The document provides 12 tips for conducting customer development: 1) Speak to customers one at a time; 2) Have clear goals and questions prepared; 3) Separate customers' behaviors from their feedback; 4) Be open to hearing unwanted feedback; 5) Overcome politeness to get honest answers; 6) Ask open-ended questions. The tips advise focusing on actual customer behaviors, listening more than talking, drilling down on key points, confirming understanding, asking for referrals, and analyzing notes for patterns. The overall goal is to search efficiently for a repeatable and scalable business model through direct customer engagement.

1. @giffconstable
giff@proof-nyc.com
12 Tips for Customer Development
Lean.
Prac*cal.
Innova*on.
Columbia Business School, Sept 2012

2. “A startup is a temporary organization
designed to search for a repeatable and
scalable business model.”
-- Steve Blank
Columbia Business School, Sept 2012

3. 12 Tips for Customer Development
1. One person at a time
2. Know your goals and questions ahead of time
3. Separate behavior and feedback in discussion
4. Get psyched to hear things you don’t want to
hear
5. Disarm “politeness” training
6. Ask open ended questions
Columbia Business School, Sept 2012

4. 12 Tips for Customer Development
7. Focus on actual behavior, not speculative or
abstract feelings
8. Listen, don’t talk
9. Follow your nose and drill down
10. Parrot back or misrepresent to confirm
11. Ask for introductions
12. Write up your notes as quickly as possible
Afterwards: Look for patterns and apply judgment
Columbia Business School, Sept 2012

5. Questions?
giff@proof-nyc.com
@giffconstable
www.proof-nyc.com
Columbia Business School, Sept 2012