The Secret of The $2 trillion Beta Test ‘Fail’

Do you have an iPhone?

If so, you’ll have noticed something odd about it.

It’s not actually ‘ready’ is it?

By that I mean, it's not the finished article.

It’s more like a work-in-progress.

Each new piece of iPhone hardware improves on the flaws of the previous one, adding new features.

New operating systems (IOS) are released on a continual basis, ironing out flaws, removing glitches and improving interfaces.

And every month or so, users have to update the software so they can get the new version.

To give you an example…

The most recent iPhone operating system got loads of complaints from users because they didn’t like the battery percentage indicator.

They didn’t like that the icon didn’t change colour until the battery dipped below 20% charge. This meant that the user had to peer closely at the percentage to notice if they were running out of power.

In a sense, this was a ‘fail’ on the part of Apple.

But it wasn’t a problem.

This negative feedback inspired them to get to work on a design tweak…

On September 20th, Apple announced the release of the second iOS 16.1 beta with an all-new battery alert icon.

They also added the battery indicator to the lock-screen, to make it even more useful.

Crazy to think isn’t it?

Largely because of the iPhone, Apple was valued at over $2 trillion in 2021, making it the world’s most valuable technology company.

Yet this $2 trillion comes from an unfinished product that often has bugs and imperfections.

The iPhone and its operating systems are all run on an ongoing ‘beta test’ basis.

It is being continually tweaked and improved.

With each release, Apple understand that things aren’t perfect…

Instead, they find out what customers think.

Then they go back and fix the issue.

The same goes for Samsung phones too, the major rival to the iPhone.

If these mega-successful corporations had waited till everything was absolutely perfect, then there would be no smartphones at all.

This is why customers are more than happy to be guinea pigs in the process because with each little fail they get an absolute tonne of good stuff.

The same applies to digital courses…

Why your course doesn’t need to be ‘perfect’

I know a lot of people who have their courses pretty much planned and built, albeit in a rough draft state.

But they’re feeling very far away from the finish line.

Because they’re worried about so many things…

What if it’s missing a crucial piece of information?

What if they’ve not explained a step in the process properly?

What if the sound quality on the videos isn’t perfect?

What if there are spelling mistakes and grammatical errors?

What if they’ve gone too far into detail and overcomplicated things?

What if there’s not enough detail?

I totally understand this.

But the key is to be more like Apple and GO FOR IT.

There’s no point in spending a few more months trying to get it just right because you never will get there. After all, if Apple with all its resources can’t why should you put that pressure on yourself?

Instead, launch your imperfect, not-quite-ready course.

Think of it as a beta test, where you sell the course to a small number of people and get their feedback.

Your customers will tell you if there’s a bit that’s not quite clear… or if they get muddled in places… or if there’s a glitch in one of your videos…

And this is the beauty of a digital product compared to an old-fashioned paper product.

You can simply go in and fix the problem online!

There’s no need to reprint material, or ask for products to be sent back, or republish the whole thing– your new tweaks will simply manifest on your course creation platform.

If it’s a major change, like a new video or whole new written step, then you can email everyone and tell them that there’s a fantastic new addition to the course.

It could actually turn into something beneficial for your relationship with your customer, because it’s a great reason to get in touch with them again.

Your improvements show them that you care… that you’re offering extra features at no cost… that you’re still working hard to make your product as effective as it can be.

In a sense, your course is like an iPhone…

It doesn’t get launched as the finished item, but as an imperfect first version that gets upgraded over time.

Honestly, your customers will not mind this at all if you launch as a beta.

If anything, they’ll feel like they’re part of your exciting project.

In my?Course Creation Academy, I can show you a way that you could launch your course – and get paid for it - even if it’s in an imperfect state.

The ‘beta test' strategy

Beta testers are people who buy your course at a heavily discounted price, knowing that it’s in its early stages.

You send them a very basic ‘prototype’ version, and they will try it out and give you feedback on any problems.

This way, you can spot snags or potential issues in advance, and make it a better course when you launch it.

But even when you launch it after a beta test, you should understand that there will still be some hitches and glitches.

Just like an iPhone!

It’s all part of the process.

The key is not to wait until you think the product is perfect, or it might never get launched at all.

For more information on my ‘beta test’ process please email me at?[email protected]