How do you collect in-depth customer insights through market research interviews?

I've been interviewing everyone from consumers and patients to healthcare professionals for years as a researcher and moderator. This has been an educational odyssey, with valuable lessons even from doctors. One crucial lesson is the importance of a well-defined objective in qualitative research that sometimes goes beyond the surface. Before creating the discussion guide for an interview, researchers in charge of the study should speak with all important stakeholders, just as a doctor wouldn't make a diagnosis without doing a thorough examination to identify the goal of the study. Only then can you be certain that the insights you uncover are both valuable and consistent with everyone involved's stated and uncovered objectives.

Define your research objectives is one of the most important keys that define your success in collecting information from your interviews, your objectives will define and decide what kind of questions you will be asking and what types of questions that will serve your purpose , from personal experience any project that has a well defined objectives will have a higher probability for succus than unplanned ones.

Define your research objectives using SMART criteria: Specific: Clearly state what you want to learn. Measurable: Attach metrics when possible. Achievable: Ensure they're realistic within your constraints. Relevant: Align objectives with your business goals. Time-bound: Set a timeframe for achieving them. For example: Understand customer product usage via 30 interviews in a month. Identify the top three pain points by quarter-end. Determine key benefits through a survey with 75% response rate in two weeks. Assess product vs. competitors by year-end. SMART objectives ensure focused and actionable research

In my experience as innovation facilitator of 100+ projects, the best way for customer discovery is: “GO OUT AND TALK TO THEM YOURSELVES”! 4 concrete tips for you: 1. Immerse as an anthropologist among your potential customers without being judgmental. 2. Find out what really relevant for them in their lives at this moment. 3. Identify their jobs-to-be-done and issues related to the context of your scope. 4. Do customer discovery before your ideation process YOURSELVES with your whole tam, as the experience is as important as the results. When as immerse in your target group yourself you will understand their situation, and their jobs to be done more profoundly than any other method. You will never forget your customer vists ?????.

When conducting market research interviews, selecting the right method is pivotal. Structured interviews offer quantifiable data and facilitate cross-segment comparisons. Semi-structured interviews provide qualitative depth with room for follow-up questions. Unstructured interviews spark creativity and reveal unforeseen insights. Your choice hinges on research goals, resources, and the medium (face-to-face, phone, online) best suited to your needs. Recruitment and incentives also play a role in shaping effective interviews. Make sure your approach aligns with your objectives and resources.

After conducting 1900 interviews, I guarantee a laundry list of questions will handcuff your ability to conduct quality interviews. Especially for first-timers. Why - you become fixated on asking the next question, rather than actively listening to the discussion. Instead - listing out topics or themes to discuss keeps the conversation focused, but doesn't box things in.

Crafting an effective interview guide is a cornerstone of successful research. It ensures you cover all aspects of your objectives while maintaining flexibility. It's not a rigid script; adaptation is key. Your guide should begin with a warm introduction, establishing rapport and gaining consent. Main questions should be open, neutral, and clear, avoiding bias. Probes are essential for delving deeper into responses.

Conducting interviews is an art that combines professionalism and interpersonal skills. Punctuality and politeness are fundamental, as is adhering to your interview guide while staying adaptable. Active listening, with nods, paraphrasing, and clarifying questions, enriches the experience. Remember, avoid interrupting, judging, or influencing responses. Non-verbal cues like eye contact and gestures can convey attentiveness. Recording or taking notes is essential, and always express gratitude and provide incentives or follow-up information.

You are about to have a personal conversation with a human! Their time and insights are gold if you can elicit well. Before finalizing my interview guide, I research my interviewee so I can meet them where they are. I want to learn enough about them before the interview to ensure that during the interview they feel seen, heard, and valued. Often we get too rigid or too technical too quickly without finding common ground. During the interview, relax and smile...make eye contact. Ask them about what they are most proud of or what delights them most about the topic you are about to discuss. Or ask them about their journey to where they are now. And really listen! It does wonders to the depth and transparency of the remainder of the interview.

Here are my tips for conducting the interviews - build a rapport, make them feel comfortable - make it feel like a friendly chat (it's not because it's research, but it should FEEL that way) - ask one question at a time. This sounds simple, I can assure you it's not. Humans have a tendency to double or triple up Qs. This can confuse interviewees or lead to half-answers - don' ask leading questions. And ask open ended ones - try to get actions, behaviours, and statements of facts instead of opinions. Opinions are subjective and more challenging to codify afterwards

Analyzing interview data is the gateway to valuable insights. Depending on your data's nature, consider methods like transcription, coding, personas, customer journey maps, or affinity diagrams. Transcribing and coding give structure to raw data, unveiling themes and patterns. Personas bring your customers to life with characteristics, behaviors, goals, and needs. Customer journey maps visualize the customer experience. Affinity diagrams organize data into clusters. This analysis delivers key findings and recommendations, shaping product, service, and strategy improvements.

Honestly, if you haven't recorded and transcribed the interview, you will not be able to accomplish this part. But if you have, I like to keep things simple. I follow a method called "content analysis" which is one of the more straightforward methods of content analysis. Essentially you are taking the answers from each line of questioning or topic, and putting them all together. You are then coding (aka summarizing) each section. Most B2B teams have never done this type of work, so I find this is a great method for getting started.