introduction to customer development interviewing
DESCRIPTION
A quick introduction to doing early interviews for customer development. Given at Lean Startup Machine London, July 2013TRANSCRIPT
Customer Development
Lean Startup Machine, July 27 2013
Adrian Howard (@adrianh) quietstars.com
Hello!
“A startup is a temporary organization designed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.”
- Steve Blank
“A startup is a temporary organization designed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.”
- Steve Blank
“Of all the lessons of Customer Development, the importance of getting out of the building and into conversations with your customers is the most critical.”
- Steve Blank
Why do we do interviews?
Learn from customers
Test our assumptions
Interviews ≠ Quiz
Interviews ≠ Survey
Interviews ≠ Script
Interviews cannotbe automated
Rapport&
Empathy
Finding customers
Hassling people on the street
Tip: Bribes
Coffee shops / Pubs / Bars / etc.
Tip:Don't look scary
Go where your customers are
Tip:Go with somebody
Test your channels to market
Third parties:- Sales- Marketing- Customer Support- Recruiters- Online
So… you've got yourself a customer
SHUT THE F**K UP
“You can observe a lot just by watching.”
- Yogi Berra
STALKbefore you
TALKbefore you
SELL
Tip: Remember the person.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Tip:Reflect back what the speaker said.
Can you tell me more about X?
“Every clarification breeds new questions.”
- Arthur Bloch
Tip:Remember to use silence and body language.
“The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting.”
- Fran Lebowitz
Tip: Ask open questions.
What was the last book you read?
Can you tell me about the kind of books you read?
Tip: Ask for stories.
Can you tell me about the last time...
Tip: No leading questions.
Do you want to use this at work?
Where do you use this?
Tip:Interview in pairs
Tip:Observations vs insights
Tips:
- Stalk > Talk > Sell- Remember the person.- Use silence & body language- Reflect back.- Ask open questions.- Ask for stories.- No leading questions.- Interview in pairs.- Observations vs Insights.
Practice makes perfect
