Top questions to get useful feedback on your startup
The first time you ask for feedback on your startup, it’s easy to make a classic mistake: asking the wrong questions.
You might think you’re going to get helpful advice from friends or early customers, but instead, you get vague replies like "it’s good" or "it seems fine."
These aren’t the insights you need. You need to ask better questions, ones that guide people to give you useful, actionable feedback. This is a skill you can learn.
Startups are all about learning quickly, and feedback is essential for that. But the kind of feedback you get depends on how you ask for it.
If you ask weak or broad questions, you’ll get shallow answers. If you ask focused, open-ended, thought-provoking questions, you’ll get feedback that moves your startup forward.
Here’s how to ask the right questions to get the feedback you need for your startup.
5 ways to ask better questions
1. Ask open-ended questions
Closed questions get you nowhere. If you ask someone, "do you like this feature?" they can say "yes" or "no," and that’s the end of the conversation.
It doesn’t help you understand why they like it or what they think could be improved. Instead, you need to ask open-ended questions that make people think and explain themselves.
For example, instead of asking, "do you like this feature?" try asking, "how would you use this feature in your daily life?" or "what’s the most confusing part of using this feature?"
These questions force people to share more about their experiences, which gives you the insights you need to make improvements.
Here are some examples of good open-ended questions:
- "How would you describe this product to a friend?"
- "What’s the first thing you think of when you see this landing page?"
- "If this product didn’t exist, how would you solve the problem it’s addressing?"
Open-ended questions like these let you see how people understand your product and where it might be missing the mark.
2. Focus on specific areas
A common mistake is asking broad questions about the whole product. If you ask, "what do you think of the product?" the feedback will likely be vague. People don’t know where to start, so they’ll give you surface-level comments.
To avoid this, break your product down into pieces and ask specific questions about each part.
Let’s say you’re testing a mobile app. Instead of asking, "do you like the app?" focus on one part of the experience. Ask, "what was your experience like when you first signed up?" or "was there anything unclear or frustrating during the signup process?"
This helps you narrow in on one area, making the feedback more focused and useful.
Here are some examples of specific questions:
- "What do you think about how the pricing is presented on the site?"
- "Was there anything that confused you when using the dashboard?"
- "Which feature do you think would be most valuable to you? Why?"
When you focus on specific parts of the product, you make it easier for people to give detailed feedback. And that’s what you need.
3. Test assumptions
Every startup is built on assumptions. You assume you know who your customers are, what they need, and how your solution fits into their lives.
But these assumptions need to be tested. Instead of asking people to confirm what you think, ask questions that challenge your assumptions.
For example, you might assume that a certain feature is essential. Test that by asking, "if we removed this feature, would it change your opinion of the product?"
Or you might think your pricing is fair. Instead of asking, "is this a fair price?" ask, "would you pay for this? If not, what do you think would be a fair price?"
Here are some examples of assumption-testing questions:
- "If this feature wasn’t available, would it affect your decision to use the product?"
- "Would you use this product daily, weekly, or only occasionally?"
- "Is there anything you expected this product to do that it doesn’t?"
These kinds of questions help you find gaps between what you think users want and what they actually need. That’s crucial for building a product that truly works.
4. Ask “why?” (multiple times)
When someone gives you feedback, don’t stop at the first answer. The most valuable insights often come when you dig deeper. If someone says, "I don’t think I would use this," your instinct might be to move on. Don’t. Ask "why?" And then ask why again.
For example, if someone says, "the interface feels clunky," follow up with, "what specifically feels clunky to you?"
If they say, "it’s hard to find the settings," you can ask, "why do you think that’s difficult?" By asking why multiple times, you can get to the root cause of their feedback.
Here are some examples of follow-up questions:
- "Why do you feel that way?"
- "What makes that part confusing?"
- "Can you explain more about what’s causing that frustration?"
Asking why repeatedly helps you get beyond surface-level feedback and uncover the real issues. It’s a simple technique, but it can lead to powerful insights.
5. Look for the “job” the product is doing
People don’t always express what they need directly.
Sometimes, they describe problems in a way that reflects how they’re trying to get something done in their lives. Your job is to figure out what “job” your product is doing for them.
Instead of asking, "do you like this feature?" ask, "what do you use this product for?" or "when do you find yourself reaching for this product?"
These questions help you understand the context of how your product fits into their daily life. Are they using it for work, to save time, or to solve a personal problem?
Here are some examples of job-focused questions:
- "When you use this product, what problem are you trying to solve?"
- "What is the main outcome you expect from using this product?"
- "What motivated you to try this product in the first place?"
When you know the job your product is doing, you get a clearer picture of how to evolve it. You’ll know what features to focus on and how to position the product better.
Final thoughts
Getting useful feedback on your startup is about asking the right questions.
Open-ended questions lead to more detailed answers. Specific questions give direction. Testing assumptions uncovers blind spots. And asking why multiple times digs deeper. Finally, checking the job your product is doing helps you see the bigger picture.
The feedback you receive is only as good as the questions you ask. When you ask the right questions, you don’t just get answers—you get insights that shape the future of your startup.
That’s how you learn faster than your competitors and that’s how you build something people actually want.