Recruiting Target Customers for Phone Interviews with a $20 Gift Card

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to recruit target customers for phone interviews and gain valuable insights for product development. The key to the method is offering a $20 gift card for a 1-hour phone interview.

• The article emphasizes the importance of understanding consumer psychology and qualitative user research in addition to relying on quantitative data.
• It suggests that talking to customers and gaining detailed insights is crucial before even beginning the product development process.

Step 1: Create a Recruiting Survey

The first step is to create a survey using a service like Wufoo.com or Surveymonkey.com. The title of the survey should be enticing, such as "Get a $20 Amazon gift certificate for 1 hour on the phone."

• The survey should include basic information like first name, phone number, email address, and preferred time to call.
• It's also important to include screening questions that help identify and prioritize participants based on your target customer profile.

Step 2: Recruit Participants

Once the survey is created, start recruiting participants. The article recommends using various methods to reach your target audience, including:

• Linking the survey from your product (if it's already available)
• Buying ads on Facebook and directing traffic to the survey
• Posting the survey on Craigslist
• Buying ads on Google Adwords and sending clicks to the survey

Step 3: Conduct Phone Interviews

The most valuable part of this method is the phone interview. The article suggests structuring the interview into two sections:

• Section 1: Basic Internet Usage: This section focuses on understanding the interviewee's general internet usage habits, computer setup, favorite websites, and daily routines.
• Section 2: Targeted Questions: The second section delves into specific areas related to your product, focusing on open-ended questions to uncover qualitative insights without leading the interviewee.

Step 4: Provide the $20 Gift Card

After the interview is complete, remember to send the promised $20 gift card to the participant as a thank you for their time. This gesture helps build positive relationships and allows you to follow up with valuable interviewees later on.

• Building relationships with these interviewees can provide you with continuous feedback and allow you to tap into extreme cases or edge scenarios.

Benefits of Using a $20 Gift Card Survey for Customer Insights

This method offers numerous benefits for gathering valuable insights and improving your product development process:

• Direct Customer Feedback: By speaking directly to customers, you gain firsthand insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points.
• Qualitative Understanding: This approach goes beyond quantitative data to uncover the "why" behind customer behavior and decision-making.
• Informed Product Development: Using the collected insights, you can make informed decisions about product features, design, and marketing strategies.
• Customer-Focused Approach: This method demonstrates a commitment to understanding and prioritizing customer needs, setting your company apart as customer-focused.

Alternative Methodologies for Customer Research

The article also mentions the IDEO Method Card Deck as a resource for exploring alternative methodologies for customer research. This deck offers a wide range of techniques that can be used to gain further insights into your target audience.

• Explore the IDEO Method Card Deck to discover new and innovative ways to conduct qualitative user research.