Category: Conversation

Empathetic Messaging: 21 Ready to Use Templates

Shashank

Here are 20 templates for reaching out to someone expressing challenges that can possibly be resolved with the product you are building, while ensuring empathy:

  1. Hi [Name], I hope this message finds you well. I noticed that you mentioned struggling with [challenge] in your recent post. I’m working on a product that might be able to help, and I’d love to hear more about your experience with this issue.
  2. Hello [Name], I came across your comment on [platform] about [challenge], and it really resonated with me. I’m building a product that could potentially address this problem, and I would love to chat more about your thoughts on this topic.
  3. Hi [Name], I understand that [challenge] can be frustrating and time-consuming. I’m developing a solution that could make this process a lot easier, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
  4. Hello [Name], I saw your post about [challenge] and wanted to reach out. I’m building a product that I believe could really help with this issue, and I’d love to learn more about your experience.
  5. Hi [Name], I read your recent article on [platform] about [challenge], and I found it very informative. I’m currently developing a product that could potentially address this issue, and I’d love to get your thoughts on it.
  6. Hello [Name], I saw your tweet about [challenge], and I can definitely relate. I’m building a product that could potentially solve this problem, and I’d love to chat more about it if you’re interested.
  7. Hi [Name], I came across your profile and noticed that you work in [industry]. I’m developing a product that I believe could really benefit professionals in this field, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
  8. Hello [Name], I understand that [challenge] can be a major obstacle in [industry], and I’m developing a product that could potentially help. I’d love to get your input on this issue.
  9. Hi [Name], I noticed that you’re passionate about [topic], and I’m working on a product that could potentially make a big difference in this area. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how it could be improved.
  10. Hello [Name], I read your blog post about [challenge], and I found it really insightful. I’m building a product that I believe could address this issue, and I’d love to get your feedback on it.
  11. Hi [Name], I came across your comment on [platform] about [challenge], and I completely understand how frustrating it can be. I’m developing a product that could potentially help, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
  12. Hello [Name], I saw your post about [challenge], and I can definitely relate. I’m currently building a product that could potentially solve this problem, and I’d love to chat more about it.
  13. Hi [Name], I noticed that you’re a [job title] in [industry], and I’m building a product that I believe could really benefit professionals in this field. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
  14. Hello [Name], I understand that [challenge] can be a major pain point for many people, and I’m developing a product that could potentially help. I’d love to get your input on this issue.
  15. Hi [Name], I read your recent post about [challenge], and I found it very informative. I’m building a product that could potentially address this problem, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
  16. Hello [Name], I saw your tweet about [challenge], and I’m currently working on a product that could potentially solve this issue
  17. Hey [Name], I saw your post about [challenge]. I’m sorry you’re dealing with that – I can imagine how frustrating it must be. At [Company Name], we’re working on a product that can help solve that problem. Would you be interested in chatting more about it?
  18. Hi [Name], I read your comment on [social media platform] about [challenge]. We’ve been developing a solution for that exact problem at [Company Name]. I’d love to hear more about your experience and see if our product could be a good fit. Are you available for a quick chat sometime this week?
  19. Dear [Name], I came across your recent article on [publication/website] discussing the difficulties of [challenge]. I completely empathize with your situation – it’s a common issue that many people face. At [Company Name], we’ve developed a product that we think can help. Would you be open to discussing your experience and seeing if our solution could be a good fit for you?
  20. Hi [Name], I noticed that you recently posted about [challenge] and how it’s impacting your daily life. As someone who’s working on a product that could potentially help with this issue, I’d love to hear more about your experiences and see if there’s anything we can do to assist.
  21. Hey [Name], I saw your comment about [challenge] and how it’s been causing you some difficulties. I’m currently developing a product that could potentially offer a solution, and I’m very interested in hearing more about your thoughts and experiences related to this issue.

Customizing these templates can help personalize your outreach message and make it more effective in engaging with the recipient. The first step in customizing these templates is to research the individual and their specific situation or challenge. This can involve reviewing their social media profiles, blog posts, or other online presence to gain a better understanding of their needs and interests.

Once you have an understanding of their situation, you can tailor the message to speak directly to their concerns and highlight how your product or solution can specifically address their challenges. This could involve referencing their previous posts or comments and demonstrating how your product could provide a solution.

It’s also important to make the message personal and engaging. This can involve using the recipient’s name, adding a friendly greeting, or including a call to action to encourage a response. By customizing the message, you can increase the likelihood of a positive response and ultimately build a stronger relationship with the recipient.

Customizing these outreach messages shows that you’ve taken the time to research and understand the recipient’s specific situation, and that you’re not just sending a generic message to everyone. By addressing their specific challenge or interest, you show that you empathize with their situation and are genuinely interested in hearing their thoughts and experiences. This level of personalization can go a long way in building trust and rapport with the recipient, and can ultimately lead to a more productive and meaningful conversation. Ultimately, empathy helps us create more meaningful and impactful connections with the people we are trying to reach.

Our ebook, “Transcending Self-Interest: How Embracing a Higher Purpose Can Drive Successful Traction for Your Side-Project,” shows you how embracing empathy for your users or customers can help you achieve your goals. Download the ebook now to learn how prioritizing empathy can help you build a startup that resonates with your audience, drives traction, and creates real-world change.

Going Beyond Demographics: The Advantages of Behavioral Segmentation in Customer Discovery

Shashank

Using Behavioral Segmentation Based on the Solutions Users Use to Accomplish Their Intended Outcome to Understand their challenges and pain points with regard to the Solutions they Use currently and also with regard to other options available to them currently for a customer discovery of a new product idea

When developing a new product, it’s essential to understand your customers’ needs and pain points. This is where customer discovery comes in. Customer discovery is the process of talking to potential customers to learn about their challenges, pain points, and what they need from a product. By understanding your customers’ needs, you can create a product that solves their problems and meets their needs.

Traditionally, businesses have relied on demographic and psychographic segmentation to understand their customers. Demographic segmentation divides customers based on characteristics such as age, gender, income, education, and occupation. Psychographic segmentation, on the other hand, divides customers based on their attitudes, values, interests, and personality traits.

While demographic and psychographic segmentation can be helpful in understanding your customers, they have limitations. These segmentation methods assume that people with similar demographics or psychographics have similar needs and challenges. However, this is not always the case, especially when it comes to developing a new product.

Behavioral segmentation is an alternative approach that is gaining popularity in customer discovery. Behavioral segmentation divides customers based on the actions they take and the solutions they use to accomplish their intended outcome. This approach is particularly useful when developing a new product because it focuses on customers’ actual behavior and the solutions they currently use to accomplish their intended outcome.

Using behavioral segmentation based on the solutions users use to accomplish their intended outcome, you can identify four segments of potential customers: users using direct competing products, users using indirect competing products, users using substitute competing products, and users who do not use any of the existing solutions to accomplish their intended outcome.

Users using direct competing products are those who use a product that directly competes with the product you are developing. For example, if you are developing a ride-sharing app, users who currently use Uber or Lyft would fall into this segment.

Users using indirect competing products are those who use a product that indirectly competes with the product you are developing. For example, if you are developing a meal delivery service, users who currently use a grocery delivery service may fall into this segment.

Users using substitute competing products are those who use a product that solves the same problem but in a different way. For example, if you are developing a home security system, users who currently use a guard dog for security may fall into this segment.

Users who do not use any of the existing solutions to accomplish their intended outcome are those who do not currently use any solution to solve the problem you are addressing. For example, if you are developing a mindfulness app, users who do not currently practice mindfulness may fall into this segment.

By understanding these four segments, you can gain insights into your potential customers’ behavior and the solutions they currently use to accomplish their intended outcome. This information can help you identify your target market and develop a product that meets their needs.

Using behavioral segmentation also allows you to understand your potential customers’ pain points and challenges with the solutions they currently use. By conducting customer discovery interviews with each segment, you can gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of existing solutions and the opportunities for improvement. This can help you create a product that addresses the pain points and challenges of each segment.

Another benefit of using behavioral segmentation in customer discovery is that it allows you to identify potential customers who are not currently using any solution to accomplish their intended outcome. These customers may be an untapped market, and understanding their needs and challenges can help you develop a product that meets their needs and solves their problems.

Are you tired of relying solely on demographic data to understand your target customers? It’s time to take your segmentation game to the next level with behavioral segmentation. By downloading our free ebook “Discovering Your Target Customer: A Behavioral Segmentation Playbook,” you can unlock the key to understanding your customers’ behavior and motivations. Say goodbye to one-dimensional demographics and hello to a deeper understanding of your customers’ needs and desires.

Why Articulating the “Customer Outcome” is Crucial for Using Behavioral Segmentation in Customer Discovery

Shashank

In customer discovery, understanding the customer is a crucial step in creating a successful product or service. One approach to gaining this understanding is behavioral segmentation based on the solutions users use to accomplish their intended outcome. However, before diving into this approach, it’s essential to articulate the job to be accomplished or the customer outcome. By connecting the customer outcome to the fact that some solution would be at use and finding gaps in satisfaction level of that existing solution and reasons for the gap, one can better understand the customer’s needs and how to serve them.

What is the Job to Be Accomplished or Customer Outcome?

Before diving into why it is crucial to articulate the job to be accomplished or the customer outcome, it’s important to understand what these terms mean.

A job to be accomplished refers to the underlying goal that a customer is trying to achieve when they use a product or service. It’s not about the product or service itself but rather the desired outcome that the customer is seeking. For example, a job to be accomplished for a customer could be to reduce stress or to save time.

A customer outcome, on the other hand, refers to the specific results or benefits that a customer expects to receive from using a product or service. It’s the measurable outcome that a customer seeks. For example, a customer outcome for a fitness app could be to lose 10 pounds in 3 months.

Why is Articulating the Job to Be Accomplished or Customer Outcome Important?

It Helps Identify the Right Target Customer Segment

Articulating the job to be accomplished or customer outcome helps identify the right target customer segment. By understanding the underlying goals or desired outcomes of a customer, businesses can create products or services that cater to those needs. For example, if the job to be accomplished is to reduce stress, the target customer segment could be people who work long hours or have high-stress jobs.

It Enables the Business to Focus on the Customer’s Needs

By articulating the job to be accomplished or customer outcome, businesses can focus on the customer’s needs rather than their own. This enables businesses to create products or services that cater to the customer’s needs rather than just their own business goals. For example, a fitness app could focus on helping customers achieve their fitness goals rather than just making money from the app.

It Helps Identify Existing Solutions and Gaps in Satisfaction Level

Articulating the job to be accomplished or customer outcome can help identify existing solutions and gaps in satisfaction level. By understanding what the customer is trying to achieve, businesses can identify existing solutions that customers use to accomplish their desired outcome. They can then evaluate the satisfaction level of customers using these solutions and find gaps in the market that they can fill. For example, a business might identify that customers are using fitness apps but are dissatisfied with the level of personalized coaching.

It Guides Product Development

Articulating the job to be accomplished or customer outcome helps guide product development. By understanding what the customer is trying to achieve, businesses can create products or services that cater to those needs. They can then evaluate the satisfaction level of customers using these products or services and make improvements to meet customer expectations. For example, a fitness app could develop personalized coaching features to meet the needs of customers who want more personalized guidance.

Using Behavioral Segmentation Based on the Solutions Users Use to Accomplish Their Intended Outcome to Understand Customer Needs

Once the job to be accomplished or customer outcome has been articulated, using behavioral segmentation based on the solutions users use to accomplish their intended outcome can help businesses understand customer needs. This approach involves segmenting customers based on the solutions they use to accomplish their desired outcome. For example,

For example, let’s say a company is developing a new software tool for project management. Before conducting behavioral segmentation research, they should first articulate the job to be accomplished or the customer outcome that the tool will help achieve. This could be something like “streamlining project management processes” or “increasing team productivity.”

Once they have identified the customer outcome, the company can then use behavioral segmentation research to understand how their target customers currently achieve this outcome. They may find that some customers are already using direct competing products, while others are using indirect competing products or substitute competing products. There may also be a segment of customers who do not currently use any existing solutions to accomplish their intended outcome.

Through behavioral segmentation research, the company can dig deeper into each segment to understand their challenges and pain points with regard to the solutions they use currently and also with regard to other options available to them currently. This information can help the company identify gaps in satisfaction levels with existing solutions and the reasons for those gaps.

By connecting the customer outcome to the fact that some solution would be at use and finding gaps in satisfaction levels of that existing solution, the company can gain insights into what features and functionality their new tool should offer to better meet the needs of their target customers. For example, they may find that customers using indirect competing products are frustrated with the lack of integration between different tools they use, which could inform the development of a more seamless and integrated project management solution.

Ultimately, articulating the job to be accomplished or the customer outcome before conducting behavioral segmentation research helps ensure that the research is focused on the right areas and that the insights gained are directly relevant to the company’s product development goals. Without this focus, behavioral segmentation research may yield interesting insights, but they may not be actionable or relevant to the company’s specific needs.

If you’re looking to take your marketing efforts to the next level, understanding behavioral segmentation is crucial. By downloading our free ebook “Discovering Your Target Customer: A Behavioral Segmentation Playbook“, you’ll gain valuable insights and strategies for targeting your audience more effectively.

Why Actions Speak Louder Than Words in Customer Discovery

Shashank

Customer discovery is the process of gathering feedback from potential customers to identify and validate a problem and a solution for a product or service. While customer feedback is crucial in this process, it is important to note that actions and choices of potential customers are often more important than what they say. This is because people’s actions and choices are a better reflection of their true preferences and behavior, rather than what they say they will do.

For example, a potential customer may say they are interested in a particular product, but if they never actually purchase it, then their words are not as important as their lack of action. In this case, it may be necessary to dig deeper and understand the reasons behind their lack of action, such as pricing, product features, or timing.

One way to gather insights into potential customers’ actions and choices is through observation and experimentation. By observing how potential customers interact with a product or service, and experimenting with different features or pricing strategies, it is possible to identify what truly resonates with them.

A landing page MVP is a simple web page that is designed to test the viability of a product or service before investing in a full-scale launch.

To create an effective landing page MVP, it is crucial to understand the needs and preferences of potential customers. Customer discovery can help in identifying the target audience and the problem that the product or service is solving. This information can be used to create a landing page that speaks directly to the target audience and clearly communicates the value proposition of the product or service.

Observing how potential customers interact with the landing page can provide valuable insights into the viability of the product or service. By tracking metrics such as bounce rate, time spent on page, and conversion rate, it is possible to gauge the level of interest and engagement from potential customers. Experimentation with different landing page designs, messaging, and pricing strategies can also help in identifying what resonates best with the target audience.

The iterative process of customer discovery is particularly relevant when using a landing page MVP. By continuously testing and refining the landing page based on customer feedback, it is possible to create a more effective MVP that accurately represents the product or service and generates meaningful feedback.

In conclusion, while customer feedback is important in customer discovery, it is critical to also consider the actions and choices of potential customers. By focusing on experimentation, observation, and tracking progress, it is possible to refine and validate a product or service that truly meets the needs and preferences of customers.

Customer Discovery Questions That You Must Know About!

Shashank

Customer discovery is a process of learning about your target customers, their needs, pain points, and preferences. By conducting customer discovery interviews or surveys, you can gain valuable insights into what motivates your customers, what challenges they face, and how you can better meet their needs.

Here are some example questions you can use in your customer discovery process:

  1. What is your biggest challenge in relation to [your product/service]?
  2. Can you walk me through your typical day? Where does [your product/service] fit into your daily routine?
  3. What made you interested in [your product/service] in the first place?
  4. What would make you choose [your product/service] over a competitor’s product/service?
  5. How do you currently address the problem that [your product/service] solves?
  6. How much are you willing to pay for [your product/service]?
  7. Can you tell me about a time when you tried a similar product/service? What did you like and dislike about it?
  8. Have you recommended [your product/service] to anyone else? If so, why did you recommend it?
  9. Can you describe your experience with [a specific feature of your product/service]?
  10. How would you describe our product/service to someone else?

These questions can help you gain a deeper understanding of your customers, their needs, and preferences. When conducting customer discovery interviews, it’s important to actively listen and ask follow-up questions to clarify and expand on the customer’s responses.

In addition to these questions, you may also want to consider asking questions about your target customers’ demographics, psychographics, and behavior patterns. This can help you create a more accurate and detailed customer profile, which can inform your product development, marketing strategy, and customer acquisition efforts.

Overall, customer discovery is a critical part of building a successful business. By asking the right questions and actively listening to your target customers, you can gain valuable insights into their needs and preferences, and use this information to create products and services that truly meet their needs.

Target Locked: Strategies to Get in Front of Your Ideal Customers

Shashank

As a side project or new startup, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face is finding and reaching your ideal customers. Without a solid strategy to get in front of the right people, your business may struggle to gain traction and grow.

Fortunately, there are several effective strategies you can use to get in front of your ideal customers and start generating interest in your product or service. In this article, we’ll explore some of these strategies and provide you with actionable tips on how to implement them.

The question of “Who is your ideal customer?” may seem overwhelming, but defining your ideal customer is crucial to everything that follows. To help you define your ideal customer, check out the Ideal Customer Profile Framework provided in the link. If you do not know your ideal customer, then it will be difficult, if not impossible, to proceed from this point. Once you have defined your ideal customer’s demographics, psychographics, and characteristics, you can seek out more people or companies that fit your template. Your ideal customers can include your current customers (although not all your customers may be ideal), unconverted prospects, or even customers of your competitors.

  1. Start with your current customers

Your current customers are a valuable source of information for identifying your ideal customer. You can gather data on their age, gender, location, occupation, income, and other demographics through surveys, email, phone, or chat. Additionally, you can ask for feedback on your products or services, and what they like or dislike about them. This can help you identify areas for improvement or new product development.

Some examples of startups that leveraged talking with their current users to define their ideal customers:

  1. Slack – Slack initially launched as an internal communication tool for the gaming company Tiny Speck, but the founders realized that it had broader potential after seeing how much their users loved it. They then talked to more potential users to understand their needs and refined their ideal customer profile.
  2. Dropbox – Dropbox started by targeting individuals who wanted an easy way to store and share files, but after talking with their current users, they realized that businesses could also benefit from their product. They then shifted their focus to target small and medium-sized businesses.
  3. Airbnb – Airbnb founders talked with their early adopters and learned that they were using the platform to find unique and affordable accommodations when traveling for events, such as conferences and festivals. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target this group.
  4. Stripe – Stripe founders initially targeted developers who were frustrated with existing payment processing solutions. They then talked with their current users and discovered that many of them were startups who needed a simple and flexible payment system. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target this group.
  5. Intercom – Intercom founders initially targeted software companies who were struggling with customer communication, but after talking with their current users, they realized that other types of businesses could also benefit from their product. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries.
  6. Zoom – Zoom founders talked with their current users and learned that many of them were using the platform for remote work and online education. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target businesses and schools that needed a reliable and easy-to-use video conferencing solution.
  7. Hubspot – Hubspot founders initially targeted small businesses who wanted to improve their online marketing, but after talking with their current users, they realized that larger companies could also benefit from their product. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target mid-sized companies in a variety of industries.
  8. Canva – Canva founders talked with their current users and learned that many of them were small business owners and social media marketers who needed an easy and affordable way to create high-quality graphics. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target this group.
  9. Calm – Calm founders talked with their early adopters and learned that many of them were looking for a way to reduce stress and anxiety. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target people who wanted to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
  10. Headspace – Headspace founders talked with their early adopters and learned that many of them were looking for a way to learn meditation and improve their mental health. They then refined their ideal customer profile to target people who wanted to learn mindfulness and meditation.
  1. Conduct industry-level research and surveys

Industry-level research and surveys can provide a wealth of information on your target audience. You can gather data on market trends, consumer behavior, and preferences, which can help you identify potential areas for growth or improvement.

Many early-stage startups use industry-level research and surveys to better understand their target audience and market. Here are a few examples:

  1. HubbleHQ: HubbleHQ is a London-based startup that helps businesses find office space. The company conducted a survey of over 1,000 UK office workers to understand their preferences and priorities when it comes to workplace amenities, such as bike storage, showers, and communal spaces.
  2. Clearbanc: Clearbanc is a fintech startup that provides funding to ecommerce businesses. To better understand the market, the company conducted a survey of over 1,200 ecommerce businesses to learn about their funding needs, revenue streams, and growth plans.
  3. UserTesting: UserTesting is a platform that allows companies to get feedback from real users on their websites and apps. To better understand the user experience (UX) design market, the company conducted a survey of over 1,200 UX professionals to learn about their roles, responsibilities, and challenges.
  4. Hims: Hims is a direct-to-consumer healthcare startup that offers products for hair loss, erectile dysfunction, and other issues. To better understand its target market, the company conducted a survey of over 1,000 men to learn about their attitudes towards healthcare and their willingness to try new products.
  5. GrubMarket: GrubMarket is a San Francisco-based startup that connects consumers with local farmers and food producers. To better understand the market for sustainable food, the company conducted a survey of over 2,000 US consumers to learn about their attitudes towards organic and locally-sourced food, as well as their buying habits.
  1. Look at cancelled customers and free trials that didn’t convert

Cancelled customers and free trials that didn’t convert can provide valuable insights into why people may not be interested in your products or services. You can conduct exit surveys or ask for feedback to understand what didn’t work for them and why. Some real-world examples of how analyzing cancelled customers and free trials can help businesses better understand their customers:

  1. Netflix: When Netflix started offering streaming video, they provided a free trial to attract new customers. However, many of these free trial users didn’t convert to paying customers. By analyzing their behavior, Netflix found that some users weren’t sure how to use the service or were overwhelmed by the large selection of movies and TV shows. To address this, Netflix started offering personalized recommendations based on users’ viewing history, making it easier for users to find content they were interested in.
  2. Spotify: Spotify allows users to sign up for a free trial of its premium service, but many users don’t convert to paying customers after the trial period ends. To better understand why, Spotify analyzed the behavior of users who cancelled their subscriptions. They found that many users cancelled because they didn’t understand the value of the premium service or didn’t use it enough to justify the cost. To address this, Spotify started offering more personalized recommendations and highlighting exclusive content that was only available to premium users.
  3. Blue Apron: Blue Apron is a meal delivery service that offers a free trial to new customers. However, many users who signed up for the trial cancelled their subscription after the first week. By analyzing their behavior, Blue Apron found that many users were overwhelmed by the amount of work required to prepare the meals. To address this, Blue Apron started offering more pre-prepared ingredients and simplified recipes, making it easier for users to cook their meals.

In each of these examples, analyzing cancelled customers and free trials helped these companies better understand their customers’ needs and preferences, leading to improvements in their products and services.

  1. Talk to non-customers

Talking to non-customers can help you get a wider perspective on your target audience. You can gather data on why they haven’t bought from you, what their needs and preferences are, and what they’re looking for in a product or service.

Talking to non-customers can provide valuable insights into why they haven’t purchased from you and what they are looking for in a product or service. Here are some real-world examples of how businesses have gained valuable insights from talking to non-customers:

  1. Dropbox: When Dropbox first launched, the company’s founders were having trouble getting traction with their product. They decided to talk to people who had signed up for the service but had never used it. Through these conversations, they discovered that many people were hesitant to use Dropbox because they were concerned about the security of their data. Based on this feedback, Dropbox improved their security features and were eventually able to gain a larger customer base.
  2. Airbnb: When Airbnb first started, the company’s founders were struggling to get people to trust the idea of renting out their homes to strangers. They decided to talk to people who had signed up for the service but had never booked a stay. Through these conversations, they discovered that people were hesitant to use Airbnb because they were concerned about the safety of their homes. Based on this feedback, Airbnb improved their verification and insurance policies, and were eventually able to gain more trust and customers.
  3. Slack: When Slack was first launched, the founders were having trouble getting traction with their product. They decided to talk to people who had signed up for the service but had never used it. Through these conversations, they discovered that people were hesitant to use Slack because they were concerned about the amount of time it would take to set up and learn how to use the platform. Based on this feedback, Slack improved their onboarding process and were eventually able to gain a larger customer base.

These examples show how talking to non-customers can help businesses gain valuable insights into why they may not be attracting customers and what they can do to improve their product or service. By listening to feedback and making changes based on that feedback, businesses can improve their chances of success and attract more customers.

  1. Look for customers of your competitors

Customers of your competitors can provide valuable insights into their product selection process, decision-making criteria, and trusted sources. You can find them by looking for testimonials and case studies on your competitor’s site, LinkedIn profiles and groups, product certifications, tweets, oDesk profiles, or Facebook. During these conversations, ask about other competitors they may have evaluated and why they chose the one they did, who else they trust in the industry, what blogs they read, if they bought direct or through a distributor/VAR/app store, and so on.

Here are some real-life examples of how companies have gained insights by talking to customers of their competitors:

  1. HubSpot: HubSpot, a marketing automation company, wanted to understand how its competitors were positioning themselves in the market. They reached out to customers of its competitors, specifically those who had recently switched from HubSpot to a competitor, and conducted interviews to gain insights into what factors led to the switch. HubSpot discovered that price was a major factor, and as a result, they decided to introduce a lower-priced tier for their product.
  2. Salesforce: Salesforce, a customer relationship management (CRM) software company, wanted to understand how its customers were using its product compared to its competitors. They conducted interviews with customers of their competitors and found that their customers preferred Salesforce’s user interface and ease of use. This led Salesforce to make changes to their product to further improve the user experience.
  3. Dropbox: Dropbox, a cloud storage company, wanted to understand why some customers were choosing competitors over their product. They reached out to customers of their competitors and found that many customers were choosing competitors because of better integration with other software applications. This led Dropbox to invest in developing integrations with popular software applications to improve their product offering.

By talking to customers of your competitors, you can gain insights into what your competitors are doing well and where they fall short. This can help you identify areas where you can differentiate yourself from your competitors and improve your product or service to better meet the needs of your target audience.