Lesson plan · Entrepreneurship · Lesson 2
Customers and Market Research
Who has the problem, how many of them exist, and how to talk to them.
- 45 minutes
- Grades 9–12
- Beginner
- Activity: pairs
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Define a specific target customer
- Write interview questions about past behavior instead of hypotheticals
- Use competitor reviews to find unmet needs
Materials
- Slide deck and a projector
- Worksheet (one per student)
- Exit ticket slips (bottom of the worksheet)
Standards
- National Standards for Personal Financial Education (2021)
- Earning Income
- Texas TEKS §113.76 Personal Financial Literacy and Economics
- (5) The student discusses the opportunities available for entrepreneurship.
Topic-level alignment by FLC. How we map standards
Key vocabulary
- Target customer
- The specific group of people who have the problem most and are most likely to pay for a solution. "Everyone" isn't a target customer.
Background reading
The official sources this lesson is based on.
- Plan your business (opens in a new tab) · sba.gov
45-minute agenda
0–5 min
Warm-up
Post: ““Would you buy a $5 app that organizes your homework?” Why is that a weak research question?”
Teacher note: People say yes to be polite. Asking what they've actually done in the past gives honest answers.
5–15 min
Direct instruction
Present the lesson slides. Make sure students leave with these points:
- "Everyone" isn't a target customer.
- Ask about the past, not hypotheticals.
- Don't pitch during interviews — listen.
- Competitor reviews reveal unmet needs.
Use the “See it” slide (Weak vs. strong interview questions) to make the idea visual.
15–20 min
Worked example
Walk through “Marcus's 15 conversations” on the slides. Pause before the result and ask students to predict it.
20–32 min
Interview Swap
Format: pairs · 12 minutes
- Each student writes five questions about a partner's past behavior related to a problem (e.g., “When did you last…? How did you handle it? What was frustrating?”).
- Partner A interviews Partner B for four minutes without pitching any product; then switch.
- Each student writes down two exact quotes that surprised them.
- Share one quote per pair with the class.
What to look for: Good interviews stay on real past events and let the other person talk. Listen for pain, frequency, and workarounds.
32–37 min
Check for understanding
Use the question slides — or run them as a Four Corners game. Questions:
- Which interview question gives the most reliable information?
- What's the problem with that?
- Reading reviews of competitors can reveal what customers wish were better.
37–42 min
Discussion
- Why do people give overly positive answers when asked about someone's idea?
- Who would you interview first for a business idea of your own?
42–45 min
Exit ticket
Prompt: Name one rule for a good customer interview.
Differentiation
Common misconception
“My target customer is everyone.” If you target everyone, you can't find, reach, or understand anyone.
Support
Provide a bank of question starters (When did you last…, Tell me about…, What happened next…).
Extension
Read ten reviews of a competing product and list the three most common complaints.
Homework or make-up work
Students can complete the full interactive lesson — including its knowledge check — at learnwithflc.org/courses/entrepreneurship/customers-and-research. No account needed; progress saves on their device.