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Customer Validation for Startups Monday, 10 February, 14
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Customer Validation for Startups

Dec 18, 2014

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Marketing

Beth Thouin

Customer validation is the ONLY way to know that you have a real business that solves real problems. Even if you think you've validated, read these tips and go validate again.
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Page 1: Customer Validation for Startups

Customer Validationfor Startups

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 2: Customer Validation for Startups

“At least 2/3 of our ideas are never going to work. The other 1/3 will take 3 or 4 iterations to get it right.”

~ Marty Cagan

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 3: Customer Validation for Startups

Who?

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 4: Customer Validation for Startups

Who?

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 5: Customer Validation for Startups

Where?★ On the street

★ In a lineup

★ YellowPages

★ Online

★ Craigslist

★ Quora, Reddit, Twitter

Tip: If you are sending cold emails or doing cold calls, you will have double success rate on follow ups.

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 6: Customer Validation for Startups

What?★ Validate and score the problem hypothesis/values and

wastes for the customer

★ Prove or disprove assumptions

★ Find out if they will pay for your service/product

Remember! Need scalable and repeatable customers. How? Real learning from

them.

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 7: Customer Validation for Startups

CustomerGroup of people with

a common name. Segment by vertical and roles/lifestyle.

ProblemProblem specific to

that person.

SolutionCannot define yet!

What can cause us to fail?

RA

Explore

Pitch

Concierge

5/20

Pivot

RARA

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 8: Customer Validation for Startups

Is this a good question?★ How time-consuming is this process?

The Right Way

★ Tell me about this process...

★ Interesting, why does it take x minutes?

★ Right, have you tried alternative methods? Why or why not?

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 9: Customer Validation for Startups

Is this a good question?★ Do you like this idea?

The Right Way

★ How do you see this idea fitting in with your life?

★ What does it change in your life?

★ Would you tell your networks about it?

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Page 10: Customer Validation for Startups

The Questions - Do’s★ Understand motives

★ Drilldown

★ Observe behavoir & feedback separately

★ Look for negative feedback

★ Ask for introductions

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Page 11: Customer Validation for Startups

The Questions - Don’ts

★ Ask leading questions

★ Ask hypothetical questions

★Act like the project is your baby

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Page 12: Customer Validation for Startups

Questionnaire Flow★ Under the customer’s story in their own words

★ Measure the importance of the problem (for each customer segment)

★ Pinpoint their pains & values and weigh the importance on each

★ What other solutions are they using?

★ Have them define their dream solution

★ If you are doing a demo of concept or pitch, do this last and no pitching! Just listening.

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Page 13: Customer Validation for Startups

How to ask a question - listening vs selling

So Mr. Stevens, the premium CRM license is $5000, which can finally get you guys off that nightmarish paper system — I think you’re going to be able to save a ton of time. Thanks Rob, that sounds great. You guys are really delivering a lot of value for that price. Let me talk to my team and get back to you.

So Mr. Stevens, you guys are able to stay on top of a huge number of deals and I was wondering — how do you manage it all? Well Rob, we’ve tried a bunch of digital systems, but the training was a pain and it always seemed like more trouble than it was worth. We really only have about 5 active deals per partner and the post-it wall works fine for that volume.

The Startup Toolkit

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 14: Customer Validation for Startups

Scoring InterviewsObservation ScoreDid the interviewee easily and definitively rank the problems you presented?

10, 5 or 0

Is the interviewee actively trying to solve the problem, or have they done so in the past?

8, 4 or 0

Was the interviewee engaged and focused throughout the interview?

4, 2 or 0

Did the interviewee refer others to you for interviews?

4, 2 or 0

Score >25 = GOOD Ben Yoskovitz, Lean Analytics

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 15: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 16: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I wouldn't use it - but I know people who would”

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 17: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I wouldn't use it - but I know people who would”

No one will use it

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 18: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 19: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“It’s a GREAT concept”

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 20: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“It’s a GREAT concept”

Not practical. No one will use it.

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 21: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 22: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I could really use this if it did...”

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 23: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I could really use this if it did...”

Core product isn’t solving a real problem. No one will use it

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 24: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 25: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I would pay for this!”

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 26: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I would pay for this!”

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Page 27: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I would pay for this!”

Great! Sign here ;)

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 28: Customer Validation for Startups

Feedback

“I would pay for this!”

Great! Sign here ;) Need proof

Monday, 10 February, 14

Page 29: Customer Validation for Startups

Tools & TipsTOOLS

★ Validation Board ~ LeanStartupMachine

★ TurboStart (local startup tool for questionnaire data entry)

★ Usertesting.com (UX testing & feedback)

TIPS

★ Don’t be shy - this is your business

★ Partner with people who are in touch with your audience

★ Don’t be afraid to pivot - just do it fast

★ Never stop validating

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Page 30: Customer Validation for Startups

Beth Thouin l [email protected] l facebook.com/thebrendans

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Monday, 10 February, 14