Lean Startup Machine, April 27, 2012

HOW TO TALK TO REAL PEOPLE ABOUT ABSTRACT STUFF

@farrahbostic, The Difference Engine

LET’S JUST BUILD IT.

“I’M THE EXPERT.”

“THEY’LL NEVER SEE THE MAGIC IN THIS.”

“THE USER HAS BEEN TRAINED TO...”

LISTENING IS HARD.

NOT “WHO SHOULD YOU ASK?”

WHO SHOULD YOU LISTEN TO.

IT’S EASY TO FALL INTO THE USUAL TRAPS

The veil has been lifted on ‘segments’ and ‘targeting’ and ‘market research.’

You’ve heard these terms - and you’re pretty sure you know what they mean.

And you might even think that because people get paid to think about this stuff all the time, that they’re legit.

SEGMENTS

Segments are distinct subsets of your customer base.

But you don’t have a customer base yet.

So you have to imagine customers.

And then try to find real people that are like your imaginary customers.

BE SPECIFIC.

It’s tempting to segment by ‘customers v. prospects’.

All you have tonight are prospects.

You might have some idea that it’s ‘early adopters v. mass market’ or ‘avid v. casual users’... (but that’s just code for, “we don’t know”)

Instead, imagine a specific person. Then imagine 4 or 5 more specific people.

“I don't write to the crowd. I try to write from

one human being to another human being in the second

person singular.” - David ogilvY

MAKE A LIST OF ATTRIBUTES...

What’s their job title?

What kind of company do they work at?

What industry are they in?

What would earn them a bonus?

How do they define themselves?

What are they trying to do?

How much decision-making power do they have?

What gets in their way?

What keeps them up at night?

What costs them time or money?

How do they solve this problem today?

How eager are they to solve the problem?

http://www.cindyalvarez.com/lean/the-who-and-why-of-your-target-customer

YOU DON’T WANT TO TALK TO EVERYONE.There isn’t time for all that.

NARROW IT DOWN TO ATTRIBUTES THAT MATTER

Some won’t matter at all.

Some attributes will matter because:

This kind of person is willing and able to experiment

This kind of person is able to make decisions without approval

This kind of person is willing to invest money in a solution

This kind of person is aware there is a problem

This kind of person doesn’t have an alternative solution

This kind of person is losing money or customers because of the problem

http://www.cindyalvarez.com/lean/the-who-and-why-of-your-target-customer

“BUT IT’S EASIER TO JUST PUSH A SURVEY.”

GET OUT OF THE BUILDING.

DO WHAT, NOW?

Talk to people.

Not a lot. 5-10 (but you’ll need to make a list of 50 before you start sending emails & making phone calls)

Not in a “facility” or a neutral environment - try to go to their place/office/where they would buy or use stuff like you want to make.

Not the perfect ‘respondent.’

BE NICE AND LISTEN.

http://giffconstable.com/2010/07/12-tips-for-early-customer-development-interviews/

DON’T WASTE TIME REPEATING YOURSELF.

After 3 people, prioritize your top 3 issues or questions.

After 5 people, start asking new questions.

This isn’t about approval, or getting them to say they ‘like’ it.

It’s about learning what to do next.

WHAT SHOULD YOU ASK?

How is your customer currently dealing with this task/problem? 

What do they like about their current solution/process?

Is there some other solution/process you’ve tried in the past that was better or worse?

What do they wish they could do that currently isn’t possible or practical?

If they could do [answer to the above question], how would that make their lives better?

Who is involved with this solution/process?  How long does it take?

What is their state of mind when doing this task?  How busy/hurried/stressed/bored/frustrated?

What are they doing immediately before and after their current solution/process?

How much time or money would they be willing to invest in a solution that made their lives easier?

http://www.cindyalvarez.com/communication/customer-development-interviews-how-to-what-you-should-be-learning

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT INFORMATION?

Be honest:

Are these really your customers?

Is their problem really painful, or their desire really strong? Does it even exist?

Are they really making decisions the way you thought?

What do you need to change?

THIS ISN’T (USUALLY) THE TIME FOR PIVOTS.

Talk to your team.

Do you need to seek other customers that are a better fit?

Do you need to rethink your positioning?

What would you have to change to create value?

Is it possible to give peoplewhat they want?

Do you need to do something else?

* You shouldn’t pivot before you’ve even iterated, duh.

THEN WHAT?DO IT AGAIN.

“It isn’t iterative if you only do it once.”

- one of the madebymany guys

THEN WHAT?DO IT AGAIN.

Learn

“It isn’t iterative if you only do it once.”

- one of the madebymany guys

THEN WHAT?DO IT AGAIN.

Build

Learn

“It isn’t iterative if you only do it once.”

- one of the madebymany guys

THEN WHAT?DO IT AGAIN.

Build

Measure

Learn

“It isn’t iterative if you only do it once.”

- one of the madebymany guys