It is generally recognized that finding your customers and engaging in meaningful conversations with them is easier once you have a shipped product no matter what the market culture is. However, putting a process in place to talk to your customer (a.k.a internal interviewees) is always beneficial.
In one of the previous posts, we discussed the best ways to find candidates that match your target group when your startup is in the idea phase. I love working undercover, but there is a time when your customers need to be interviewed for satisfaction and efficiency-oriented interview. Here are some ideas to engage with your customers in the post-product phase (i.e. after you have shipped your product):
- use live chat inside your platform: combine a passive with an active approach. A passive approach involves the analysis of chat logs, identifying the chat context, and making interviews as a continuation of the chat. An active approach implies sending in-app chat messages like “Do you need help?”. If the user responds, then continue the discussion and at the end ask if they are willing to take a survey/discussion with you.
- use your blog: talk with people that comment on posts.
- interview your power users: it makes sense to talk to those people that are more informed about your product and use it a lot.
- twitter: talk to people that are engaging with your company posts