How to Use Empathy Maps to Drive Your SaaS Growth

We had spent over a month preparing for today's presentation. A new executive was in charge of our team and had asked for an update on the current state of our product and our plans for the coming year.

When asked “Who's your target customer?”, the team froze, realizing they had no clear answer despite months of preparation.

Are You Product-Driven or Customer-Driven?

Teams often focus on adding features rather than understanding customers. Common pitfalls include:

• Shipping features customers don't want
• Content marketing strategies generating no new customers
• Paid advertising campaigns that lose money
• Landing pages with poor conversion rates

The solution requires clear understanding of your target customer. Not just who they are, but what they need and care about the most.

Introducing the Empathy Map

An empathy map is a simple visual tool that you can use to build a deeper understanding of your target customer. The tool originated at Stanford University's d.school and was developed by Xplane founder David Gray.

Key benefits:

• Understanding the “why” behind customer decisions
• Discovering unexpected insights
• Clarifying target customer priorities
• Attracting ideal customers through resonant messaging
• Standing out from competitors

How to Create Your First Empathy Map in 1 Hour

The process involves five steps completed in approximately one hour:

Step 1: Define a Customer Persona (10 Minutes)

Create or refine a customer persona by answering: their role and daily activities, top goals, major challenges, and personal background. Assign them a name.

Step 2: Say and Do (15 Minutes)

List what customers say and do. Consider public and private statements, daily behavior patterns, and differences between stated behavior and actual actions.

Step 3: Think and Feel (15 Minutes)

Identify thoughts and feelings through inference: fears and worries, aspirations and dreams, daily concerns, and product satisfaction levels.

Step 4: Pain and Gain (15 Minutes)

Focus on specific pain points: current frustrations, worst fears, and underlying concerns. And gains: desired changes, ultimate dreams, and why outcomes matter.

They're not looking for CRM software. They're trying to solve a pain. Understanding specific pain points proves more effective than highlighting features.

Step 5: Wrap Up (2 Minutes)

Highlight areas needing validation and set deadlines for customer research.

The empathy map is an ongoing process. You may spend months or even years refining it and adding new insights. The tool provides immediate competitive advantage while building long-term understanding.