What do you feel is the hardest part about doing customer & market research?
Some people skip research entirely, but I've also noticed that a lot of people want to do research but struggle.
What's the hardest part about doing customer & market research, for you?
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The hardest part - even for researchers who know better - is to narrow your audience and figure out who those "best" customers are. We don't use personas in our analysis (we use real people and frame it around need states), but this could be a good way to help focus on diving deep into the ins and outs of a specific audience.
Totally with you on not using personas!
I went through this recently during a coaching conversation and we tried to come up with a mix of qualitative/observable and quantitative metrics for "best customer."
The non-exhaustive list, in no particular order, included:
I love it when people are on the same page! This is our process:
I do like the additional list items of "least volatile" and "built-in advantages" (though we do use this as a qualifier if narrowing).
Love it! Another dimension I add to #3 is if they talk to each other online. Basically, are they findable in clusters, groups, or communities without having to spend gobs of money on advertising to hope you reach them.
Findability also means observability, which brings us back to observable research, our favorite :)
Where do you even start when looking for customers? Social media channels, but most do not want spam or consider it spam when asking questions, etc? So where do you even start.
The thing about being perceived as spam is that its a clue that you're trying to extract value from a community before you've earned trust. It's like trying to go to the bank and make a withdrawal before you've made a deposit. Doesn't work!
When you actually get involved in that channel, show up and help people with their problems in public, you're investing in that community. You're earning trust. And when you occasionally ask for something, you're a regular/trusted source instead of a lazy spammer!
Does it take time? Yes. That's why this process really should start even before you've created a product. But the second best time to start is right now.
Makes total sense. Thanks Alex.
I'm glad!
Lots of people overcomplicate "where to find customers" because of this exact issue, when the answer is...you find them where they already are, but that doesn't mean you can show up and make it about you.
This really resonates with me, as I tend to enjoy the community type conversations. I'm going to apply myself as a member and contributor to a community first :)
🙌
My customers are too general to target.
How so?
Hi there, I'm one of those cases where I'd love to do research but struggle to reach out to the audience, particularly for B2B ideas. Even when I'm knowledgeable about an industry and have a handful of target audience to reach out to (just be being acquittances there is bias on their feedback), I always struggle to find and reach people to validate problems/ideas.
I'm curious what you've tried that hasn't worked?