When you talk with potential customers, encourage the flow of ideas; don’t restrain them or try to gain a commitment. If the potential customer senses you are trying to sell them something, they will change their behavior; they will either say little or say things that are related to the market opportunity you seem to be presenting them, rather than providing you with new, innovative ideas for markets. As a result, you will get less market data, and what you do get will be biased.
