In this final installment of our Building a Rewarding Testing Experience series, we’ll finish off with what to do when your testing phase has come to a close. Be sure to check out our first and second installments of the series to get yourself up to speed with tips for before and during your test. At this point, however, it’s time to wrap things up and leave your testers with a warm feeling of accomplishment.
Resource: Creating a rewarding testing experience is just a part of developing a successful incentives strategy for your test. For a complete guide on motivating and rewarding your testers throughout your test, download our free Beta Test Incentives Kit.
Making your testers feel appreciated throughout the entire beta testing process is key because it keeps them engaged and motivated to continue participating at a high level. So it’s important that these gestures of gratitude not dwindle once your test is over. You can think of it like the “cherry on top” when you cap your test off on a positive note. Since your testers have already had such a great experience during your test, a few final signs of your appreciation will certainly leave them with a great lasting impression of your company.
The end of your test is also your final opportunity to turn your testers into brand evangelists. If they genuinely enjoyed their experience, they will be more likely to rave to their friends. By wrapping things up with a few final tokens of appreciation, they will feel valued, become loyal fans of your product(s), and will be eager to participate in your company’s next test. Below are a few ideas you can try in your next beta test.
Send Personal Thank You Notes
Thank you notes are an easy, budget-friendly way to show appreciation to your testers. While a personal email is a good start, a personalized physical note with a real signature on it can make an incredible impact. To really drive the message home, mention a specific piece of feedback the tester contributed, so they know you were paying attention. For testers that are motivated by the testing experience or their relationship to your community, this is a truly meaningful gesture that they won’t soon forget.
Share Your Launch Plan with Them
Beta testers want to know what’s going to happen with the product they helped improve. If you can, share with your beta testers what the next steps are with the product and when you’re expecting to launch it. Don’t forget, they’ve likely already signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), so they can’t share the details with anyone anyway (and they’ve already demonstrated that they have the ability to keep quiet).
Use Top Testers for Testimonials
Your top beta testers will probably be your biggest product advocates, as well. Ask them if you can use their opinions for testimonials or marketing materials for your company. They will appreciate that you value their opinions enough to use them publicly, and you’ll have useful new assets to share with your marketing organization.
Put Them First in Line for Your Next Test
Having a pool of high-quality beta testers eager to get their hands on your next product is a great advantage. Not only does it give these top testers a sense of pride and value to be first in line, it also improves the long-term value of your beta program by having exceptional testers ready to go.
By integrating some of these points into the final stage of your test, you’ll be ending your beta on a strong note with your testers, leaving them happy and anxious to take part in your next beta test.
Hopefully this series has given you some helpful ideas about how to make your testers feel valued from start to finish (and even beyond). While a physical reward of some kind is customary (and recommended), it’s just as important to put effort into creating a naturally rewarding testing experience. This will not only increase your testers’ participation during the test, but it will also leave testers with a lasting positive perception of your company that will resonate within them well after the test is done.
