How to Schedule a Customer Meeting
The knowledge you gain in your customer discovery journey is critical.
Your current assumptions you have about your target audience could be wrong or need to be modified to have someone actually buy from you. To gain this knowledge, you must talk to enough of the right people to help ensure that you've collected the correct information.
Download the Customer Discovery Interview Log to keep track of your progress.
Warm Introductions - From Someone You Know
- Use "asking for a two-way meeting" to get that first customer discovery meeting.
- Don't just ask for a potential customer's time, or to pick their brain. Instead, offer to share what you've learned about the technology, market, or industry.
- Know the benefits you will bring and have both - a written and verbal list of benefits ready to use
- Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
- Use something you learned from research (LinkedIn, Web, etc) about the person as a hook, connection, or icebreaker.
Do not talk about your technology - they'll think you're selling.
Cold Introductions - How to get the meeting
- Email
- Subject line - Important - you should have several of them ready
- Fellow ACA Member - now research opportunity
- Saw your LinkedIn profile - have info to share, etc.
- Learn email directory patterns
- Work very hard on crafting a great message.
- Edit, Edit, Edit
- Subject line - Important - you should have several of them ready
- Phone
- Leave a voicemail
- Talk to the gatekeeper
Messaging Examples
- I saw on Google that you..., and I would like to speak to you about (statement of benefit or need).
- I was talking to someone at ..., and they said you would be a good person to speak to about (statement of benefit or need)
- Several people I have spoken to are having a problem with..., and I was wondering if we could talk about ways to solve that problem.
- Can I send you some information I found interesting about (statement of benefit or need)?
- We are both University of Toledo alumni, and I'm looking for help with (statement of need)...
**Remember - Do not talk about your technology - they'll think you're selling. *