“Who else should I talk to about this?”
From Rob Fitzpatrick · Author of The Mom Test
Why it works
Fitzpatrick's central rule is that compliments are worthless and commitments are everything — a meeting only counts if the other person gives up something they value: time, reputation, or money. A personal introduction costs reputation: the person is staking their standing with a colleague or friend on you being worth the connection. People who liked the chat but don't really believe will deflect ('let me think about who…'); people who see the value will name someone and offer to send the email. So the same question that builds your next conversations also sorts genuine advocates from agreeable strangers — at zero cost and before you've built anything.
When to ask
At the very end of every customer conversation that went well. It's both how you keep your interview pipeline alive and a quiet test of whether the person you just spoke to is a champion or merely polite.
Good follow-ups
- Would you be comfortable introducing me, or is it better if I reach out myself?
- What should I know about them before we talk?
- What is it about this that made them come to mind?
Watch out for
Accepting a vague 'I'll have a think and get back to you' as a yes — it's a no. The recovery is to make the commitment concrete and small right there: 'Is there one person who comes to mind? Happy to draft the intro so it's one click for you.' If even that stalls, that's your finding: the enthusiasm wasn't real, and you've learned it without chasing dead leads for weeks.
Where to ask
- User interviewgreat
Its native habitat — asked live at the end of a good conversation, a willing introduction is a costly commitment the person actually has to spend reputation on, which is the signal.
- Sales callworkable
Doubles as a champion test on a discovery or win-loss call; an offered intro is a real advancement, but mind the pitch dynamic — a polite 'I'll think about it' is a no.
- In-product surveypoor
Asynchronous and low-stakes; you get names with no commitment behind them and no way to read the warmth of the handoff. The signal lives in whether they'll personally make the intro, which a survey field can't capture.
Reworded for this context: “Is there someone specific you'd be willing to introduce me to about this?”
Pairs well with
Stage: Champion · A question popularized by Rob Fitzpatrick
Source: https://www.momtestbook.com/