You have to figure out on your own what they want and don’t want, ‘cause product-market fit doesn’t happen over night. It took almost 3 long years for YArooms to grow into the flourishing business it is now. But I digress.
So, you have a product, an MVP. People are using it, but you suspect you could do better. Before you start asking them for feedback, take 5 minutes to read this post.
Who is your customer, really?
Define who is buying from you now. Of those, look at which clients are the most profitable and the most active. Who talks the most about you? Who spends the most time in your app? You can find this out by looking at your built-in log management system and bills platform. If you don’t have one, get on it and make one.
What does your customer prefer?
There are those who like to be guided every step of the way and those who hate it. Perform some A/B testing and see what the majority of your customers like. Are your most active/profitable users among that majority? If they are, then go with the majority.
What are your customers’ gripes?
Make it your mission to find out what lead them to your solution. What triggered the need for what you offer. To do this, ask them – right in the welcome email, in the P.S. section, ask. Record all those answers and build a list of problems. Does your solution really cover everything? Is one issue partly covered, but very frequent? Head back to the drawing board.
As for the tools themselves, here’s a mix to get you going:
- Intercom – despite its being a support add-on, you can use Intercom to peer into your customer’s behaviour and automatically deliver messages & questions based on what they do. Have they been inactive for more than 2 days? Find out why. Do they respond well to tips and tricks? Skip the blog post, tell’em directly.
- UserVoice – the name says it all. Let your users propose new features, vote for the most popular and then weigh your options. Would it be feasible or smart to add those features to your product? If so, then go right ahead.
- Mailchimp/AWeber – Don’t ever spam your customers with offers. Keep emails for when they can make the biggest difference – loyalty programs and, of course, feedback inquiries.
- Google Analytics – natural behaviour is the best feedback. Observe how your customers act and react to your UI, your copy and your pictures. Modify accordingly and use A/B testing. Speaking of which, try
- CrazyEgg/KissMetrics – same as above, but more detailed
- Customer.io – if you have a sales team, spend time analyzing their pitch and, most importantly, which version of the pitch wins the most business
- UserTesting – your testers are looking for too much nuance; they’re too technical. So, to get feedback from a customer’s point of view, give UserTesting a try.
- Your Phone – no apps, no complicated tech; schedule a call with some of your customers and ask them what they think about whatever it is you’re trying to find out. Always corroborate what you learn from this call with your other data.
