Choose one customer-reach action

The five steps

1. 01

   Name what you want to learn

   Start with an uncertainty about the person’s situation, needs, or current approach. A useful learning goal is specific enough to guide a question, while staying open to an answer you did not expect.

   • What do I understand least about the situation I hope to help with?
   • What would I like to hear about the person’s experience?
   • How might the answer change what I choose to do next?
2. 02

   Choose an action that fits

   Consider who you can reasonably reach, how well you know them, and what is appropriate in the channel. Choose one action small enough to take without asking for more than the situation warrants.

   • Talk with one prospective customer

     Choose someone who may recognize the situation you are trying to understand. Ask about their experience before pitching a solution.

   • Send a personal message

     Write to one person through a channel where a personal note is welcome. Keep the request brief and make it easy to decline.

   • Ask for an introduction

     Ask someone who knows both of you whether they would be comfortable making an introduction. Give them a short explanation they can pass along.

   • Invite responses in a relevant community

     First check the community’s rules and norms. Share a useful, transparent question in the appropriate place, without turning the discussion into an unsolicited pitch.

   • Choose another concrete action

     If another route fits your audience better, name exactly what you will do, who it is for, and how you will take the first step.

3. 03

   Write down the person and first step

   Turn the choice into a plan you can act on. Describe the person or audience in a way that helps you find an appropriate contact, then write the very first action you will take.

   I want to learn: [one question or uncertainty]
   I will reach: [person or audience]
   My first step is: [specific action]

4. 04

   Make a low-pressure ask

   Keep the request honest, brief, and easy to decline. Adapt the wording to your relationship and channel; these are starting examples, not scripts you need to use exactly.

   For a conversation

   “I’m trying to understand how [type of person] handles [situation]. Would you be open to a short conversation about your experience? No preparation is needed, and it’s completely fine if now isn’t a good time.”

   For an introduction

   “Would you feel comfortable introducing me to someone who has experience with [situation]? I’d like to ask about their perspective. Please feel free to pass if it doesn’t feel like a fit.”

   Ask about their experience rather than steering them toward agreement with your idea. Respect a no, a pause, and the norms of the channel.

5. 05

   Record what happened and what to learn next

   Afterward, note the action you took, what you heard or observed, and the next question it raises. Separate what happened from your interpretation so you can revisit the plan with context.

   • What did I ask, and what response did I receive?
   • What did I learn about the person’s experience or the way I reached them?
   • What is one reasonable next question or action?

   Silence does not explain why someone did not respond. One response, positive or negative, is a single observation; neither silence nor one reply establishes demand. Use each attempt as context for deciding what to learn next.