Customer Research Interview Questions

Preparing for customer research interviews

Who to interview

Paying customers

• These are your best interviewees—people who have already paid for the course.
• They’ve proven they’re part of your audience by actually spending money, not just saying they would.
• Their insights are the most reliable because they’re real buyers.

Free or beta customers

• If you can’t interview paying customers, those who went through a free or beta version are next best.
• They’ve invested time into your course, which still shows some level of commitment.
• While they didn’t pay in cash, they’re engaged enough to provide useful feedback.

Waitlist members

• People on your course waitlist have shown they’re interested, even if they haven’t enrolled yet.
• They’re more likely to be your target audience than a random group in your niche.
• Their feedback can help refine your messaging or remove barriers that kept them from purchasing.

Subscribers and followers

• Subscribers and social media followers are familiar with your brand, but haven’t committed yet.
• They might offer some useful insight, but remember their feedback could be less reliable since they haven’t made a purchase.

Strangers

• Interviewing strangers in your niche should be a last resort.
• Even if they seem like your target audience, the fact that they haven’t engaged with your course means their feedback is speculative.
• Be careful not to treat their opinions as fully representative of your actual buyers.

How to approach interviewees

Direct outreach is key

• Avoid mass messaging even with an engaged audience.
• Reach out personally to individuals—this increases response rates.
• Tailor your invitation to make it feel specific to them, not a generic request.

Use incentives carefully

• If you’re struggling to book calls, offer a discount or bonus content related to your course.
• These types of incentives attract people genuinely interested in your topic, not just those seeking a reward.
• Cash incentives can lead to lower-quality responses, as participants may rush through the interview for the payout.

Frame the interview with focus

• Avoid terms like “feedback” or “testimonial” to prevent interviewees from focusing on the product.
• Emphasize that the interview is about getting to know them and their experiences.
• This helps keep the conversation centered on their personal journey and challenges rather than your course.

Structuring the interview

Introduction

• Introduce yourself - Keep it brief but personal to build rapport.
• State the purpose - Let them know you’re trying to understand their experience, not just collect product feedback.
• Explain the structure - Outline the flow of the interview so they know what to expect.
• Encourage open conversation - Emphasize that the more they talk, the better, and there are no right or wrong answers.
• Get permission to record - Mention that the recording won’t be shared; it’s just for you to create a transcript and will be deleted afterward.

Main interview questions

• Before finding the course - Get a full picture of what challenges or problems they were facing before discovering your course.
• Experiences during the course - Ask about their experience as they began implementing the lessons or strategies taught in the course.
• After completing the course - Explore how their life or work has changed since completing the course.
• Product feedback - Ask what they loved about the course and what they wish had been different.

Conclusion

• Testimonial release - Ask if you can draft a testimonial or case study based on the interview and send it to them for review.
• Follow-up consent - Get permission to follow up in the future for more insights or clarifications.

Suggested customer research interview questions

Section A: Before finding the course

These questions are all about…

Q1. Defining the main problem

First, you need to hear how they define their original problem. You’re looking for them to describe their main pain point(s) in their own words, paying close attention to what they choose to focus on.

Example

What was the main problem you were facing before you found my course? How long were you dealing with that?

Pro tip: If they say something like, “My problem was that I couldn’t find a solution that worked,” they’re not talking about the problem yet. Ask them to rewind or go deeper to the actual problem.

Q2. Previous attempts to solve the problem

This question helps you understand how important the problem was to them. If they were actively trying to solve it, the issue was pressing. It also gives you insight into your competition—whether that’s direct competitors, alternative solutions, or even inaction.

Example

How were you trying to solve this problem before? What other approaches had you tried in the past?

Pro tip: If they mention not doing anything about it for a while, that inaction is also valuable—it shows where they got stuck or why they didn’t choose other options. Ask them why they stayed stuck.

Q3. Why other solutions didn’t work

Understanding why their previous attempts didn’t succeed helps you position your course as a better fit. If they say another course didn’t give enough support, you know to highlight your own support system clearly. It helps you handle objections.

Example

Why do you think those other approaches didn’t work?

Pro tip: Their perception of why they failed matters more than reality. Even if it was really a lack of discipline, their inner narrative of “I just didn’t have time” is what your copy must address.

Q4. Feelings about their situation

People make decisions based on how they feel, so it’s important to understand what emotions they had before finding your course. Whether they were frustrated or dejected, your copy needs to reflect those feelings so they feel understood.

Example

How did you feel about your progress (or lack of it) before you found my course? What was your emotional state?

Pro tip: Pay attention not just to their words but how they answer—tone and body language can give clues about their real feelings.

Q5. Moment of highest tension

This question helps you figure out the exact moment they realized they had to make a change. Knowing what finally pushed them to take action helps you understand what future customers need to hear to make the same shift.

Example

What moment or experience finally made you realize you need to address this problem?

Pro tip: Think of it like a dam bursting. There’s a build-up of pressure, and then suddenly, something triggered a change.

Section B: Discovering the course

1. How did you first hear about my course?
2. What made you stop and pay attention to it?
3. What stood out to you about my course compared to other solutions you were aware of at the time?

Section C: Deciding to enroll

1. What doubts or concerns did you have before signing up, and how did you work through them?
2. What made you feel confident that this course was the right choice for you?
3. Which parts of the course appealed most to you, and why?
4. What were you expecting to get from the course when you signed up? What outcomes were you hoping for?

Section C: Experience during the course

1. What was your experience like when you first started the course? Did anything surprise you?
2. What parts of the course did you find most helpful or enjoyable?
3. What challenges did you face while going through the course, and how did you handle them?
4. How did you feel as you began applying the lessons from the course in real life?
5. Was there anything about the course that you struggled with or thought could be improved?

Section D: After completing the course

1. How has your life changed since finishing the course?
2. What specific results have you seen after applying what you learned from the course?
3. How did the course meet or differ from your expectations?
4. What was your biggest takeaway or aha moment from the course, and how did it impact your life?
5. Would you recommend this course? Why or why not?

Interpreting responses

Identifying themes: What are students saying?

Language patterns: How are students saying it?

Understanding personality: How do students come across?

Common mistakes in customer interviews

Framing the interview as feedback or a testimonial

Talking instead of listening

Steering the conversation rather than listening

Letting students speak on behalf of others

Accepting vague responses (e.g., “I usually,” “I never”)

Gathering opinions instead of lived experiences

Trusting predictions about future actions (“I would,” “I will”)

Entertaining hypotheticals (“I might,” “I could”)

Focusing on ideas about solutions

Assuming all problems matter equally

Paying too much attention to compliments

Falling into accidental approval-seeking

Applying customer research insights in the real world

Refining your core value proposition

Changing your traffic sources

Matching your sales page message to student needs

Crafting more tailored nurture content

Handling objections more effectively

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