Customer interviews | Content for Biz Inc.

4 Ways to Build Content Through Customer Interviews

Before conducting customer interviews know how you can build better content and basic interviewing techniques. Interviews are a great way to obtain information for creating personas, customer-centric content, case studies and testimonials. A recent research report from Marketing Sherpa shows that 41% of B2B companies are using interviews with customers to build personas (profiles of your buyer). The report identifies customer interviews as the most effective tactic for developing personas. These usually include demographics, environment and buyer behaviors.

1. Know the End Goal

When conducting customer interviews know what the end goal is before you begin. Are you creating customer-centric content for newsletters, blogs, case studies or websites? In each case, having the customer’s perspective is important. You can learn what customers value most and least from your company and what they want more of. The information can also be used to segment your audience by particular attributes. Adding customer testimonials and case studies builds your credibility. From interviews you can create interesting content rather than a cursory one-liner.

Who should conduct the interview? An employee with an existing relationship with the customer has built trust but is unlikely to get objective answers. A content writer skilled at building rapport quickly and asking targeted questions can be a good resource.

Where to conduct the interview? One-on-one in person interviews are great but when logistics and budgets make that impossible, the telephone or computer are good alternatives.

2. Be Prepared for the Interview

Ask yourself: What do I want to know? Target your questions to get the answers you need. What does your audience want to know? Content is created for consumption. It needs to be relevant. Ask questions your audience wants answered.

Who should you talk with to get the information you need? For example, don’t talk with a purchasing agent if you want to know how your product is being used in manufacturing. Find the person who is closest to the action.

Make an appointment ahead of time to talk with the customer. Be transparent about the reason why you want to talk. The interview needn’t be long. You can get the information you need in five minutes when the person is very busy. Most people like being interviewed if it doesn’t take too long.

3. Listen During the Interview

After asking a question, listen. Do not interrupt during a response. When customers know you are really listening to them, you will get better information. Listen for key phrases and metaphors used by the customer. Gauge levels of emotional involvement. You can tell when someone is excited or disappointed by the tone of voice they use. Make note of what is causing these reactions.

Get the back story. What is your position in the company? How long have you been doing it? What challenges were you facing before purchasing our product/working with our company?

Position the product or service. How does our product or service fit in your work process? What problem does it solve for you? (Look for action in the response.)

What kind of results have you found since using the product?

What do you like best about the product/service? Least?

Have you discovered other benefits from using the product? Or, working with our company?

Add a Thought. I like to end interviews with a question that allows the person to add their own thoughts. “Is there anything you would like to add?” Or, “Did I forget to ask something that is important to you?”

Always thank your customer for taking the time to talk with you. Allow them to review any information that is attributed to them before it is published.

4. Structure Information Gathered

When using customer interview information to create a persona, customer-centric content, case study or testimonial use a consistent format to record the information after each interview. This saves time and makes it available for future use. A content writer can put the pieces together creating valuable content that differentiates you from your competitors. These are some ways we build better content through customer interviews. Do you think customers enjoy being interviewed?

Tell an Authentic Story

I spent some time in Williamsburg, Va., last week and we visited the nearby Jamestown settlement and Powhatan Indian village exhibit. There was something about Caucasians playing the part of the Indians that left me thinking about authenticity, or the lack of it.

Case studies can provide compelling content, but authenticity is key. Potential customers want to read real stories, and if your copy sounds like a sales pitch, they will quickly move on.

An authentic story begins with an interview that goes beyond the basics. Here are some of the methods and questions I have found helpful in capturing an authentic and compelling story from a business owner, customer or subject matter expert.

Before the Interview

Learn as much as you can about the business of the person you are interviewing. Check their profile on Linked-In, view the company website, make a personal visit to their business if possible. By doing this you will avoid the obvious questions, become familiar with the industry-specific language, and identify topics for discussion.

Begin with some small talk and set a friendly tone. Let them know you will provide them with an opportunity to review their comments. This serves to relax the person being interviewed. If someone is rushed, offer to call back when they are not distracted by pressing business problems.

During the Interview

A vivid description of the customer and their problem will engage readers who will identify with the story. Ask questions in a non-threatening way. Don’t just run through a predetermined list of questions (although it’s a good idea to prepare questions in advance). Show genuine interest and ask follow up questions. And if the person goes off on a tangent, be patient.

Ask about their responsibilities and their biggest work challenges. Ask how the product or service fits into the grand scheme of their job or product. Ask what life was like before they found a solution. If they are a business owner, ask how they got into the business. Uncover what the true pain points were. Get all the details that will create an authentic story.

If you are a marketer, you must take off your marketing hat and think like a journalist, asking the who, what, when, where and why questions. Ask them to compare how they do things now, vs. how they did things before. Ask how they came to find out about the solution. Ask what they were apprehensive about in choosing a supplier and how they were able to alleviate these doubts. Ask about the other options they considered and why they didn’t choose them. Ask what they would do differently, if they had to do it over again. Avoid presenting a completely one-sided view.

Ask how the solution met or exceed their expectations. Focus on customer service issues as well as benefits of the product. Ask about any critical timing or delivery issues. Ask if there were any unexpected benefits or rewards. Ask if any problems came up and how they were resolved. Find out if there was positive feedback from customers, sales or the management. Are there any quantitative measures of success? If so, find out what those numbers really mean to the business. Were they able to increase profits or reduce costs? Facts and figures are an essential component of a convincing case study.

After the Interview

When writing the case study, use quotes, facts and details gleaned from your interview to add authenticity and personality. Make your story easy to read and skim online through with good use of subheads and call-out quotes. Don’t forget to include your keywords and phrases.

I like like this case study from Trimble. The details and conversational language helps to make it both authentic and readable.

What are some other ways to add authenticity to your website content?

With Listening, Comes Clarity

Before you write a word of content for your B2B website, listen to your customers.

Carve 30 minutes out of your schedule, leave your preconceived notions about your business at the door and call a customer. Instead of worrying about selling something, focus on listening. Listen to their questions and answer them. Hear their problems and ask yourself if you have a solution. Ask about the process they went through before they purchased. Ask how they felt afterward. Ask what motivates them to buy. Ask what you could do better. Ask them to describe your products and services. Ask what makes your business stand out from competitors.

Take notes.

When we do this for our clients, what we need to say and how we need to say it becomes much clearer. Unlike people close to the business, customers won’t tell you everything about your product, but they will tell you what’s important. And that’s what is most helpful to a writer.

You have seconds to communicate your message and you must be clear. You cannot try to communicate too much or people will shut down. Visitors won’t bother to call and ask a question. They will move on to another website.

Don’t let language be a barrier. Use their language not yours. Worry less about industry experts writing content, and worry more about providing clear and understandable content.

What would you like to see on Content for Biz? I am listening.

Every Product or Service Has a Story

I write a “Closer Look” feature for Construction Equipment Distribution magazine that focuses on a single supplier to the construction equipment industry. Rather than rely on a lone interview with the company’s CEO or president, I always ask for the names of a few customers to interview.

Customer interviews provide a “real world” framework for the reader. Instead of describing a company’s product and services from the CEO point of view, I integrate a story of how their products or services provide a solution for customers.

The profiled companies are amazed at the information I gather. There is no big secret to this.

When you need a great customer story follow these steps:

1) Ask customers to start with the source of their initial frustration or need.

2) Answer the questions of who, what, when, where and why. Get as much detail as possible.

3) Ask if there was anything that surprised them about the product or service.

4) Ask if there was anything that could have been done better.

5) Give them an opportunity to review their comments.

Don’t just ask for a testimonial and rely on the customer to deliver it. If you get it at all, it will likely sound like something no one would believe. Hiring a professional writer to conduct the interview will provide the best results. Customers open up more when they talk to a third party. It shows a level of professionalism. If that’s not in the budget, at the very least, select someone who is not familiar with the customer/client relationship. Review the questions in advance. Follow the steps above and let the customer know you are truly interested in hearing what they have to say. That’s the secret to getting a great customer story.