People are motivated to help you because it benefits them psychologically. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, helping you can satisfy their needs for esteem, belonging, and self-actualization.
We live in a society where helping others is socially approved behavior. After an interview, a person will feel good about themselves.
Think about how you feel when someone asks for your advice. It’s nice to know you have valuable experience to share.
- We like solving others’ problems.
This motive is similar to the first, but the difference is that by helping, a person feels powerful. In interviews with such people, emphasize that you couldn’t manage without their help.
Should You Pay for Interviews?There’s no definitive answer here. On one hand, people are spending their time. On the other hand, you can test the viability of your idea early on. If people are willing to help develop the product for free, it means they’re “buying into it,” just paying with their time instead of money.
Of course, you shouldn’t reach out to just anyone who fits the target audience criteria. Find those who feel the “pain” the most. These people will eagerly share all the issues they face. They’ll be waiting for the first version of your product and will later share ideas on what else needs to be done.