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How to find and interview customers. Presentation from Lean Startup Circle meetup.
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How to recruit and interview potential customersElizabeth YinCo-founder of LaunchBit
Lean Startup Circle BostonApril 28, 2011
Flickr.com ThisParticularGreg
Agenda
• Introduction• Finding customers
– “Spray and pray”– In-person channels– “Targeted” channels
• Requesting interviews
• Interviewing customers• Analyzing interviews• Q & A
About Elizabeth and Jennifer
Shiny Orb
DressMob
Finding Customers
Flickr.com epSos.de
Talk to a range of customers
?
7 ways to find interviewees
• “Spray and pray” channels– Craigslist– Online Groups
• In-person channels– Malls & Coffee Shops– Meetups
• “Targeted” channels– LinkedIn– Alumni Networks– “Google Searches”
Finding Customers:“Spray and Pray”
Flickr.com Shaylor
Spray and pray strategy
• Reach out to large numbers of people• Filter through surveys• Whittle down to your handful of customer
types
Craigslist
• Great for consumer products/services• Post in the volunteer or gigs sections• “Looking for beta testers” not “Looking to learn about…”• Ask people to email you to take a survey beforehand• Be very specific about time & compensation upfront• $20 for 30 min works well• Post in other locations and use Skype / phone to get
more people
Cindy Alvarez
http://www.slideshare.net/cindyalvarez/user-testing-tactics
Online groups
• Join Google/Yahoo/Facebook/NING, etc.. Groups for specific interests
• Read the TOS beforehand• Be friendly – respond to other posts before
making a request• You can reach out to specific people on
Vetting people
• Write a quick survey– Google forms, Wufoo, Survey Monkey
• Take no more than 5 minutes• Ask questions to find your customer types• Clearly message next steps (interview
details and compensation, if any)
LaunchBit sample survey
Multiple choice questions to learn demographics
Email address to follow up
Info about the interviews $20 for 25 min
Finding Customers:In-person Channels
Flickr.com wili_hybrid
Malls & coffee shops
• Good for general consumer applications• Don’t be sketchy!• $5 gift certificates @ Starbucks• Be specific about how much time you’ll
need
Meetups
• TONS of in-person groups…– Meetup.com– Eventbrite events– Yelp events
Finding Customers:Targeted Channels
Flickr.com wili_hybrid
Targeted strategy
• Reach out to specific people• Find ideal people you want to interview• Particularly good for B2B
– Buyer vs. User• Aim high
• LinkedIn Groups– Reach people you’re not connected to at all
• Via friends, friends-of-friends– Email first before sending LinkedIn request
Alumni networks
• Alumni online directories• Alumni group lists• Can search for people by company
Google contact information
• Find the person you want to speak with– Try typing
• [name] “email”• [name] “@domain.com” • firstname@domain.com• Firstname_lastname@domain.com• Etc..
• Find email addresses of others at the company and replicate format
Targeted Channels: Requesting Interviews
Flickr.com GenBug
Write a concise email
• Catchy subject• Smart phone readable (3 lines)• Strong call to action
Email subject lines
• Build rapport through mutual friends– [ABC] recommended speaking with you
• Connect through vanity– Your article in the WSJ?– Your talk at [abc]?– Your blog article?
• Connect through praise– Loved your article!
Email body – 1st line
• Build rapport immediately– Praise, thanks, vanity– Establish commonalities
• E.g. I had a blast at your ABC conference on XYZ topic -- thank you.
• I'm a fellow ABC alum and found you in the ABC directory.
Email body – 2nd line
• What you’re doing and why this is interesting– This is the hardest line to write
• E.g. I’m doing some research for a project on [abc] and am trying to learn how [def] works.
• E.g. I’m prototyping some ideas around [abc] and think I can increase your sales.
Email body – 3rd line
• Call to action• Who/What/When/Where/Why vs. Yes/No• Think about what you want to achieve• Reasonable ask
• E.g. I would like to get your quick thoughts on this – what is the best way to speak by phone for 10 min
• E.g. I would like to speak with someone at your company about this – who is the best person to speak with about this for 10 min?
Follow ups
• No response– Email again within the week
• Response– Set up a time/date to talk (Skype/phone/in-
person)– Send mocks/slides the day before explaining
that you’ll walk through them on the call• PDF all slides• No more than 5 slides
Interviewing People
Flickr.com Steve Rhodes
Ask behavioral questions first
What are the most frustrating aspects of
ABC?
If you had a magic wand to help you with ABC, what
would it do?
What is the process you go through today
to do ABC?
How much would you expect this magic wand to
cost?
May I ask you why ABC is frustrating?
Ask solution questions later
Would you use it?
How much would you expect this to cost, if
anything?
Do you have any friends whom you think could benefit
from this?
We’d love to learn from your friend, mind making
an intro?
So, you said ZYX of ABC was frustrating, what if the
product looked like this?
Ending the interview
• Stick to your time• Thank them (deal with compensation if
any)• Ask to follow up• Ask for friend referrals
Analyzing Interviews
Flickr.com Biking Nikon OGG
Organize your interviews
maybemight
not sureNO
About LaunchBit
http://classroom.launchbit.com
http://guide.launchbit.com
Questions?
• More questions? hello@launchbit.com• Feedback index cards• LaunchBit mailing list signup sheet• Blog: blog.launchbit.com• Twitter: @launchbit• www.launchbit.com
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