Get the FREE Customer Re-discovery Playbookwww.chieflisteningofficers.com/free. This Playbook includes 12 questions, listening tips and a sample project plan for your Listening Tour. (c) 2017 Bob London, CEO, Chief Listening Officers, LLC.

1. YOU ARE NOT YOUR CUSTOMER
Bob London  CEO, Chief Listening Officers  November, 2017  @chief_listener
5 QUESTIONS TO DISCOVER WHAT
CUSTOMERS & PROSPECTS AREN’T TELLING YOU

2. Ron… I brought you a gift!
Elegant, hand-
carved, rare
Brazilian teak!
Limited
Autographed
Edition!*
*Comes with certificate
of authenticity
Featuring my
patented Carefree-
Jacket-Thrown-
Over-the-ShoulderTM
pose!
Gorgeous
,
rich hues!
@chief_listener

3. Um…gee…thanks, Bob?
@chief_listener

4. @chief_listener
NABOE WWHQ2

5. DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR SOLUTION.
FALL IN LOVE WITH
THE CUSTOMER’S PROBLEM.

6. McKinsey Consulting:
“Companies are talking
past their customers”
@chief_listener
Companies Talk Past Their
Customers
“Themes brands
consider important
have minimal influence
on buyer perceptions.”
The Disconnect Between
Marketers & Buyers
“Tech marketers invest
in areas that IT buyers
don’t consider important
in the decision process.”
“Just 50% felt they
understood customers
well & 35% understood
their prospects.”
CMOs Admit They Don’t
Understand Their Target
@chief_listener

7. McKinsey Consulting:
“Companies are talking
past their customers”
“The themes that many B2B companies consider important
appear to have minimal influence on buyers’perceptions.”
@chief_listener
Companies Talk Past Their
Customers
“Themes brands
consider important
have minimal influence
on buyer perceptions.”
The Disconnect Between
Marketers & Buyers
“Tech marketers invest
in areas that IT buyers
don’t consider important
in the decision process.”
“Just 50% felt they
understood customers
well & 35% understood
their prospects.”
CMOs Admit They Don’t
Understand Their Target
“So what? Can you solve my
problem better than anyone else?”
“We can solve all your problems!”
@chief_listener
Not Statistically
Significant
“We’re a leader, not a follower!” (yawn)

8. HOW DO YOU FIND OUT WHAT’S TRULY
IMPORTANT TO YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?*
JUST ASK THEM 
*THEIR “ELEVATOR RANT”

9. @chief_listener
SITUATION ORIGINAL PITCH
1. IT Outsourcing
Firm
• No growth
• Commodity
• No traction in
new sales
“What sets us
apart is our
service and our
people. We
partner with our
customers.”
2. Cloud Mgmt.
Software
• Zero sales after 2
years
• Funding running
out
“A multi-featured
enterprise
platform to
better manage all
your cloud
computing.”
ELEVATOR RANT NEW PITCH
“They keep things
running…but I’m
anxious about
missing the next
tech wave.”
“Every year, we’ll
brief you on the top
3 tech trends and
how they impact
your business.”
“The software
tries to do too
much. Does it
solve one problem
really well?
“It automatically
turns off your cloud
when you’re not
using it, which
reduces your
monthly costs by 20
– 60%.

10. @chief_listener
SITUATION ORIGINAL PITCH
1. IT Outsourcing
Firm
• No growth
• Commodity
• No traction in
new sales
“What sets us
apart is our
service and our
people. We
partner with our
customers.”
2. Cloud Mgmt.
Software
• Zero sales after 2
years
• Funding running
out
“A multi-featured
enterprise
platform to
better manage all
your cloud
computing.”
ELEVATOR RANT NEW PITCH
“They keep things
running…but I’m
anxious about
missing the next
tech wave.”
“Every year, we’ll
brief you on the top
3 tech trends and
how they impact
your business.”
“The software
tries to do too
much. Does it
solve one problem
really well?
“It automatically
turns off your cloud
when you’re not
using it, which
reduces your
monthly costs by 20
– 60%.

11. HOW? The Agenda-Less ListeningTour
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1. Listening tips
2. The questions
3. Target list
4. E-mail invitation
@chief_listener
WHAT IS IT?
 Ten 1-on-1 phone
calls
 20–30 min.
 Current, former
& prospective
clients

12. IT’S ABOUT THEM,
NOT YOU.
JUST
SHUT
UP &
LISTEN
TO
THEM.
Relax. Breathe. Smile. It’s a
conversation not a survey.
Let the dialogue go
where they want to go.
Drop ego, biases &
defensiveness.
Be curious, authentic
& empathetic
Be agile and iterative
NO SELLING. @chief_listener

13. DISRUPTIVE, THOUGHT-
PROVOKING QUESTIONS
YOUR COMPETITORS
HAVEN’T ASKED…YET
5
@chief_listener

14. 1. “What are the top
two things on your next
board update slide?”
2. “What do you and
your team need to
get better at?”
3. “Does our industry
have a reputation—
good or bad?”
4. “What are we great
at? What do we do better
than anyone else?”
5. “If you had a free hour with a world-
renowned industry expert, what would you ask?”
@chief_listener

15. 1. “What are the top
two things on your next
board update slide?”
2. “What do you and
your team need to
get better at?”
3. “Does our industry
have a reputation—
good or bad?”
4. “What are we great
at? What do we do better
than anyone else?”
5. “If you had a free hour with a world-
renowned industry expert, what would you ask?”
“WHAT KEEPS
YOU UP AT
NIGHT?”
@chief_listener

16. 6.
“What would
make you a
customer for
life?”
(The killer question)
“Hmmm…that’s a
good question.
“No one’s ever
asked me that!”
@chief_listener
BONUS
QUESTION!

17. “I wish we had more
________”
“We can’t keep doing
________ this way”
“I’m so tired of bumping
up against ________”
“Why can’t vendors change
how they _______”
“Stop trying to _______”
“Their software would be
great if they just ________”
“I hate writing that check
every month for ________”
WHAT’S YOUR ELEVATOR RANT?

18. Get the FREE Customer Re-discovery Playbook
www.chieflisteningofficers.com/free
Thanks…
and happy listening.
Listen first. Market better. Sell more.