It's Easier to Get 4-6 Users Than You Think
Avoid Getting Stuck on User Recruitment by Using These Easy Steps
I feel very strongly that:
You can answer any question about your product or sales process by talking to 4-6 users
You can always network yourself to 4-6 of almost any type of user
I have gradually realized that the single most common place people get stuck is actually on user recruitment. Every time I talk to people about testing strategy, the question goes, "Where do I find users like this?"
The biggest misconception about user recruitment is that you need to create a solution or join a service that reliably gets you hordes of qualified users at scale on demand (I understand why people think this -- it's a legacy of survey culture, etc).
But the nice thing about only needing to find 4 users is that it doesn't really matter how you get them -- you just need to manually grab each of them from somewhere, and soon enough, you’ll have plenty.
So here's a quick guide to finding the 4-6 users necessary to answer whatever you want.
1 - Craft a Really Compelling Message
Use plain, authentic, direct language to ask them for a big favor to help you with some feedback/advice. State that you are only talking to a small number of people at this point and their perspective will be key in shaping what you do (see exact scripts here). This will get about 90% of consumers to say yes, as well as about 40% of enterprise folks.
2 - Use Your Personal Networks
Post on social media, look for friends of friends, etc.
Try to get the following:
2 qualified people who don't know each other from your own networks
Someone you know to refer just 1 more
You now have 3 manually-headhunted users who don't know each other.
3 - The Absolute Best Source in the World for Qualified Users is Other Qualified Users!
We've learned it doesn't matter how weirdly specific you need the users to be. Qualified users always know more of themselves.
After you run the tests and build rapport, ask each of your users to refer you to 2 other people. Have them do this with you while still on the call, in the last 5 minutes. Get them to give you their friends' emails, or send an email intro on the spot.
4 - Now You Have At Least 6 Users
Here are some of the most specific / obscure categories of users I've had to recruit in the past fully from scratch:
CEOs of mid-sized healthcare companies in Brazil
West Coasters who regularly wear designer brand athleisure priced at over $1000 per outfit
People who made enough money on Onlyfans to file a 1099
Families who live in rural communities in one of 3 specific states with income under $60k who have 4+ people on their phone plan and are trying to switch carriers
My favorite user recruitment moment of all time was when we got stuck finding technicians of HVAC companies. We couldn't find a single qualified person available during business hours. So we... booked 5 different HVAC inspections for $175 each.
Feel free to comment with what users you're looking for, and I'll help you come up with ways to get them!