How do you Discover customer pain points and Unmet needs in your Target Market?

Santiago Cerdeira
15 replies
Hey Product Hunters, I'm working on a new SaaS project and I'm trying to find problems to solve in a specific target market. I want to know how other entrepreneurs and product builders go about finding pain points and unmet needs in their target markets. Can anyone share their strategies for discovering customer pain points and understanding the needs of their target market? What resources do you use? How do you validate that a problem is worth solving? Any tips and insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!

Replies

Chris Sarca
If you're trying to find problems to solve without an understanding of what are you building or more importantly, why you're building it, then you're doing it wrong. There are situational problems and actual bothersome problems that the majority can agree on. What I'm trying to say is that you can build anything, but it doesn't mean that it would be useful if it solves situational problems or if it helps with very niche things there is no market for. The best thing to do would be to get a Product Owner on your team that actually has experience in whatever you're trying to build.
Gleb Slonimskiy
Now I’m watching webinars about JTBD and segmentation. I think that this is one of the best frameworks ever
Daniel Do
Optimized Toolbox
Optimized Toolbox
Does your project already have users or are you starting from scratch? How you'll be discovering the customer pain points depends on your situation and what's your access to your users.
Santiago Cerdeira
@pm_optimizer Thanks for the comment. I'm talking about from a more genral point of view. I have neither product or customers, starting from scratch. How can I find a problem to start solving it and then iterate with the customer feedback?
Daniel Do
Optimized Toolbox
Optimized Toolbox
@santiago_cerdeira I would recommend doing something you personally enjoy as a side project for some time in your field. When you'll be working in that environment, you'll start seeing things that bothers you. Once you have some insight into how to solve it or how others are solving it, it should give you enough understanding what to build and if it make sense to pursue it.
Santiago Cerdeira
@pm_optimizer Thank you so much for your answer, very helpful!
Gal Moran
The best way is to start with people you know - friends, family members, previous co-workers. Try to get their opinions and get them to connect you with even more precise audience
Santiago Cerdeira
@gal_moran18 Thank you so much for your help!
Anne Broadwin
I'd start with any 3P research reports, usually made by security firms or industry data providers. They will include industry overview, main competitors and the next move. Would be interesting to read.
Santiago Cerdeira
@annebroadwin That's a very good idea, thank you so much!
Carmela Padasas
Have a review/feedback form; ask them directly, and should have a good number to take it. Look at competitors' reviews and comments Search your keywords in communities and how they talk about it