Hacking Customer Development
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Hacking CustDev: The Open-Source Playbook Lean Startup NYC March 1, 2011 Patrick Vlaskovits @vlaskovits vlaskovits.com
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Talk on Customer Development Hacks given to Lean Startup Meetup in New York on March 1st 2011
Transcript of Hacking Customer Development
Intro
Why bother?
Avoid building things nobody actually wants.
Risk mitigation in the context of an early stage tech startup is WHY you should do Customer Development.
PS If that doesn’t make sense to you, don’t do CustDev/Lean Startups. Seriously.
PPS I am not kidding.
1) Question & Test your assumptions.
2) “Get Out of the Building”.
3) Iterate.
The Three CustDev Meta-Principles
0) There are NO rules…
1) Question & Test your assumptions.
2) “Get Out of the Building”.
3) Iterate.
0) There are NO rules…
Hacking CustDev = CustDev + MMA
The Classic Smoke Test/MVP from 1975
Sophisticated Variants of the ‘Smoke Test’
Traffic MVT/Landing Page Conversion
Learning about your customers is a lot like fishing…
Source/Referral/ChannelMessaging/PositioningPricing/CACConversion Rate
B2B/Enterprise: Screenshots + LOI
Outside of Tech Startups
Why do you think it takes 6-8 weeks to get your !@$&&^$@! snuggie?
Outside of Tech Startups
Kickstarter
“Ghetto Testing”
Best Practices: Concierge/“Manual”-ation
[Your competition] SUCKS!
Place online ads that say “[*insert your competition here] sucks” that drive users of a competitive product to a landing page for lead generation for CustDev interviews.
PRO-TIP: Do UX review on their products.
Source: In Witness Protection Program
The Magic Wand
Ask the subject of your CustDev interview, “If you could wave a magic wand, what would you be able to do?”
Source: Cindy Alvarezhttp://www.slideshare.net/cindyalvarez/kissinsights-customer-development-tactics
The Magic Word
Ask the subject of your CustDev interview for “advice” and don’t sell.
Price testing without charging
Confuse to Clarify
Willfully mis-characterize a interviewee’s opinion to elicit further response in order to keep them talking and ensure you understand their position.
Source: Sachin Agarwal
“Phone Support”
Upon sign-up for your application, ask if the user wants free phone support. If they affirm, prompt them for phone number and name.
Source: Dan Martell
Now, what you got for me?
Original Post on CustDev Hacks here: http://vlskvts.co/hhqEB7
PDFhttp://www.CustDev.com
Paperback (AMAZON) http://bit.ly/EGCDPaperback
Kindle (AMAZON)
http://bit.ly/EGCDKindle
An Intro to Customer Development
