Talking to your future users is a CRITICAL step in discovering, evaluating, and validadting startup ideas.
Here are some tips to get the most from these discussions.
Here's two of my favorites:
How excited would you be to recommend this product to someone, on a scale from 1-10. How much would you be happy to pay for this today?
And of course follow up both of these with WHY or further conversation.
Here are some more questions a popular LLM thought might be helpful.
What keeps you from being excited to share this product from others in your network?
Can you tell me about a recent experience where you face [problem your startup solves]
How frequently do you encounter this problem?
What impact does this problem have on your daily life or work?
Have you tried solving this problem before? If so, how?
Based on what you’ve heard, how would you describe our solution in your own words?
What features do you think are essential in a solution for this problem?
What concerns do you have about this solution?
What do you think distinguishes our solution from alternatives on the market?
Are you currently using any similar products or services? What do you like or dislike about them?
How much are you currently paying for similar solutions?
What do you think is lacking in existing solutions on the market?
Is there anything specific that you wish existing solutions offered, but they don’t?
How much would you be willing to pay for a solution like this? Why?
What specific features or benefits would justify the price for you?
Would you prefer a one-time purchase, or a subscription model? Why?
Can you think of any additional value we could provide that would make this product / service more attractive to you?
What would get you to recommend this solution to others?
Are there any concerns that, if addressed, would make you more likely to use our product / service?
Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve our solution to better meet your needs?
Who else do you consult with when making decisions about purchasing products / services like this?
What factors influence your decision to try a new product / service?
Is there a specific situation where you’re more likely to consider trying a new solution like this?