How do you create a GTM/launch strategy for a product with a long beta period? Follow-up question: What do you do if the product changes significantly between beta and full launch?

Navigating a long beta period can be tough for a marketer. At worst, it can lead to you losing the opportunity to shape perception of the product and taking the wind out of your sails. When you launch the "beta," it can be hard to drive excitement given limited availability. Then by the time you "launch," it's no longer news. Usually the beta period is required for some really strong technical reasons. In those cases, I've seen some smart ways of turning a beta period into strategic part of a GT ...Read More

Typically when we have long beta's it doesn't significantly change the way we create our GTM strategy. For our largest launches we're usually starting to kick off launch planning about 18-20 weeks ahead of launch, and smaller releases are closer to 8-10 weeks. Long beta's are actually ideal so there is ample time to get customers using the new product/feature and time to see quantifiable results that can be leveraged for marketing assets (testimonials, quotes, etc). Significant product changes b ...Read More

Oh, to be so lucky as to have a long beta period for everything! A beta is a blessing!When planning for any launch, we don’t know what we don’t know. Beta periods are fantastic because they give us, as PMMs, the opportunity to make those “unknown unknowns” known.If I were lucky enough to have a new product on deck with a comfortable beta period, here’s how I would approach creating a launch strategy: Rally your early adopters to participate in the beta. Work with sales to find friendly customers ...Read More

Creating a GTM strategy for a product with an extended beta period involves adapting to change. Begin by understanding the beta's goals and the phases involved. Instead of finalizing a fixed GTM strategy upfront, focus on defining critical milestones between the beta and full launch. Develop a tentative strategy for each phase, but remain flexible to make adjustments as you gather feedback and iterate on the product. Regularly review your progress, incorporating user insights into your evolving ...Read More