Early Access Program Invitation Template

5-15 for Wave 1. This is large enough to get diverse feedback and small enough to have personal relationships with each tester. You can expand to 30-50 in subsequent waves. Avoid programs with 100+ participants unless you have a dedicated community manager. Large programs generate more feedback than product teams can process.

4-8 weeks for most features. Shorter than 4 weeks does not give participants enough time to integrate the feature into their real workflow. Longer than 8 weeks and participants lose interest. If the feature is complex (new workflow, platform feature), lean toward 8 weeks. If it is a simple addition, 4 weeks is enough.

Listen to the feedback, but distinguish between "this is the wrong direction" (rare, signals a fundamental problem) and "this needs refinement" (common, expected). Early access feedback should inform execution, not change strategy. If multiple testers independently flag the same fundamental issue, take it seriously. One tester's strong opinion is an anecdote, not data.

Free during the program, with a transition plan after. Common models: free for 3-6 months post-GA, discounted pricing for early adopters, or free if they provided a case study or testimonial. Avoid charging during the early access period. You are asking for their time and feedback. Asking for money on top of that changes the dynamic from collaboration to transaction.

Notify early access participants before the public announcement. Thank them by name, share what their feedback changed, and give them the GA details. If pricing changes at GA, honor the terms you committed to during early access. Then follow the [Product Launch Playbook](/launch-guide) for the public launch, incorporating early access testimonials and case studies into your launch materials. ---