Customer Interviews: A Step-by-Step Guide for Marketers and Business Owners

Get Real, Unfiltered Feedback

Customer interviews are the best way to hear directly from the source. Online surveys and feedback forms can only tell you so much. A live conversation gives you the chance to ask follow-up questions, dig deeper, and uncover the nuances of your customers’ thoughts. You’ll often find unexpected insights you’d never see in a multiple-choice questionnaire.

Even if you have plenty of data from analytics or sales, it doesn’t always show you why something is happening. Customer interviews help fill in those blanks, giving you a clearer picture of how people perceive your brand, where they struggle, and what they love most.

Once you understand the why, it’s much easier to make the right tweaks.

When you invite customers to share their opinions, they feel valued. That simple act of listening—really listening—goes a long way toward creating loyal, lifelong fans.

Plus, in many cases, these interviews lead to deeper conversations that can transform a casual user into a brand advocate.

Before planning your interviews, it helps to do some homework. By gathering and reviewing existing data—known as secondary research—you’ll get a broader view of your market, competition, and audience. This extra step makes it easier to spot knowledge gaps that your customer interviews can fill.

Before scheduling interviews, get clear on what you want to learn. Are you trying to understand why people churn? Hoping to discover your product’s most compelling benefits? Or maybe you’re exploring a new market segment? Write down a few clear goals to guide your questions and keep the conversation on track.

•  Recording software: So you can re-listen and catch those insights you might miss in real time. (Just make sure you ask for permission before recording!)
• Notetaking app or notebook: Whether it’s Google Docs, Evernote, or an old-school pen and paper, have a reliable way to jot down important details.
• Interview script or question list: Create an interview guide to keep the conversation on track. We’ll cover this in more detail in a later section.

 The Right Number

Sometimes a simple thank-you is enough. Other times, a small reward can encourage busy folks to make time. Consider gift cards, discounts, or exclusive previews of new features. Even a handwritten thank-you note can make a difference.

Start by identifying exactly what you want to learn. Use questions that directly support these goals, so you don’t waste time on irrelevant topics. If you’re aiming to understand why customers churn, for example, focus on questions about their challenges, needs, and experiences leading up to that decision.

It helps to begin with light, open-ended questions that make people feel comfortable. These could be about their background, their role, or a general question about the topic. Think of it as a friendly icebreaker before diving into deeper discussions.

Closed-ended questions (those answered with “yes” or “no”) can limit the depth of the conversation. Likewise, leading questions—like “Don’t you agree that X is a problem?”—push participants toward a certain response.

Try to avoid jargon or overly technical terms that might confuse people or make them hesitant to speak freely.

Your best insights might come from unexpected comments or stories. If you hear something interesting, ask a follow-up. For instance, “You mentioned you struggled with X—could you tell me more about that?” This encourages the participant to share details that might reveal new opportunities or challenges.

Think of your interview like a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Start with an introduction and warm-up questions to set a relaxed tone.

Then move into broader, open-ended questions about their experience, challenges, and needs related to the problem you want to solve. Ask about their past attempts or other solutions they’ve tried.

Finally, wrap up with questions like “Is there anything else you’d like to share?” or “What else should I have asked?” This gives them a chance to highlight anything you might have missed.

Set the Tone

Your prepared questions are important, but you don’t want to shut down a promising tangent if it comes up. If a topic seems especially relevant, explore it. You might uncover insights that tie back to your core goals in a way you didn’t expect.

 If you record the interview (with permission), you can focus on the conversation rather than frantically typing or writing. If you’re just taking notes, try to capture key phrases or points rather than writing every word. You can fill in details immediately after the call.

 Let’s break down when and how to process your insights after each interview.

After each interview, quickly jot down notes and observations. Then, step away for a few days.