2. You’ve got a ton of options

3. Early stage strategy is
finding the few that matter.

5. Where is
the love?

7. 2 stages of learning
Discovery Validation
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8. 2 stages of learning
Ask Sell
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9. 2 stages of learning
Observe Experiment
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10. 2 stages of learning
Learn Confirm
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11. One day...
A customer wakes up,
turns on their computer,
logs in to their email
using a new program
they use and love.
Their free trial is over.
The program asks them
to pay. They say no.
Why?
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12. www.foundercentric.com Image by wstryder

13. www.foundercentric.com Image by wstryder

14. 3 ways to horribly screw up
Customer Development
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15. 3 ways to horribly screw up
Customer Development
1. Use a script or survey
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16. Customer Development
is a founder skill.
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17. You don’t need meetings.
You just need contact.
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18. Tool #1
Always know your
big 3 questions.
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19. Leancamp
What awareness channels can we partner with?
What do people learn at Leancamp that they apply?
What do famous thought-leaders get out of conferences?
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20. Tweetable Text
How do authors pre-build their customer list?
How do authors test copy and learn about their readers?
How do authors prioritise their time when writing?
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21. Tool #2
Softball & anchor
questions.

22. Hi.
How’s it going with .... ?
Interesting. Tell me more about that.
Can we go back to what you were
saying about...?
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23. 3 ways to horribly screw up
Customer Development
1. Use a script or survey
2. Talk about your idea
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24. Your customers
are full of shit!
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25. Anyone will tell you that your
idea is great if you annoy
them long enough.
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26. Dear Mom,
Don’t you think
I’m great?
Love,
Your son
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27. Actually, not just your mom lies.
People want to be helpful, so they tell you
what they think you want to hear.
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28. Tool #3
The Mom Test
Talk about their life, Future-tense
not your idea opinions are lies
Ask about specifics You gain nothing
in the past by convincing
them
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29. Good or bad questions?
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30. ❝ Do you think it’s
a good idea?
❞
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31. ❝ Do you think it’s
a good idea?
❞
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32. ❝ Would you buy a
product which solved
this problem?
❞
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33. ❝ Would you buy a
product which solved
this problem?
❞
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34. ❝
How do you currently
deal with this problem?
❞
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35. ❝
How do you currently
deal with this problem?
❞
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36. ❝ When does this
problem pop up?
❞
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37. ❝ When does this
problem pop up?
❞
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38. ❝ What makes this time-
consuming or go off-
track?
❞
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39. ❝ What makes this time-
consuming or go off-
track?
❞
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40. ❝ Has this ever been more
time-consuming than
normal or gone off-track?
❞
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41. Tool #4
Important Signals
Person Job Problem Measure Solution Excited Guilty Upset
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42. ❝ Please show me
how you...
❞
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43. ❝ Please show me
how you...
❞
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44. ❝ Please tell me how...
I’m trying to learn how
you...
❞
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45. ❝ Please tell me how...
I’m trying to learn how
you...
❞
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46. ❝ Talk me through the last
time you had this
problem.
❞
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47. ❝ Talk me through the last
time you had this
problem.
❞
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48. ❝ What did you try
to do about it?
❞
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49. ❝ What did you try
to do about it?
❞
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50. ❝ Please help me
understand...
❞
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51. ❝ Please help me
understand...
❞
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52. ❝ How much would
you pay for this?
❞
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53. ❝ How much would
you pay for this?
❞
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54. ❝
Can I ask why?
❞
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55. ❝
Can I ask why?
❞
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56. ❝
How much money does
this problem cost you?
❞
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57. ❝
How much money does
this problem cost you?
❞
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58. ❝ How much should
we charge?
❞
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59. ❝ How much should
we charge?
❞
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60. ❝ What’s your
budget?
❞
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61. ❝ What’s your
budget?
❞
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62. ❝ How soon can
you start?
❞
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63. ❝ How soon can
you start?
❞
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64. 3 ways to horribly screw up
Customer Development
1. Use a script or survey
2. Talk about your idea
3. Sell
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65. 2 stages of learning
Learn Confirm
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66. Be an apprentice.
Not a salesperson.
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67. Tool #2 again
Softball, anchor &
deflection questions.
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68. Real stories.
Has there ever been a time ... ?
Tell me about the last time ... ?
What was great/bad about that?
Why did you do that?
What happened next?
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69. Tool #5
Your customer’s words.
Their words - not yours!
One phrase per card.
Pair. One interviewer, one notetaker.
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70. 3 ways to horribly screw up
Customer Development
1. Use a script or survey
2. Talk about your idea
3. Sell
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71. 5 Customer Development tools
for your toolkit.
1. Your Big 3 Questions
2. Softball, anchor & deflection questions.
3. Mom Test to get real facts.
4. Know the signal types you’ll spot & explore.
5. Record your customers’ phrases on cards.
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72. www.custdevcards.com
leanca.mp/rotterdam March 28th.
Salim Virani
@SaintSal smile@saintsal.com
www.foundercentric.com