Essay · 8 min read

5 Common Customer Development Mistakes

Cindy Alvarez · cindyalvarez.com Free Intermediate

Alvarez names the specific mistakes founders make even after reading the theory: multi part questions that let people dodge the hard part, and would you like questions that get a free, meaningless yes. It's short, specific, and reads like a checklist to run through after a bad interview to figure out what went wrong. Good to reread after a round of calls that felt too easy.

  • Never ask would you like, wanting is free and everyone says yes.
  • Split multi part questions into one question at a time, or people answer only the easy half.
  • Prepare yourself for an answer you don't want to hear, or you'll unconsciously steer away from it.
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The question it answers

  1. How do I talk to customers without them just telling me what I want to hear?

Read with it

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  5. Video · ~25 min How to Talk to Users Eric Migicovsky
  6. Video · ~20 min How To Talk To Users | Startup School Gustaf Alstromer
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