This document provides tips for talking to customers in order to validate ideas and get useful feedback. It advises asking open-ended questions that pass the "Mom Test" by focusing on customers' specific past experiences rather than pitching your own idea. Customers may lie for various reasons, so it's important to deflect compliments, dig deeper, and confirm feedback from multiple customers. Preparing topics to learn from each customer can yield valuable insights to improve your product or business idea.

1. How to talk to customers
when everyone is lying to you
@robfitz

2. ROB FITZPATRICK
DEVIN HUNT
SALIM VIRANI
JORDAN SCHLIPF

3. So you have an idea

4. Maybe too far to jump

7. Talking to customers
helps

24. Ask good questions
which pass
The Mom Test

25. Learn Confirm

28. q

31. ❝
❞
Us
Do think it’s a
good idea?

32. ❝
❞
Us
Do think it’s a
good idea?

33. ❝
❞
Us
Would you buy a
product which
solved this problem?

34. ❝
❞
Us
Would you buy a
product which
solved this problem?

35. ❝
❞
Us
How do you
currently deal with
this problem?

36. ❝
❞
Us
How do you
currently deal with
this problem?

37. ❝
❞
Us
Talk me through
the last time you
had this problem

38. ❝
❞
Us
Talk me through
the last time you
had this problem

39. ❝
❞
Us
How much would
you pay for this?

40. ❝
❞
Us
How much would
you pay for this?

41. ❝
❞
Us
How much money
does this problem
cost you?

42. ❝
❞
Us
How much money
does this problem
cost you?

43. People lie to us for
a bunch of reasons

44. People lie to us
1.We exposed our ego
and they’re being nice
2.We’re being pitchy and
they’re getting rid of us

45. Bad data is
dangerous and
must be fixed

46. Fix bad data
1.Deflect compliments
2.Anchor fluff
3.Dig beneath ideas
4.Google for trivia

47. The Mom Test for good questions
1.Talk about their life
instead of your idea
2.Ask about specifics in
the past
3.Talk less, listen more

48. Prep work:
Top 3 things you’d
love to learn from:
> Customer
> Investor or partner
> Industry expert

49. Learn Confirm

52. ❝
❞
Claudia
Sounds great. I
love it!

53. ❝
❞
Claudia
Sounds great. I
love it!

54. ❝
❞
Jeremy
Brilliant -- let me
know when it
launches!

55. ❝
❞
Jeremy
Brilliant -- let me
know when it
launches!

56. ❝
❞
Jeremy
There are a couple
people I can intro you
to, when you’re ready.

57. ❝
❞
Jeremy
There are a couple
people I can intro you
to, when you’re ready.

58. ❝
❞
Claudia
I would definitely
buy that!

59. ❝
❞
Claudia
I would definitely
buy that!

62. Ask for more than opinion

64. Time / Money / Reputation

68. Making your life easy
1.B2E? Advisory board
2.B2C? Events

69. Question
1.Past week’s progress
2.Current problems
3.Learning goal & plan
for this week

70. Making your life easy
1.B2E? Advisory board
2.B2C? Events
3.Personally email your
first 1000 signups

71. i’m HERE
TO HELP!
rob@foundercentric.com
@robfitz
More learning: momtestbook.com