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Everything you need to know in 100 slides or less* 18 Tips and Tricks on Conducting A Killer Customer Interview Customer Interviews *The slides are short. It’ll go fast, I promise. Want to learn even more? We’re writing a book: Pre-Agile Methodologies: A Tactical Guide To Not Building The Best Wrong Thing. Go to http://bit.ly/PreAgileBook to never build the wrong thing again.

18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

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**** Learn more about Customer Interviews and other Pre-Agile methodologies by signing up for the announcement list for our upcoming book: http://bit.ly/PreAgileBook **** Are you trying to build a new product? Add features to an existing one? If you're going through the process of Customer Development, you'll want to know the best practices for conducting Customer Interviews. And if you're not doing this already, this is a great primer on how and why you should start!

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Page 1: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Everything you need to know in 100 slides or less*

18 Tips and Tricks on Conducting A Killer

Customer Interview

Customer Interviews

*The slides are short. It’ll go fast, I promise.

Want to learn even more? We’re writing a book: Pre-Agile Methodologies:

A Tactical Guide To Not Building The Best Wrong Thing.

Go to http://bit.ly/PreAgileBook to never build the wrong thing again.

Page 2: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Startups, SMBs, or F500 How Do Companies Die?

Customer Interviews

Step 1) Stop building what people want.* Step 2) ??? Step 3) Run out of money.

*This assumes no tax fraud or other illegal activity. But if you had to learn that from a SlideShare presentation, maybe you should be in another line of work. Like working for

Enron.

Page 3: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

No one TRIES to disregard customers. The Status Quo

Customer Interviews

Sometimes they listen to the wrong sources. Sometimes the customers they’re listening to are no longer representative of where the market is going. And sometimes, like in the case of millennials, it’s a new customer segment that isn’t well understood.

Page 4: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

How do companies listen now? The Status Quo

Customer Interviews

•  Market Research Reports •  Trend Analysis •  Competitive Analysis •  “Keeping up with the Joneses” •  Intuition •  Solving their own problems

Page 5: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Stuff people don’t care about

Customer Interviews

1. Corporate initiatives 2. Internal Politics 3. Industry Trends 4. Features 5. Technology

Page 6: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Stuff people DO care about

Customer Interviews

1. Having their problems solved.

Page 7: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

So how do you know how to solve their problems?

Customer Interviews

Page 8: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

... How do you even know what their problems are?

Customer Interviews

Page 9: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

By talking directly to customers.

Customer Interviews

Page 10: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Because it turns out...

Customer Interviews

Page 11: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

You are not Charles Xavier.

Customer Interviews

Page 12: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

So why try to read minds... ... when you could just ask them?

Customer Interviews

Page 13: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Part 1: The Rules to Customer Interviews

Part 2: Techniques For Getting Stories

Part 3: FAQ

What do we need to know?

Customer Interviews

Page 14: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 15: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 16: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

The answer to the question “Do you want ice cream?” is always

“Yes!”

Page 17: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

What sane and rational person would answer “No” to this question?

Page 18: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

But the answer to the question “Do you want this ice cream that costs $250?” might turn out to be “... No.”

Page 19: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

Ice cream questions are when you withhold information and don’t reveal all the

costs associated with a benefit.

Page 20: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 21: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #2: Pull, don’t Push The Rules

Customer Interviews

The goal of these interviews is to learn about their problems.

You want to PULL information out of your interviewee.

You do not want to PUSH your ideas on to them.

For example...

Page 22: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

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Rule #3: No Leading Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

Subjects answering the question:

“Do you get headaches frequently and, if so, how often?”

reported an average of 2.2 headaches per week.

Page 24: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #3: No Leading Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

While subjects answering the question

'Do you get headaches occasionally and, if so, how often?'

reported only 0.7 per week.

[John Hayes, Interpersonal Skills at Work. Routledge, 2002 referencing

Loftus (1975)]

Page 25: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #3: No Leading Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

You’ve suggested the answer is by the phrasing of the question

You’ve lead them to where you want them...

which is Push.

Remember, you want to PULL information out of them.

Page 26: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #3: No Leading Questions The Rules

Customer Interviews

Decisions based on bad data are worse than decisions based on no data.

Page 27: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 28: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #4: Past Behavior vs Future Behavior The Rules

Customer Interviews

“How often are you going to work out at the gym next year?”

“I’m going to work out 3 times a week, every week.” “How many times a week have you been working out?”

“Uh... zero.”

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Rule #4: Past Behavior vs Future Behavior The Rules

Customer Interviews

“How often are you going to work out at the gym next year?”

“I’m going to work out 3 times a week, every week.” “How many times a week have you been working out?”

“Twice a week, every week.”

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Rule #4: Past Behavior vs Future Behavior The Rules

Customer Interviews

It is incredibly difficult and rare for people to drastically alter their behavior.

What a person HAS been doing is a great predictor

of what they will do in the future.

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Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 32: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self The Rules

Customer Interviews

“Please describe your diet.” “I eat mostly Paleo. Meats, veggies, nuts... a little bit of fruit, sometimes milk.”

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Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self The Rules

Customer Interviews

“Describe your last meal.” “We were in a rush to get to the Kanye concert, so I grabbed a slice of pizza on the way. After the show, we grabbed some Hot Dogs from a street vendor, then when I came home I had gummy bears and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”* *This example, unfortunately, is not fictional.

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Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self The Rules

Customer Interviews

If you ask someone to describe themselves, they will tell you about their Ideal Self. How they see themselves. How they want to be. Ask for a story about “the last time,” and you will discover their Actual Selves.

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Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 36: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #6: No Pitching The Rules

Customer Interviews

“Would you use a shampoo that made your dog not smell bad anymore?”

Page 37: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #6: No Pitching The Rules

Customer Interviews

1. Possible violation of Rule #1: There is probably more information they need to give a real answer. 2. Violating Rule #2: You’re supposed to be looking for (pulling) problems, not pushing solutions. 3. Violating Rule #4: Past behavior/Future Behavior 4. Violating Rule #5: Ideal Self vs. Actual Self

Page 38: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 39: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof The Rules

Customer Interviews

“N” is a statistical term for sample size.

“N of 1” means you have a sample size of 1.

That’s not good.

Page 40: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof The Rules

Customer Interviews

You’re looking for qualitative data, not quantitative.

You don’t need to achieve statistical significance.

But making decisions based on what you learned

from a single person is dangerous.

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Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof The Rules

Customer Interviews

Examples:

“I ride the bus. This product is solving my problem, so I know what I need to do.”

“The guy on the bus said he doesn’t really care how long he waits for the bus, so we’re pivoting to something different.”

“The woman at the bus stop said she always checks the bus schedule online

before she leaves, so we’re definitely on to something!”

Page 42: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof The Rules

Customer Interviews

Any one of these behaviors could be representative of a larger population.

But, any of these behaviors could also be

exceptions to the norm.

Keep interviewing people until you’re hearing the same stories over and over and over again.

Page 43: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding. Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 44: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #8: No Seeding The Rules

Customer Interviews

Jump straight into the first question.

Do not tell the interview subject what your research is about.

If you frame the context, they’ll answer within that context... which means they’ll try to give you the

answers they think you want to hear.

Page 45: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #1: No Ice Cream Questions

Rule #2: Pull, Don’t Push

Rule #3: No Leading Questions

Rule #4: Past Behavior --> Future Behavior

Rule #5: Actual Self vs. Ideal Self

Rule #6: No Pitching

Rule #7: “N of 1” is Not Proof

Rule #8: No Seeding.

Rule #9: Stories > Statements

Part 1: The Rules

Customer Interviews

Page 46: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #9: Stories > Statements The Rules

Customer Interviews

“Have you traveled recently?”

vs.

“Tell me about the last time you traveled.”

Page 47: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Rule #9: Stories > Statements The Rules

Customer Interviews

“Yes or No” questions: •  Don’t provide deeper insights •  Constrict the conversation •  Don’t build rapport

Getting someone to tell stories •  Lets them lead the conversation •  Reveals insights you couldn’t predict •  Builds rapport and trust

Page 48: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Once you get someone telling stories, it’s hard to get them to stop.

Customer Interviews

Page 49: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

So how do you get someone telling stories?

Customer Interviews

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Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Page 51: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...” Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Page 52: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: Tell me about the last time... Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

It’s hard to come up with “the best/worst time” something happened, but it’s easy to remember the

last time.

And often, once they tell you about the last time, they’ll say “But that was nothing compared to THIS

OTHER TIME...”

Page 53: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: Tell me about the last time... Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

“Tell me about the last time you travelled out of the state.”

“Tell me about the last time you went to a concert.”

“Tell me about the last time you

went on a first date.”

Page 54: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s” Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

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Technique #2: 5 Why’s Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Every time they make a statement, ask why.

Use this technique to get to the underlying cause or to identify some root emotion.

(5 isn’t a set number. It could be 3, or 7, or 12.)

Page 56: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #2: 5 Why’s Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

“I want to start going to the gym.” Why? “Because I want to be strong and fit.” Why?

“Because I want to be healthy.” Why? “Because I don’t want to die of a heart attack when I’m 40.” Why?

“Because my dad died of a heart attack when he was 40..”

Okay. That’s interesting! Now we understand their motivations.

But why so many why’s?

Page 57: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #2: 5 Why’s Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

“I want to start going to the gym.” Why? “Because I want to be strong and fit.” Why? “Because I want to girls to like me.” Why?

“Because I’ve only ever dated one person.” Why? Because I’m not good at connecting with people on an

emotional level.”

See how their motivations diverged... but only a few levels down?

Page 58: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.” Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

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Technique #3: “Tell me more.” Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Sometimes people will stop talking or end a story, but it feels like there’s more.

Maybe it feels like a good place to end, maybe they feel like they’ve been talking too long, or they’re a

little hesitant to share the next part.

Simply prompting someone to “tell you more” will often result in deeper, more interesting stories.

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Technique #3: “Tell me more.” Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

“I went to Sicily last summer. I figured I wouldn’t end up sorting through a bunch of pictures, so I didn’t bother

taking any.”

Tell me more?

“I used to take thousands of pictures of vacations with my fancy DSLR, but I have never looked through a single set.

So I just stopped taking pictures.”

Page 61: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...” Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Page 62: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...” Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Another technique to get people to elaborate on something they just said.

“What do you mean by ‘If it wasn’t for your horse,

you wouldn’t have spent that year in college.”

Page 63: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with

your problem now?” Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

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Technique #5: “How are you dealing...” Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Does the interviewee have any solution to their problem right now?

Does it do the job effectively?

Are they happy with it?

... or are they ignoring the problem completely?

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Technique #5: “How are you dealing...” Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

You can learn a lot by knowing how they deal with their problem today.

Page 66: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Page 67: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #6: Silence is Golden. Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Page 68: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #6: Silence is Golden. Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

See. Wasn’t that a little awkward?

People seek to fill silence.

Look expectant that there’s more they want to say.

Let them be the one to fill the silence.

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Technique #6: Silence is Golden. Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

Often this is when they’ll start talking about something you never thought to ask.

Page 70: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Technique #1: “Tell me about the last time...”

Technique #2: “5 Why’s”

Technique #3: “Tell me more.”

Technique #4: “What do you mean by...”

Technique #5: “How are you dealing with your problem now?”

Technique #6: Silence is Golden

Technique #7: Walk away.

Part 2: Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

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Technique #7: Walk away. Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

When you end the interview, the dynamic of the conversation changes.

If you’re having trouble getting an interview subject

to open up, end the interview a bit abruptly.

As you prepare to move on, make small talk. Often the subject will be much more relaxed, forthcoming,

and you can continue without them realizing it.

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Question #1: “How do I get them to talk to me?”

Question #2: “What if they never talk about the problem I’m trying

to solve?”

Question #3: “How do I put these into a survey?”

Part 3: FAQ

Customer Interviews

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Question #1: “How do I get people on the

street to talk to me?”

Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

If you’re approached on the street, your typical response is probably either:

“No thanks.”

“I’m busy.”

*Ignore*

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

But now the tables have turned. How do you get people to stop and talk to you?

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

According to a study by Langer, E., Blank, A., and Chanowitz, B. (1978) published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, a researcher

approached a line of people waiting for a photocopier and asked:

“Excuse me, I have five pages. Could I use the copier next?”

with a 60% success rate.

Not bad!

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

But when the researcher added the phrase

“because I’m in a rush,”

the number soared from 60 percent to 94 percent!

Totally awesome!

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

But here’s the thing.

They ran the experiment again. This time asking

“May I use the Xerox machine, because I have to make copies.”

How many people do you think said yes to this silly request?

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

93%.

A mere 1% less than when you gave a real reason.

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

The secret word here is “because.”

Even if your “because clause” is meaningless, simply using the word will bypass peoples’ natural defenses.

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Question #1: The Approach FAQ

Customer Interviews

So try opening with

“Excuse me, I’m working on a project and I was wondering if I could ask you a few quick questions.”

“Working on a project” doesn’t MEAN anything...

but behavioral psychology says that’s apparently okay.

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Question #2: “What if they won’t talk about

the problem I’m trying to solve?”

Getting Stories

Customer Interviews

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Question #2: Not Cooperating FAQ

Customer Interviews

Remember Rule #2? “Pull, Don’t Push”

If they won’t talk about the problem you are trying to solve without prompting...

If you can’t get them to independently say “Hey, you

know what sucks? This thing!”

Then maybe...

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Question #2: Not Cooperating FAQ

Customer Interviews

It’s not that big of a problem for them.

Page 85: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

Question #2: Not Cooperating FAQ

Customer Interviews

If you’re not solving a “Top 3 Problem”

chances are...

They’re not going to care about your product.

They’re not going to pay for your product.

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Question #2: Not Cooperating FAQ

Customer Interviews

So instead, explore into the problems they ARE talking about.

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What have we learned? Wrapping up

Customer Interviews

1. The rules for a good customer interview 2. Good techniques to get stories 3. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

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Where can I learn more? Wrapping up

Customer Interviews

Enjoy this? Want to learn even more? We’re writing a book:

Pre-Agile Methodologies: A Tactical Guide To Not Building The Best Wrong Thing.

Go to http://bit.ly/PreAgileBook to never build the wrong thing again.

Page 89: 18 Tips on Conducting Killer Customers Interviews

So what’s next? Wrapping up

Customer Interviews

Go forth. Interview.

Build great products.