Consumers lie
2-min read
I talk a lot about consumer need-states and have emphasized that you need to be solving a real problem to have a successful brand. So, a lot of you go out there and talk to consumers. The problem is, consumers lie. It’s not intentional – it’s because you are talking to them all wrong. I can help.
Whether you are just starting out on a new product concept, or moving along the continuum of product innovation, you have to ask the right questions to learn if people actually want what you are selling.
I can’t tell you how many times I hear brands say they don’t know why their products are not selling when everyone they talk to says they love it. It’s usually because the conversations they are having are worthless.
Bad conversations usually stem from one of these:
- Revealing your product too soon in the conversation
- Going into pitch mode
- Asking hypotheticals
A great book on how to avoid these pitfalls and what you should be asking instead is The Mom Test. It poses rules to asking good questions that even your mom can’t lie to you about.
Let’s apply some of the tips from this book to the common pitfalls described above.
Revealing your product too soon
Mentioning your idea early on leads people to just say they like it. People do this because they want to please you. The problem is, you learn nothing. Resist this urge. Instead, ask probing questions about what they currently do/use/believe to learn what needs they have.
Going into pitch mode
When you are very eager about your business, it’s easy to start pitching. The rule of thumb here is talk less. When you are talking, you are not listening. You want to get them talking, so ask open ended questions about their lives and scenarios in which they are “solving” for whatever your idea might be an even better fit.
Asking hypotheticals
Asking, “would you ever…” is asking a hypothetical. One of the core assumptions of consumer insights is that people lie about what they will do in the future. That’s why consumer researchers set up studies that ask people about their current and past behaviors before inviting them into a study.
Before you field any surveys or pay for product feedback, you should learn how to have proper conversations with consumers to learn their needs. Getting good qualitative feedback informs what questions you will want to ask quantitatively in surveys and product testing.
All my best,
Jennifer