Skunk Works Junkies – Part Two – The Care and Feeding of a Beta-Tester

Skunk Works Junkies (SWJs) ears perk up if they hear, “beta invite,” and like anything exclusive, jump to snatch it up. The reality is, start ups can’t get enough beta-testers, or at least keep them consistently engaged once the party starts. In this highly-transparent, thought-leadership oriented, authentic series, you’ll hear first-hand from a beta-junkie what worked and what didn’t. 

A lot of apps I have tested had great support- Flock, BatchBook, Flowgram, but I have yet to experience a beta-test that went to the lengths that Gist did. Gist is a social CRM that combines your inbox, social networks, and major news sources to help you learn more about your contacts in a real-time way. Before a meeting, I always check Gist to get the latest Tweet, blog post or news story about the person I am about to meet. Basically, Gist compiles your contacts’ information to help you build stronger relationships.

I don’t remember how I got connected to Gist as a tester, but what I do remember is the amazing care and feeding of their beta-tester community. They didn’t give us all Porsches, but they did have:

1. Amazing support! The minute I had a question I got a response and sometimes a phone call.
2. Monthly calls/web chats demonstrating new developments and rollouts with lots of Q&A.
3. Incredible outreach. Wherever CEO, T.A. McCann traveled he met with beta-testers, hosted tweet-ups, set up group runs. (I think you have to run a sub-7 minute mile to even be considered for a position at Gist.) Even though I am not VC royalty, I was invited to coffee with T.A. McCann on his way through Denver last year.
4. A contest to send a Gist user to Defrag last year. Then hosted a FOG dinner at Defrag where a lot of users got to meet face-to-face.
5. Ample information, contact and encouragement before their public-beta rollout.
6. Schwag (pre-FCC regs change), so yes, I have a Gist t-shirt. And enclosed was a HANDWRITTEN THANK YOU NOTE from VP Robert Pease. That sure didn’t hurt.

What do they get? A team of dedicated brand ambassadors. Users have made videos about how they use Gist, written blog posts, regularly Re-Tweet their news, and invite their contacts to sign up.

By providing amazing support, timely information, frequent and in-person contact, Gist built a grassroots army to kick-off their beta rollout.

(Guest post by Deb Robison, Cloud Jedi-In-Training, baker, President of the Mile High Social Media Club and fluent in Japanese.)