Understand your customers
Talk to real users, define who you're for, and read the market clearly.
4 steps to get you moving, each with a resource worth your time and more waiting underneath
Think of this as a friendly starting line, not the last word. Each step gives you the gist, then a resource worth your time from founders who've been there. There's always more underneath, more questions and more resources, whenever you feel like digging in.
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1
Talking to customers & user research
Learn the truth without leading the witness.
How do I talk to customers without them just telling me what I want to hear?The gist Stop pitching and start interrogating their past. Ask about what they actually did last time the problem hit, what it cost them, and what they tried, never 'would you use this?' or 'is this a good idea?', because everyone lies to be nice. Talk about their life, not your idea.
The Mom Test momtestbook.com The single best thing ever written on customer conversations. It teaches you to ask about the customer's life and past behaviour, not your idea, so you can't be lied to. If a founder reads one thing before talking to a single customer, it's this. -
2
Defining your ideal customer
Know exactly who you're for (and who you're not).
What is an ideal customer profile and how do I define mine?The gist An ICP is a precise description of the customer who gets the most value from you and gives you the most back, by firmographics, situation, and the pain they feel. Write it tight enough that you can look at any lead and say yes or no in five seconds. If it fits everyone, it fits no one.
Without an ideal customer profile (ICP), your growth is just guesswork ChartMogul Blog A clear, operator-written guide from a respected SaaS-analytics company on defining and using an ICP to focus scarce startup resources. Practical and free. -
3
Finding your niche / beachhead
Win a tiny market completely before going wide.
What is a beachhead market and why does everyone say to start with one?The gist A beachhead is the one tiny, winnable market you conquer completely before expanding, the head of the bowling pin that knocks over the rest. You go narrow because a small market you dominate gives you references, word-of-mouth, and cash; a big market you dabble in gives you nothing.
Geoffrey Moore on finding your beachhead, crossing the chasm, and dominating a market Lenny's Podcast / Lenny's Newsletter The author of Crossing the Chasm explaining beachhead selection in plain, modern language, the fastest way to absorb the framework without reading the whole book. Lenny's is a trusted operator source. -
4
Understanding the problem (JTBD)
People hire products to do a job, find the job.
What does 'jobs to be done' actually mean?The gist People don't buy products, they 'hire' them to make progress in a specific situation, the famous milkshake was hired to make a boring commute bearable, not because it was tasty. Find the job, and you understand why people switch, what they compare you to, and what would make them fire you.
Clay Christensen's Milkshake Marketing HBS Working Knowledge The primary-source telling of the milkshake story, the single most memorable illustration of Jobs to Be Done, straight from Christensen and HBS. The best on-ramp to JTBD.
