How to get Beta users for your software?

Marketing
1

I am looking to launch a new service (Live-Chat and Live-Call software) for business websites. I am looking for few beta users at the moment. I have an idiot-proof control panel where businesses can sign-up.

I need good suggestions on how to get beta users through online marketing that works.

I am getting a new website designed as we speak but even before I launch the service & website I would really like to get some feedback (fixing all bugs n errors) before I start selling it for a price.

At the moment I am getting 2-3 sign-ups/ day from what little e-mail marketing that I do currently but I would love to try something substantial and a long-term strategy.

PS: I am currently giving out 1 year free license with advanced functionality and unlimited usage to beta users.

Cheers.

2

Following few things may be very useful to promote software

  1. Submit the software to software directories and free download software directories
  2. Distribute articles with good content target the users of the software
  3. Involve is the discussion forums specifically related to the software and post advertisements to the software.

Finally, increase the email marketing by collecting addresses from the website where your potential users of the software may be.

3

Pretty much all the beta software I’ve become interested in, I’ve initially found out about via social networking, such as Twitter, so you may very well be able to find beta users there.

It’s nice to hear that you’re working on a new Live Chat software, by the way. I’m personally paying to use that kind of service for my ecommerce business so I’ve been looking around at alternatives and know that there aren’t many great ones to choose from. I hope yours will be great!

4

@Jameer,
Cheers, hired a person for e-mail marketing full-time yesterday. Our live-chat & live-call services are all hosted services. So, nothing to download or install. All that a business needs is a website and an IM (Skype, Gtalk…) to use our service.

@daniel,
Our services indeed comes with the most exclusive and advanced functionality (Live-Call is patented to us)

Demo link here: contactuswidget.appspot.com/livechatdemo.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&me=1

You can change the url and see how it looks on your website besides its FREE for 1 year with advanced functionality and unlimited usage (agents, departments, proactive rules, shortcut messages, Live-Call and much more…) :slight_smile:

I still need more ideas on long-term online marketing strategies…

5

We’ve used Wufoo in the past to develop our questionnaires and it’s worked really well. It’s extremely easy to use and learn, and there’s a free account too.

We sent it to very computer illiterate customers, and they managed to make it through and give great feedback.

I had to send personal emails to about 5 of the customers to get them to fill out the form (initially sent a blast to about 20).

As for the most important questions -> It is whatever you need to find out to make more informed decisions and gain more traction.

6

social networking and article promotion is always a good way. Try to get reviews to the article or product, that will entice the reader or buyer.