Evidence · Beginner · About 6 min
Distinguish customer interest from demand
Distinguish a reported problem from a purchase decision
Founder of Handover · Prospective buyer or investorRead the fictional case: The Handover paid pilot
The Handover paid pilot Defend a testable proposal without overstating demand or economics.
Fictional practice case. Handover prepares job-handover packs for small service agencies. Twelve agency owners were interviewed: eight described difficulty handing work between staff, five expressed interest in a trial, and two signed a four-week paid pilot at $600 each. Each pilot covers ten packs and two hours of support. The delivery estimate is 45 minutes per pack at a labor cost of $40 an hour. Software costs $100 per month for the business, not per customer. Sales, founder time, taxes, and other overhead are not included in these figures. Neither customer has completed or renewed the pilot. No evidence establishes demand outside these interviews and purchases.
An interview, an expression of interest, and a paid purchase each support a different claim. Eight owners reported a problem; five expressed interest in a trial; two purchased. Preserve those differences when explaining demand.
A purchase is stronger evidence of willingness to pay for this particular offer than a positive interview response. It still does not establish successful delivery, satisfaction, renewal, acquisition cost, or demand in a wider population. Use each finding for the decision it can support.
Inspect the fictional source
This supports a problem claim within the interviewed group. Recruitment may affect how far it generalizes.
A paid commitment supports willingness to buy this pilot, rather than merely expressing interest.
The record does not establish satisfaction, retention, or recurring revenue.
Identify the behavior observed
Separate what people said, what they committed to, and what they have actually used.
Keep the denominator visible
Report counts in the group studied without treating that group as a representative market sample.
Choose the next useful test
Ask which unresolved question most affects the next commitment.
Three findings, three claims
The Handover paid pilot Defend a testable proposal without overstating demand or economics.
Fictional practice case. Handover prepares job-handover packs for small service agencies. Twelve agency owners were interviewed: eight described difficulty handing work between staff, five expressed interest in a trial, and two signed a four-week paid pilot at $600 each. Each pilot covers ten packs and two hours of support. The delivery estimate is 45 minutes per pack at a labor cost of $40 an hour. Software costs $100 per month for the business, not per customer. Sales, founder time, taxes, and other overhead are not included in these figures. Neither customer has completed or renewed the pilot. No evidence establishes demand outside these interviews and purchases.
- Reported problem
Eight of twelve interviewed owners described handover difficulties.
This identifies a problem among the interviewees, not a market-wide prevalence rate.
- Initial demand
Two owners purchased a $600 pilot.
The purchase demonstrates willingness to pay for the stated pilot.
- Repeatability still open
Neither buyer has completed or renewed. The next evidence should examine delivery, usefulness, and a genuine repeat-purchase decision.
The remaining questions concern the next business stage.
Describe the observed behavior precisely before deciding what it justifies.
Test the reasoning
Read the fictional practice case
The Handover paid pilot Defend a testable proposal without overstating demand or economics.
Fictional practice case. Handover prepares job-handover packs for small service agencies. Twelve agency owners were interviewed: eight described difficulty handing work between staff, five expressed interest in a trial, and two signed a four-week paid pilot at $600 each. Each pilot covers ten packs and two hours of support. The delivery estimate is 45 minutes per pack at a labor cost of $40 an hour. Software costs $100 per month for the business, not per customer. Sales, founder time, taxes, and other overhead are not included in these figures. Neither customer has completed or renewed the pilot. No evidence establishes demand outside these interviews and purchases.
Your turn
Founder of Handover · Prospective buyer or investorAn investor calls the interviews “proof of demand.” Explain what the evidence supports and propose the next commercial test.
Read the fictional case: The Handover paid pilot
The Handover paid pilot Defend a testable proposal without overstating demand or economics.
Fictional practice case. Handover prepares job-handover packs for small service agencies. Twelve agency owners were interviewed: eight described difficulty handing work between staff, five expressed interest in a trial, and two signed a four-week paid pilot at $600 each. Each pilot covers ten packs and two hours of support. The delivery estimate is 45 minutes per pack at a labor cost of $40 an hour. Software costs $100 per month for the business, not per customer. Sales, founder time, taxes, and other overhead are not included in these figures. Neither customer has completed or renewed the pilot. No evidence establishes demand outside these interviews and purchases.
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The interviews support… The purchases establish… They do not yet establish… The next test should…
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The Handover paid pilot Defend a testable proposal without overstating demand or economics.
Read the practice task and fictional case
An investor calls the interviews “proof of demand.” Explain what the evidence supports and propose the next commercial test.
Fictional practice case. Handover prepares job-handover packs for small service agencies. Twelve agency owners were interviewed: eight described difficulty handing work between staff, five expressed interest in a trial, and two signed a four-week paid pilot at $600 each. Each pilot covers ten packs and two hours of support. The delivery estimate is 45 minutes per pack at a labor cost of $40 an hour. Software costs $100 per month for the business, not per customer. Sales, founder time, taxes, and other overhead are not included in these figures. Neither customer has completed or renewed the pilot. No evidence establishes demand outside these interviews and purchases.
Your response
You can return to the practice whenever you want.
One model response
The interviews reveal a handover problem among eight of the twelve owners we spoke to, and two owners paid for the specific pilot. That is a reason to test the service, but it does not establish repeat demand or a representative market conversion rate. Deliver the pilots, measure the work required, and offer a real follow-on purchase on clear terms.
Reported problems and purchases support different claims.
The response explains what remains outside the evidence.
The proposed test connects usefulness, delivery economics, and an actual purchase decision.
The model preserves the positive significance of paid pilots while choosing evidence that can advance the business decision.
Review the performance
- EvidenceI distinguish interest, purchase, and renewal.
- InferenceI preserve the scope of the interview group.
- Test designI propose a test relevant to the next commitment.
Choose one move to improve, revise your response, then try it aloud.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating positive interview comments as revenue.
- Dismissing a small paid test as having no evidentiary value.
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