How well do you know your customer?
When I talk to entrepreneurs, I frequently find that they assume their customers share their same concerns and preferences.
It's understandable. Many people start their own businesses or organizations because they couldn't find the solution they wanted—so they built it themselves.
And so, they can't help but think that their customers value the same things they do. After all, haven't they walked in their shoes?
Don't fall into this trap.
If you want to be successful, stay endlessly curious about your customers.
Never assume you know everything about them.
Develop an ongoing desire to understand your customers' pain, emotions, and motivations, and never rest on your laurels.
I recommend a simple three-step process:
Ask the right questions. What challenges do they face? What do they hope to achieve? What obstacles get in their way daily? Be bold—ask them for their dream solution.
Collect responses. Schedule 15-minute phone or Zoom calls (ideal), or send a brief survey via Typeform or Google Forms.
Analyze and act. Incorporate their feedback into your business.
Why this matters:
This takes humility. It's scary to ask how you're falling short.
You might discover that some things you love doing don't actually provide value.
Or you might validate that you're deeply connected to your customers.
Either way, this practice sets you apart from competitors who are too busy or too afraid to ask hard questions.
Best of all, you'll get fresh ideas to improve your offerings—whether that means trimming back, introducing new products, or focusing on your highest-value services.
No matter your business stage, make this listening practice a continual investment. It never fails to provide ROI.
Get started:
Give yourself a week to develop questions, then reach out to a subset of customers. Collect the data, analyze it, and incorporate it into your business.
There's no time like the present, so get out there and listen to your customers. You'll be glad you did.
