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How to Run Customer Interviews — Question Guide

A 9-block question guide for running effective customer interviews — covering context, triggers, jobs to be done, use cases, barriers, ad discovery, brand alternatives, product feedback, and copywriting takeaways.

Written by Juan Garzon

Customer Interview Guide

A structured set of questions to use in 1:1 customer interviews. Work through the blocks in order — each one is designed to surface a different layer of insight, from who the customer really is, all the way down to the exact words you should (and shouldn't) use in your ads.

Tip: Don't read the questions like a script. Use them as prompts and follow up on anything interesting the customer says.

Block 1: Context & Life (the persona, for real)

  1. "When you think about a normal weekday, what does it look like?"

  2. "What are you happiest spending money on right now — and what won't you spend on at all?"

  3. "What 3 words describe your style, if you're being honest?"

Block 2: Trigger & Occasion (why now)

  1. "Do you remember the moment you thought: ok, I'm buying this now?"

  2. "What was the occasion, event, feeling, or problem that triggered it?"

  3. "What would have happened if you hadn't bought it — what would you have done instead?"

Block 3: Job to Be Done (the actual task)

  1. "What should the product solve for you, or make possible?"

  2. "How do you want to feel when you wear it?"

  3. "How will you know: that was a really good purchase?"

Block 4: Outfits & Use Cases (for creative and styling)

  1. "What do you specifically combine it with — which outfits, which shoes, which occasions?"

  2. "Where would you never wear it, and why?"

  3. "If you had to describe it to a friend, how would you sell it to her?"

Block 5: Barriers & Doubts (gold for marketing)

  1. "What made you hesitate, even briefly?"

  2. "What was your biggest concern before buying?" (fit, quality, price, visibility, washability, returns)

  3. "What almost stopped you from buying?"

Block 6: Discovery & Ads (marketing truth)

  1. "Where did you see us for the first time?"

  2. "How many times do you think you saw us before you bought?"

  3. "Which ad or piece of content caught you the most — do you remember?"

  4. "What was the message that convinced you, and what would have been cringe?"

Pro tip: Show 3 to 5 real creatives (screen share, or send a link beforehand), then ask:

  • "What do you think in the first 2 seconds?"

  • "What do you feel?"

  • "How much do you think it costs?"

  • "Who would you send this to?"

Block 7: Alternatives & Brand Space

  1. "Which other brands do you buy that feel similar in your head?"

  2. "If [your brand] disappeared tomorrow, where would you buy?"

  3. "What does [your brand] do differently from the others — in one sentence?"

Block 8: Product Feedback (category-specific)

Adapt these to your own product categories. Below are examples for tights and underwear.

Tights

  • "What matters most to you in tights: durability, comfort, statement, sheerness, waistband, snag resistance?"

  • "How often have your tights ripped, and when?"

  • "What would your dream feature be?"

Underwear / Briefs

  • "What matters most to you in briefs: material, cut, seamless, look, statement, everyday wearability?"

  • "Which outfits are critical — where can nothing be visible?"

  • "Which brands are winning right now in underwear, and why?"

Block 9: Closing — Words for Copywriting

  1. "If you could write one sentence on an ad that would get you to buy, what would it be?"

  2. "Which 3 words should NEVER appear in our advertising?"

  3. "What should we keep no matter what happens?"

How to use this guide

  • Aim for 30–45 minutes per interview.

  • Record (with permission) so you can quote real customer language back in your marketing.

  • Look for repeated phrases across interviews — those are your ad copy.

  • 5–8 interviews per persona is usually enough to see clear patterns.

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