Why aren't you doing this?
And promise me you'll give it a go
(my spotless living room)
Talking to your customers is the holy grail of research.
Not talking for talking’s sake (although that can be fun too). But to help with all the things you need to get right in business. To answer all the questions you simply cannot answer by yourself.
What do my customers need?
Why aren’t they buying this?
Where do they hang out online?
What campaigns do they most engage with?
Would they buy this?
The list could go on and on.
While there are plenty of proxies that can go some way to getting you the answers you need, there is nothing better than hearing it from the horse’s mouth.
I see businesses skilfully hide behind yearly surveys, but for those of you with smaller audiences, a survey is just not going to cut it. And certainly not for those big decisions.
For my first book, I spoke to dozens of businesses about what was holding them back when it came to speaking to customers.
Interlude…. My new book How To Get To Know Your Customer is out now. Short, sweet and to the point. It’s your essential pocket guide to market research. It teaches you 10 essential techniques and tactics you can master in 6 minutes each. Thanks so much to those of you who supported the launch last week. The book became a bestseller in two Kindle categories and was #2 Most Gifted in Self Employment. Chuffed as chips.
This is what I heard the most…
What if I am wrong?
True. What if you share your idea and nobody bites? What if you realise that you were wrong about your audience? That’s learning right there. Embrace it. Better to know early and tweak accordingly than crash and burn later. Just saying.
What if they say no?
Will people think I’m opportunistic? Probably not. Will they think I’m trying to sell them something? Maybe (tell them you’re not). Will they decline to speak to you? Also, maybe. Will that feel uncomfortable? Briefly. If you’re scared of a no, start with a friendly customer.
What if it’s too late?
I get it. It’s hard turning back when you are already so far down the road. Think of it more as a detour. Remember, it’s never too late to get close and personal with the people you serve.
I promise you, there is never a bad time to get started. How about pencilling in some customer interviews for this brand new quarter. Now you promise me that you’ll get started this Spring.
Right, that’s it for this week. Next week, I’ll share the exact email script I send to customers (and my clients’ customers) when asking them for their precious time, as well as a handy list of places to find people to talk to.
Have a lovely week - will be back in your inbox on Tuesday 22nd (Easter Bank Holiday on Monday🐣🐰🐥).
Katie😎
P.S. Have had five WHOLE days pretty much to myself (a monosyllabic 15 year old boy doesn’t count as company) as my partner and daughter went to France (back tomorrow). I’ve packed in work, gym, swim, facial, massage, breakfast with a friend, drafted book 3 proposal (excited!!), big house tidy (see my spotless living room above) , summer hols booked (Swedish lakes here we come). I have come to the conclusion that alone, I am unstoppable. 🤠
P.P.S. I forgot to schedule this at my usual 6.30am time - which is why it’s late today 🫣