practical guide to customer dev - dan toma

Customer DevelopmentPractical Guide

Tuesday, 3 September, 13

‘If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.’ - H. Ford


WRONG!


STOP product development, START customer development!


STOP product development, START customer development!

GET OUT OF THE BUILDING


Customer Development Stages



Exploration


Pitch


Exploration


Pitch

Concierge


Exploration


Pitch

Concierge



Exploration(problem interviews)



6 golden rules of Customer Exploration#1 Test the riskiest assumptions first;#2 Go for face-to-face interviews;#3 Don’t record the interviews;#4 Pick a neutral location (out of the comfort zone);#5 Always have a script;#6 Never lead the witness;



6 golden rules of Customer Exploration#1 Test the riskiest assumptions first;#2 Go for face-to-face interviews;#3 Don’t record the interviews;#4 Pick a neutral location (out of the comfort zone);#5 Always have a script;#6 Never lead the witness;

Your script should ideally contain: * your introduction* their introduction* problem ranking* solution exploration* currency! * a ‘Colombo’ question


Rob [email protected]

Me@toma_dan


Do you have a problem with ... ?

Do you you have the ... problem?


Do you have a problem with ... ?

Do you you have the ... problem?

WRONG!Tuesday, 3 September, 13

Tell me about ... Talk me through ...


Tell me about ... Talk me through ...

RIGHT!Tuesday, 3 September, 13

Do you think it’s a good idea?


WRONG!

Do you think it’s a good idea?


Would you buy a product which solved

this problem?


How are you currently dealing with

this issue?


Talk me through the last time you had

this problem.


How much would you pay for this?


How much money does this problem cost

you?


Is there a budget for it?


Who else should I talk to?


What to expect


Sounds great I love it!


Sounds great I love it!

BAD!You’ve just learned that they are human!


Amazing - let me know when you launch!


Amazing - let me know when you launch!

BAD!compliment + stalling = they don’t careTuesday, 3 September, 13

There are a couple of people I can intro

to - when you’re ready.


There are a couple of people I can intro

to - when you’re ready.

Not that BAD!Ask: ‘why not now?’


I would buy that for sure!


I would buy that for sure!

BAD!Nobody can predict the future!


We are spending $300/month

on this!


We are spending $300/month

on this!

GOOD!Proof of real pain and budget assessmentTuesday, 3 September, 13

ConciergeExploration

Pitch



Pitch(solution interviews)



4 dos#1 this is not a sales pitch;#2 talk about past and present actions;#3 never talk about the future;#4 look for behavioral patterns;



4 dos#1 this is not a sales pitch;#2 talk about past and present actions;#3 never talk about the future;#4 look for behavioral patterns;

The ‘hardcore user’ will:* want to pay right now* tell you how they are dealing with that now* talk a lot & ask a lot of questions* lean forward & be animated

The ‘bouncer’ will:* easily be distracted* talk about something else* be nervous & anxiousTuesday, 3 September, 13

Am I on the right track?


>31 is GOODTuesday, 3 September, 13


Pitch



Exploration

Pitch



Concierge(minimum viable product)


Concierge(minimum viable product)

How to be a great ‘Concierge’:#1 do it only with the most passionate#2 don’t invest too much in technology#3 be in constant contact#4 ask for constant feedback



Pitch



Recap!


Recap!#1 Never talk about the future;#2 Never use biased wording: "do you agree that..." or "would you say this is true..." or even worse "would you use/need something like...";#3 Make the question real;#4 Look for other clues;#5 Never use multiple choice - it’s leading!#6 It’s called customer development not friends development;#7 It’s all about the insight;


GET OUT OF THE BUILDING... and kill that ‘faster horse’!

@[email protected]


practical guide to customer dev - dan toma

Business