You've got a product idea that keeps you up at night. You know you need to talk to potential customers, but here's the problem: you're staring at a blank spreadsheet wondering "Who exactly should I be talking to?"
Most founders make the same mistake. They define their target market too broadly ("small business owners") or too narrowly ("left-handed accountants in Denver"). Both approaches waste time and money on interviews that don't move the needle.
Here's how to map your customer segments so every interview actually helps you build something people want.
Why Most Customer Research Fails
The biggest reason customer interviews fail isn't bad questions or awkward conversations. It's talking to the wrong people.
When your segments are too broad, you get conflicting feedback that paralyzes decision-making. When they're too narrow, you miss important use cases and limit your market size.
The solution? Strategic segment mapping that identifies distinct groups with shared problems, behaviors, and motivations.
The 3-Layer Segment Mapping Framework
Layer 1: Demographics (The Basics)
Start with the obvious stuff, but don't stop here:
- Job title/role
- Company size
- Industry
- Geographic location
- Experience level
Example: "Marketing managers at 50-500 person SaaS companies in North America with 3-7 years experience."
Layer 2: Behavioral Patterns (How They Act)
This is where it gets interesting. Look for:
- How they currently solve the problem
- Tools they already use
- Decision-making process
- Budget authority
- Frequency of the problem
Example: "Who currently use 3+ marketing tools, make software recommendations to their team, and struggle with campaign attribution weekly."
Layer 3: Psychographics (Why They Care)
The deepest layer reveals motivations:
- Primary goals and KPIs
- Biggest fears or frustrations
- Values and priorities
- Communication preferences
Example: "Driven by proving marketing ROI, frustrated by data silos, values efficiency over features, prefers Slack to email."
How to Build Your Segment Map
Step 1: Brain Dump All Possibilities
Write down everyone who might have your problem. Don't filter yet.
Think about:
- Direct users vs. decision makers
- Different company sizes
- Various industries
- Geographic differences
- Experience levels
Step 2: Apply the 3-Layer Framework
For each potential segment, fill out:
- Demographics: Who are they?
- Behaviors: What do they do?
- Psychographics: Why do they care?
Step 3: Prioritize Using the ICE Method
Score each segment 1-10 on:
- Impact: How much would solving their problem matter?
- Confidence: How sure are you this segment exists?
- Ease: How easy is it to find and reach them?
Focus on segments with the highest total scores.
Step 4: Create Segment Profiles
For your top 3-5 segments, create one-page profiles including:
- Segment name (make it memorable)
- Key characteristics from all three layers
- Estimated market size
- Where to find them online
- Sample interview questions specific to this segment
Red Flags to Avoid
The "Everyone" Trap: If your segment includes "anyone who uses email," go narrower.
The "Just Like Me" Bias: Don't assume all customers think like you do.
The "Perfect Customer" Fantasy: Real segments have flaws and contradictions.
The "Set and Forget" Mistake: Segments evolve as you learn more.
Turning Segments Into Interview Candidates
Once you have clear segments, finding interview candidates becomes straightforward:
- LinkedIn searches using specific job titles and company criteria
- Reddit communities where your segments hang out
- Industry forums and Slack groups
- Referrals from existing network connections
- Targeted ads (this is where platforms like Cotsumer help)
The key is being specific enough in your targeting that you're not wasting time on irrelevant conversations.
Sample Segment Profile Template
Segment Name: The Overwhelmed Growth Marketer
Demographics:
- Marketing managers/directors at Series A-B startups
- 2-6 years marketing experience
- Based in major US tech hubs
Behaviors:
- Manages 5-8 marketing channels simultaneously
- Uses 10+ tools daily
- Reports to CEO or VP of Marketing
- Has $5K-50K monthly ad spend
Psychographics:
- Obsessed with attribution and ROI
- Feels like they're always behind
- Values tools that save time over features
- Active in marketing Slack communities
Where to Find Them: Marketing Twitter, GrowthHackers, CMX communities, LinkedIn
Your Next Steps
- Map your segments using the 3-layer framework
- Score and prioritize your top segments
- Create detailed profiles for your top 3 segments
- Start recruiting 5-8 interviews per segment
Don't try to interview everyone at once. Pick one segment, run 5-8 interviews, analyze what you learned, then move to the next segment.
The goal isn't perfect segments—it's actionable segments that help you have better conversations with people who actually matter to your business.