If your product performed well in a beta test, it will likely enjoy widespread success when it is promoted by a strong marketing strategy. If, on the other hand, you experienced high levels of attrition and low performance ratings in beta testing, you'd be well-advised to push back the launch schedule of your site to allow enough time to address the problems and retest.

For those of you who lucked out and had a successful beta test, it's time to launch your product by aggressively marketing it to your target customers. Luckily for you, the results from the beta testing process can be used to inform the initial marketing strategy.

Find Your Type

The beta test provides a very good idea of the types of customers the site appealed to, and why. This knowledge can be used strategically to tailor your promotional campaign to target the potential customers most likely to become regular users of your site. Common sense dictates that if one particular type of consumer readily found value in your site, other consumers with similar characteristics and behaviors will also be likely to fall in love with you site.

Send the Right Message

Beyond aiding the targeted delivery of advertising, a controlled beta test can also assist in the creation of more compelling "ad creative" (iterations on your ad concept). Evaluating the usage patterns and performance ratings of specific sections and site features can help you determine what drives acceptance of the site. It follows that other consumers will be driven to try a site by the same highly desirable and well-performing features that compelled the beta group to become regular users. By emphasizing these features in the marketing message, you increase the likelihood that consumers respond to your efforts and try the site.