage, but you should actually focus on engagement. Are your first customers becoming reliant on the product? If so, revenue and distribution are easier problems to solve.
Best of luck out there.
Sterling Road invests in idea stage and pre-seed B2B startups based in the US, Canada and UK.
