Our own guidelines for using email and surveys in the Customer Development process
16/01/10 16:26 Filed in: Customer Development | Lean Startup
Recently, I have noticed more blog posts and discussions within the Lean Startup Circle and other areas regarding the use of email and surveys as part of the Customer Development process. Email and surveys are fantastic tools, and can add a great deal of value, however in our business we have learned that they are not the ONLY tools to be used in order to gather the vital customer information for our clients.
Email has become a day to day tool used by just about everyone today. Email is one of those revolutionary tools that has helped all of us to communicate in near real-time (with mobile devices) and to open up the lines of communication with companies and individuals from all parts of the world. As email will never replace the power and benefits of a one on one interaction, our team has put in place some guidelines for ourselves on the use of email within our implementation of the customer development process.....
1. We never use email as the only way to make initial contact with someone, however it can be used to set the stage for a phone call within the next 48 hours.
2. Email can be used to follow up on a phone conversation or meeting to thank the client for their time, confirm meetings, confirm action items, next steps, etc.
3. Email is a tool that can be used in order to help a client provide an introduction or referral for us. Note...Kevin Dewalt recently did a good blog post on this topic.
4. Email can be used for quick communication with an existing client only after we have met them in person or have had an in-depth conversation with them by phone (Skype, Go-to-Meeting, etc.)
5. Email can be used to provide customers who have been involved in the customer development process with updates, etc. However, if additional requirement gathering is required, or if we need to better understand a specific component about their business / process then we do it through a live conversation.
6. Email is never used to gain any type of customer commitment. It can be used to confirm this commitment, but it is never used to ask for the commitment.
Surveys are also a fantastic and useful tool. The following are some of the ways in which we now govern our use of surveys....
1. Surveys can be used to validate some high level concepts, but are done to compliment or augment the one on one interviews we conduct with the key 10 to 15 key customers.
2. Depending upon the market, and the solution being developed surveys may be used as a way to identify and “qualify” potential candidates for follow on one on one conversations. We make this completely clear to anyone completing the survey.
3. All surveys are set up for a specific target audience, and typically a very specific topic. General market information is gathered by other means (analyst reports, web, etc.)
As the majority of our clients are B2B companies, we recognize that some of these rules may need to be adjusted for B2C customers, or different industries. However, we have put some of these guidelines in place for ourselves to ensure that we are able to get the full benefits that come from “getting out of the building” and having live conversations with the true target market for our clients products and/or services.
What are some of the guidelines (documented or otherwise) that you have as it relates to the use of email and surveys within the Customer Development and Lean Startup processes?
Email has become a day to day tool used by just about everyone today. Email is one of those revolutionary tools that has helped all of us to communicate in near real-time (with mobile devices) and to open up the lines of communication with companies and individuals from all parts of the world. As email will never replace the power and benefits of a one on one interaction, our team has put in place some guidelines for ourselves on the use of email within our implementation of the customer development process.....
1. We never use email as the only way to make initial contact with someone, however it can be used to set the stage for a phone call within the next 48 hours.
2. Email can be used to follow up on a phone conversation or meeting to thank the client for their time, confirm meetings, confirm action items, next steps, etc.
3. Email is a tool that can be used in order to help a client provide an introduction or referral for us. Note...Kevin Dewalt recently did a good blog post on this topic.
4. Email can be used for quick communication with an existing client only after we have met them in person or have had an in-depth conversation with them by phone (Skype, Go-to-Meeting, etc.)
5. Email can be used to provide customers who have been involved in the customer development process with updates, etc. However, if additional requirement gathering is required, or if we need to better understand a specific component about their business / process then we do it through a live conversation.
6. Email is never used to gain any type of customer commitment. It can be used to confirm this commitment, but it is never used to ask for the commitment.
Surveys are also a fantastic and useful tool. The following are some of the ways in which we now govern our use of surveys....
1. Surveys can be used to validate some high level concepts, but are done to compliment or augment the one on one interviews we conduct with the key 10 to 15 key customers.
2. Depending upon the market, and the solution being developed surveys may be used as a way to identify and “qualify” potential candidates for follow on one on one conversations. We make this completely clear to anyone completing the survey.
3. All surveys are set up for a specific target audience, and typically a very specific topic. General market information is gathered by other means (analyst reports, web, etc.)
As the majority of our clients are B2B companies, we recognize that some of these rules may need to be adjusted for B2C customers, or different industries. However, we have put some of these guidelines in place for ourselves to ensure that we are able to get the full benefits that come from “getting out of the building” and having live conversations with the true target market for our clients products and/or services.
What are some of the guidelines (documented or otherwise) that you have as it relates to the use of email and surveys within the Customer Development and Lean Startup processes?