Buyer-as-Hero: A Powerful Research Tool
IcebergIQ's Interviewing Methodology: Buyer-as-Hero
IcebergIQ uses a specialized interviewing methodology called Buyer-as-Hero as we conduct win/loss and churn research for our clients.
Through the Buyer-as-Hero lens, our interviewers view the people they talk to heroes of their own journey and as champions for change. We invite them to get into storytelling mode and to share their hero's quest. What business problems did they experience? What was their vision for how things could be better? How did they go about searching for solutions?
By skillfully guiding the research conversations in an open-ended way, we encourage interviewees to freely share what happened along their customer journey.
The candid insights that emerge help our clients understand:
- What was driving the purchase decision
- How our client stacked up against competitors
- The true underlying reasons for the decision to buy or not to buy
- The perceived value of our client’s product
- Any important gaps in the product or service
In turn, these insights allow our clients to improve win rates and customer retention, and make important decisions such as prioritizing elements of the product roadmap.
A uniquely effective technique
Buyer-as-Hero is rooted in the pioneering work of our predecessor company Eigenworks, and in the “hero’s journey” concept popularized by author Joseph Campbell. We believe Buyer-as-Hero is a powerful market research tool and a uniquely effective way to get to the heart of the customer journey and experience.