This week Julie Heath from Boardable (a.k.a. YAY’s first client!) and I started conducting audience interviews. We’re gathering info from current customers, prospects, and experts in the nonprofit industry on things like their brand perception, pain points and opportunities with their board management software, and emerging trends in their field.
As part of our engagement, I’m also helping Julie learn the ropes of conducting client interviews so she can continue to do them on her own later. This has me thinking through best practices and ideas to share with her. So while this post is for Julie, it’s also for anyone with the openness to learn from their stakeholders. The world can always use more curious conversations and listening, you know?
Tip #1: When should you interview your audience? Always and ongoing.
When it comes to audience research, a lot of people wonder when is the right time. For me, simple answer: always and ongoing. Any time you are considering major changes to an experience (in-person, digital, brand, culture – whatever the case may be), it is wise to talk to the people who will be impacted. For a large initiative, like a rebrand, canceling a longstanding program, or launching a new service, the interviews would likely be part of an in-depth research phase. But don’t let that intimidate you. While audience interviews may be a part of a larger discovery effort, you can also conduct one or two here and there to take the temperature. It need not consume your team for months. Even when things are humming along, it’s good to check-in with the people you serve. This helps build a mindset of continual listening and improvement.
Tip #2: Don’t just show up. Prepare.
Be intentional in understanding the purpose of the interview, and what perspectives you may be able to uncover with each specific audience. Prep questions ahead of time, and for each, think through what kind of response you want to get. I often do this by making a document with a two-column table. I write the question in the first column, and in the second, I note what this will help illuminate. This process culls out redundant or confusing questions.
You don’t need to stick to a script. The interviewee’s responses will likely spark all kinds of follow-up questions you couldn’t possibly plan for ahead of time. But you won’t end up with an interview cut short because you’ve run out of questions.
You also need to prepare the person you will interview. You’ll want to book a location where your interviewee will be comfortable (traveling to them whenever possible, although neutral locations, and phone calls work too). Make sure they know the logistics, like time and address. Communicate why you are conducting the interview and how you will use the information. If you plan to record the session or take notes, tell them in advance. An unexpected surprise could start your conversation off on the wrong foot.
Tip #3: Don’t go it alone.
Interviews can be conducted solo, but I recommend bringing along a co-interviewer. When you have a partner, one person can take the lead on asking questions and driving the conversation. The other can be the note taker, and jump in with follow up questions here and there. When the lead interviewer isn’t worried about capturing key quotes and takeaways, they can be more present with the interviewee. The dynamic of three can help lend a conversational feel, which helps people relax. And debriefing together afterwards can be so helpful and insightful. Two people taking part on the same conversation may walk away with unique take-aways and insights. We all notice different things.
Tip #4: The less you talk, the better.
Start off with casual, easy to answer questions to build rapport. You don’t want to come in hot with difficult or uncomfortable questions. Remember, your role is to guide the conversation with questions and to listen. Not to pitch your product, or talk at length about your company. It’s okay to let there be a moment of silence if the person is thinking about how to answer. Resist the urge to fill the space by re-wording your question five different ways.
Tip #5: Magical questions for your back pocket.
I used to think that “Why?” was the most magical question. It’s certainly up there. You can almost always get to a deeper layer of understanding by asking why someone felt a certain way or took an action. “Why” can uncover motivations and inner thoughts that might not otherwise surface. “How might we…?” is another question starter that helps frame what you’re asking in an inclusive and positive way. Use this when you want someone to help envision a new feature for a product or service offering. My other favorite question is “Anything else?” I ask a variation of this at the end of nearly every interview. Asking if there is anything they want to share that didn’t come up, or if they have any other advice or thoughts that might be helpful sometimes draws out the most thoughtful insights of the whole interview. It’s a way to capture answers to the questions you didn’t think (or know!) to ask.
Tip #6: You’re not done yet.
Don’t forget to schedule time to debrief, review and refine your notes. There may be small little nuggets and insights that aren’t obvious until you compare multiple interviews. I always take at least 30 minutes right after an interview to read notes, clean up anything that might not make sense later, and note the top few things that stood out. This is where the real values comes in. For example, Julie and I, in our first interview together, found that what this executive director highly valued wasn’t featured at all in any of their brand messaging. What a golden opportunity!
If you’re just getting started with stakeholder interviews, keep in mind they get easier and more natural with practice. Find an interview partner with more experience, volunteer to be the note taker, and in no time, you’ll be ready to take the lead role.
I’m always interested to hear from others. Do you have a magical interview question or practice to share?