How do QA testers contribute during smart contract audits?

Auditors usually get all the credit for catching vulnerabilities, but most blockchain QA testers I know do half the groundwork. They write reproducible tests, simulate attack flows, and catch logic gaps before audit starts.

Still, many teams treat QA as secondary. How can we prove value and build trust with auditors so QA becomes part of security culture, not just pre-audit paperwork?