Management Tip of the Day: Use the Three-Minute Rule to Better Understand Your Customers

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Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   AUTHORS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile NEW HBR DEBATE: What Does Business Owe the World? APRIL 29, 2010 Use the Three-Minute Rule to Better Understand Your Customers Surveys and focus groups can tell you a lot about your customers. But there are indirect analyses that can be equally revealing. Try using the three-minute rule to better understand the broader context in which your customers use and interact with your products and services. Ask what your customer is doing in the three minutes immediately before and after using your product. By doing this, you may discover an unnecessary complexity they have to overcome. Or you may identify a cross-selling opportunity if they interact with another product or service right before interacting with yours. This rule is a great way to see the big picture and identify adjacent opportunities. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "The Three-Minute Rule" by Anthony Tjan. Read the full blog post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: RELATED PRODUCT How to Stop Customers from Fixating on Price NEW! Harvard Business Review Article Surprisingly, your best tool for getting customers to see beyond price may be the price itself. New research finds that four pricing moves in particular can cause buyers to stop treating your offering as a commodity and instead consider its quality and relevance to their individual needs. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: BEST SELLERS Financial Intelligence Collection 10 Must-Read Articles from HBR HBR's Must-Reads on Managing Yourself Guide to Better Business Writing How to Get the Right Work Done PREVIOUS TIPS Enjoy Trying on the Way to Achieving 3 Things to Assess Before You Back Down 3 Ways to Keep Good Employees in a Bad Economy Ask for Immediate Feedback Be a Better Leader by Building Your Self-Awareness 4 Things Your Employees Want from You 3 Ways to Overcome Barriers to Change 3 Ways to Keep Your Brain in Shape Elevate Performance without Waiting for a Crisis 2 Questions to Ask before Diversifying New HBR Report (PDF) A new report from Harvard Business Review: Unlocking The Value of The Information Economy. Brought to you by Symantec. UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2010 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 1-800-545-7685 (617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)