4.3 Understanding and identifying needs

Hopefully during the development of your product, service or idea you will have spent time understanding and identifying the market need that you are trying to satisfy. Nonetheless, when you actually meet and engage with potential clients and customers you will need to ensure that you spend time exploring and reconfirming those needs. In order to explore these needs, Tasso (2000, p. 57) argues that you should:

• ask relevant questions

• confirm your understanding of the issues

• offer ideas and suggestions to gauge reaction

• provide a reason to sustain the information exchange

• identify any potential issues or constraints.