Startup First Steps (Course) - Session 4

20241002 Edinburgh (watch party)

Customer Discovery

• Jane Austin
• Bob:
  • founder bias
  • desk research
• customer discovery - structured, iterative research
• conviction: that you convince others
• all have to be true
  • solves a real problem
  • serves enough people
  • people will pay
  • can do better/faster/cheaper
• discover a real, poorly met need that a reachable market faces
• JTBD
  • why do people hire a product/service
  • not always obvious
  • behaviours / needs / contexts
• the VALUE PROPOSITION CANVAS (Strategizer)
  • relieve pains and create gains
  • EXAMPLE
  • customer segment
    • customer jobs
      • understand options
      • evaluate choices
      • track progress
    • pains
      • are these felt? (denial is as good as non-existence)
    • gains
      • a plan to
  • value proposition
    • gain creators
      • gamification
    • pain relievers
      • remove doubt
    • products & services
• segmentation - behaviorial
• key segmentation - early adopter
  • have a pain point
  • know they have it
  • experience it regularly
  • solving it somehow
• key segmentation - B2B
  • firmographic (!)
  • tiering
• ideal customer profile
• container vs wedge ?
• fremium - product-led growth
• how convince customers - who do you goto?
• user journey analysis
  • who is ideal user
  • what success looks like
  • what is their typical start point
  • what obstacles
  • what milestones in journey
  • EXAMPLE
    • Who is ideal user?
      • repeat user who needs to track data over a prolonged period
    • What is user success for that uer?
      • reach a goal, keeping on track to goal
      • confidence
    • What is user’s typical starting point
      • confusion on options
      • insufficient data
    • What obstacles get in your user’s way?
      • complexity, cost
    • what are their milestones throughout their journey
• 150 people too many!
• how to find people?
  • people for research - an org
  • testingtime tool & others
• practice interview
  • noone wants to think about …
  • if the worst happens I would cope…
  • if no dependents, live instead
  • had IP but not pension - relying on mum
  • how pivot?
• links:
  • https://www.strategyzer.com/
  • https://www.peopleforresearch.co.uk/services/unmoderated-recruitment
  • https://www.testingtime.com/en/pricing/
  • https://jobstobedone.org/radio/the-mattress-interview-part-one/
  • https://review.firstround.com/how-to-know-if-your-ideas-the-right-one-a-founders-guide-for-successful-early-stage-customer-discovery/
  • https://www.producttalk.org/2022/04/discovery-in-startups/
  • https://www.designerfund.com/