Asking the Right Questions to the Wrong People

Stop grasping at false positives

It’s kind of like this story currently floating around LinkedIn:

During World War II, fighter planes would come back from battle with bullet holes. The Allies found the areas that were most commonly hit by enemy fire. They sought to strengthen the most commonly damaged parts of the planes to reduce the number that was shot down.

A mathematician, Abraham Wald, pointed out that perhaps there was another way to look at the data. Perhaps the reason certain areas of the planes weren't covered in bullet holes was that planes that were shot in those areas did not return. This insight led to the armor being re-enforced on the parts of the plane where there were no bullet holes.

The story behind the data is arguably more important than the data itself. Or more precisely, the reason behind why we are missing certain pieces of data may be more meaningful than the data we have.

Here’s a key parallel: you might be getting good advice from the wrong people. Sure, they are giving you the best insights they have, but it’s not from the perspective of your customers, and their reasons for buying are what you need. 

As a result, you could be reinforcing unnecessary parts of the plane, wasting money, and spinning your wheels waiting for the traction you actually need to scale. 

With that in mind, let’s revisit those questions I was asked:

• “Did you like it?” (“Were you entertained?”) 

• Our opinion matters much less in the long run. Instead: engage customers and prospects — ask them! Find out whether they love it or hate it, and ask them why.

• “What would you name it?” 

• Hold your horses! Focus on proving the product/market fit with your target audience — not your friends. Names are like house foundations: many different solutions exist; most any foundation will work; you shouldn’t change them frequently; and it’s usually decided after more important details about where the house should be. (And when names fail, it’s catastrophic…remember Analtech?)

I’ll close by noting that there is a slight paradox here. What I’m saying is true, but consequently, you shouldn't just listen to me…get out there and go talk to some customers!