The Mom Test Question Bank: 25 Questions That Get the Truth From Customers

Stage 1: The problem (7 questions)

Find out if the problem is real, how often it shows up and how much it hurts.

• Talk me through the last time [problem] happened.

  A real story beats a general opinion.

• What made that hard?

  Shows where the pain actually is.

• How often does this come up in a normal month?

  Rare problems rarely get paid for.

• What happens if you just leave it alone?

  If nothing bad happens, it is not a priority.

• Where does this rank on your list of things to fix this quarter?

  Tells you if it beats their other problems.

• Who else on your team deals with this?

  Finds other people affected and who decides.

• What does this cost you in time or money each week?

  Puts a size on the pain in their own words.

Stage 2: Current solution (6 questions)

If they have done nothing to fix it, they probably won't pay you to fix it.

• How are you dealing with this right now?

  Every problem has a current fix, even a messy one.

• What else have you tried?

  Past attempts prove they care.

• Why did you stop using that?

  Shows what a new option must beat.

• What do you like about how you do it now?

  Tells you what you must not break.

• Can you show me how you do it today?

  Screens and spreadsheets don't exaggerate.

• Have you looked for a tool or person to fix this? What did you find?

  No search usually means low pain.

Stage 3: Money (6 questions)

Ask about what they already spend, not what they say they would spend.

• What do you pay for your current fix, in money or hours?

  Real spend is the best price anchor.

• Is there a budget for this already? Where does it come from?

  Budget that exists is easier to win.

• Who signs off when you buy something like this?

  Tells you if you are talking to the buyer.

• Tell me about the last tool or service you bought for this kind of work.

  Shows how they really buy.

• What made you say yes to it?

  Gives you their real buying reasons.

• What would have to be true for this to be worth paying for?

  Gets their bar, without you naming a price.

Stage 4: Next step (6 questions)

Every good call ends with them giving something: time, an intro or money. Fitzpatrick calls this commitment.

• Who else should I talk to about this?

  Intros are a cheap, honest sign of interest.

• Can we book 30 minutes next week to go through a first version?

  Asks for time, a real cost.

• Would you be open to a paid pilot for [short period]?

  Money is the clearest signal.

• Can I see the data or files you use for this today?

  Sharing work shows trust and need.

• Would you introduce me to the person who signs off?

  Moves you toward the real buyer.

• Is there anything I should have asked but didn't?

  Often brings up the most useful answer of the call.

10 bad questions and what to ask instead

Where to find people + a message to send

Hi [Name], I'm trying to learn how [type of business] handles [job/problem]. I'm not selling anything. Could I ask you 4–5 questions for 15 minutes this week? Happy to share what I learn from others too.

1. Your own customers and past leads.
2. Google Maps: businesses of that type in your city.
3. LinkedIn: search the job title.
4. Reddit, Facebook groups and WhatsApp groups where they ask questions.
5. Events and meetups for that industry.
6. Ask every person you talk to: 'Who else should I speak to?'

1-page interview call script (20 to 30 minutes)

1. OPEN (2 min)
"Thanks for the time. I'm trying to learn how [type of business] handles [job]. I'm not selling anything today. Is it OK if I take notes?"

2. CONTEXT (3 min)
"Tell me a bit about your role and what a normal week looks like."

3. PROBLEM (8 min)
"Talk me through the last time [problem] happened."
"What made that hard?" "How often does it come up?"

4. CURRENT SOLUTION (6 min)
"How are you dealing with it now?" "What else have you tried?" "Why did you stop?"

5. MONEY (4 min)
"What does your current fix cost you?" "Who signs off when you buy something like this?"

6. NEXT STEP (3 min)
"Who else should I talk to?"
If the pain is real: "Can we book 30 minutes next week to look at a first version?"

7. CLOSE (1 min)
"Is there anything I should have asked but didn't?" Thank them.

RULES DURING THE CALL
- Don't mention your idea until the last few minutes, if at all.
- After each question, stop talking. Count to 5 in your head.
- When they say "usually" or "always", ask: "When was the last time?"

Worked example: the same call, two ways

Illustrative. A made-up freelancer testing an idea for an SEO service for local gyms.

Notes template: what to write down after every conversation

Name / role / company:
Date:

THE PROBLEM
- Last time it happened (their words):
- How often:
- What it costs them (time/money):
- Rank vs other priorities:

CURRENT SOLUTION
- What they use now:
- What they tried before, and why they stopped:

MONEY
- Current spend on this:
- Who signs off:

BEST QUOTE (exact words):

SIGNALS
- Commitment given (time / intro / money / none):
- Compliments I got (ignore these):

SURPRISES (what I didn't expect):

NEXT STEP + DATE:

VERDICT: Real pain / Mild / No pain

Real buying intent vs a polite compliment

After 5 calls: the scorecard

Score each call 0–2 on each line. Add them up. This is our tool, built on the book's idea that only commitments count.

Common customer interview mistakes

• You pitched in the first 5 minutes.

  Once they know your idea, they switch to being nice.

• You counted compliments as progress.

  'Love it' costs nothing. Count time, intros and money.

• You accepted 'usually' and 'always'.

  Ask for the last time it happened. Specifics don't lie as easily.

• You talked more than they did.

  If you're talking, you're not learning.

• You only spoke to friends and family.

  They care about you, so they protect your feelings.

• You didn't write notes right away.

  Memory rewrites what people said into what you hoped they said.

• You ended with no ask.

  Every call should end with a clear next step they can say yes or no to.

• You treated one call as proof.

  Look for patterns across 5–10 calls with the same type of person.