PMF Survey Template: 15 Essential Questions by Market Type

Creating an effective PMF survey goes far beyond asking the famous Sean Ellis question. While "How disappointed would you be if you could no longer use our product?" provides the headline metric, the real insights come from the supporting questions that reveal why customers value your product and how this varies across different markets and geographies.

This comprehensive guide provides you with battle-tested PMF survey templates, complete with geographic customizations and deployment strategies that have helped hundreds of companies measure and improve their product market fit.

The Complete PMF Survey Framework

Effective PMF surveys serve multiple purposes beyond just calculating the 40% threshold:

Primary Objectives

• Measure emotional attachment to your product
• Identify value drivers that create customer dependency
• Understand competitive landscape and alternatives
• Segment customers by satisfaction and geography
• Guide product development priorities
• Inform expansion strategy decisions

Geographic Considerations

Traditional PMF surveys miss critical regional variations:

• Cultural communication styles affect response patterns
• Market maturity levels influence customer expectations
• Competitive landscapes vary significantly by region
• Economic factors impact customer dependency and alternatives
• Regulatory environments shape product usage and satisfaction

Survey Success Metrics

Beyond the PMF score, track:

• Response rate by geography and segment
• Completion rate for multi-question surveys
• Qualitative insight quality from open-ended responses
• Actionability of feedback received
• Correlation with business metrics (retention, expansion, referrals)

Core PMF Survey Template

Section 1: Core PMF Measurement (Questions 1-3)

Question 1: Sean Ellis PMF Question

How would you feel if you could no longer use [Product Name]?

○ Very disappointed
○ Somewhat disappointed
○ Not disappointed
○ I no longer use [Product Name]

Geographic Notes: In high-context cultures (Japan, Germany), consider adding context: "Thinking about your current work situation and how you use [Product]..."

Question 2: Alternative Solution

What would you likely use as an alternative if [Product Name] was no longer available?

○ [Competitor 1 - if known in region]
○ [Competitor 2 - if known in region]
○ A different type of solution entirely
○ Manual processes or existing tools
○ Nothing - would go without this type of solution
○ Other: ___________

Geographic Customization: List regionally relevant competitors and alternatives based on local market research.

Question 3: Primary Benefit

What is the main benefit you receive from [Product Name]?

[Open text field - 2-3 sentence limit]

Analysis Tip: Look for consistent benefit themes within geographic regions vs. across all users.

Section 2: Customer Profile and Context (Questions 4-7)

Question 4: Geographic Location

What is your primary work location?

○ United States - West Coast
○ United States - East Coast
○ United States - Central/Mountain
○ Canada
○ United Kingdom
○ Germany
○ France
○ Netherlands
○ Australia
○ Singapore
○ Other: ___________

Customization: Adjust regions based on your target markets and customer base distribution.

Question 5: Company Size

What is the size of your company?

○ Solo/Freelancer (1 person)
○ Small team (2-10 people)
○ Small company (11-50 people)
○ Medium company (51-250 people)
○ Large company (251-1000 people)
○ Enterprise (1000+ people)

Question 6: Industry/Role Context

Which best describes your industry or role?

○ Technology/Software
○ Marketing/Advertising
○ Sales
○ Customer Success/Support
○ Product Management
○ Operations/Administrative
○ Consulting/Professional Services
○ Other: ___________

Question 7: Usage Frequency

How often do you typically use [Product Name]?

○ Multiple times per day
○ Daily
○ A few times per week
○ Weekly
○ A few times per month
○ Monthly or less

Section 3: Product Experience and Satisfaction (Questions 8-11)

Question 8: Feature Value Assessment

Which features of [Product Name] do you find most valuable? (Select up to 3)

□ [Core Feature 1]
□ [Core Feature 2]
□ [Core Feature 3]
□ [Integration Feature 1]
□ [Integration Feature 2]
□ [Advanced Feature 1]
□ [Advanced Feature 2]
□ Other: ___________

Geographic Note: Feature preferences often vary by region based on market maturity and local business practices.

Question 9: Improvement Priorities

What is the most important improvement [Product Name] could make?

[Open text field - 1-2 sentence limit]

Question 10: Recommendation Likelihood (NPS)

How likely are you to recommend [Product Name] to a colleague?

0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
(Not likely)                    (Extremely likely)

Question 11: Customer Journey Stage

How long have you been using [Product Name]?

○ Less than 1 month
○ 1-3 months
○ 3-6 months
○ 6-12 months
○ 1-2 years
○ More than 2 years

Section 4: Market Context and Expansion Insights (Questions 12-15)

Question 12: Product Category Familiarity

Before using [Product Name], how familiar were you with this type of solution?

○ Very familiar - had used similar products before
○ Somewhat familiar - knew these solutions existed
○ Not familiar - [Product Name] introduced me to this category
○ Still learning - relatively new to this type of solution

Geographic Insight: Market maturity varies significantly by region. Newer markets show different patterns.

Question 13: Team/Organization Adoption

How widely is [Product Name] used in your organization?

○ Just me
○ My immediate team (2-5 people)
○ My department (6-20 people)
○ Multiple departments (20+ people)
○ Company-wide adoption
○ Not sure/Don't know

Question 14: Decision-Making Influence

What was your role in the decision to use [Product Name]?

○ I made the decision independently
○ I was the primary recommender/evaluator
○ I provided input but others decided
○ The decision was made for me
○ Not sure/Don't remember

Question 15: Geographic Expansion Insight

Are there colleagues in other locations/countries who could benefit from [Product Name]?

○ Yes, definitely - in [specify countries/regions]
○ Possibly - would need to understand their specific needs
○ No - our use case is location-specific
○ Not sure - don't know enough about other locations

Follow-up for "Yes" responses: Which locations? [Open text field]

Geographic Market Customizations

High-Context Cultures (Japan, Korea, Germany, France)

Communication Style Adaptations:

Modified Sean Ellis Question:

Considering your current work responsibilities and how [Product Name] fits into your daily activities, if [Product Name] was no longer available, how would you describe the impact on your work?

○ Significant disruption - would substantially affect my effectiveness
○ Noticeable impact - would require finding alternative approaches
○ Minor inconvenience - could work around it relatively easily
○ Minimal impact - rarely essential to my work

Enhanced Context Questions:

• Add background context to each major question
• Provide examples of response types
• Include range descriptions for rating scales
• Offer "prefer not to answer" options more frequently

Direct Communication Cultures (US, Netherlands, Australia, UK)

Streamlined Approach:

Concise Sean Ellis Question:

Bottom line: If [Product Name] disappeared tomorrow, you'd be...

○ Very disappointed
○ Somewhat disappointed
○ Not disappointed
○ Indifferent (don't really use it)

Direct Value Questions:

• Keep questions short and specific
• Use conversational language
• Avoid excessive context or explanation
• Focus on actionable responses

Emerging Markets Adaptations

Economic Context Considerations:

Price-Sensitive Value Question:

Considering the cost of [Product Name], how do you feel about the value you receive?

○ Excellent value - worth significantly more than I pay
○ Good value - worth what I pay
○ Fair value - worth about what I pay
○ Poor value - worth less than I pay
○ Very poor value - not worth the cost

Alternative Solution Context:

If [Product Name] was not available, what would be your most realistic alternative?

○ A paid competitor (specify): ___________
○ A free alternative (specify): ___________
○ Manual processes/existing tools
○ Would go without this functionality
○ Would need to hire additional staff/services

Regional Competition Customizations

North America Template:

• Include major SaaS competitors by category
• Reference enterprise vs. SMB solution alternatives
• Consider freemium vs. paid alternative options

Europe Template:

• Include GDPR/privacy-focused alternatives
• Reference local/national competitors
• Consider open-source alternatives more prominently

Asia-Pacific Template:

• Include region-specific platforms and solutions
• Reference mobile-first alternatives
• Consider local payment and integration requirements

Industry-Specific Survey Variants

B2B SaaS Template Modifications

Role-Specific Value Questions:

For Decision Makers:

How has [Product Name] impacted your team's ability to achieve business objectives?

○ Significantly improved our results and efficiency
○ Moderately improved our performance
○ Minor positive impact
○ No meaningful impact
○ Actually created some challenges

For End Users:

How has [Product Name] affected your daily work experience?

○ Makes my job much easier and more effective
○ Provides helpful improvements to my workflow
○ Minor improvements with occasional benefits
○ No real change to how I work
○ Sometimes makes things more complicated

Consumer Product Template Modifications

Lifestyle Integration Questions:

How well does [Product Name] fit into your daily routine?

○ Has become an essential part of my routine
○ Regularly useful in specific situations
○ Occasionally helpful when I remember to use it
○ Rarely fits naturally into my day
○ Often forget I have it

Social/Sharing Context:

Have you recommended [Product Name] to friends or family?

○ Yes, multiple times - I actively promote it
○ Yes, a few times when relevant situations came up
○ Once or twice when directly asked
○ No, but I would if asked
○ No, and I probably wouldn't recommend it

Enterprise Software Template Modifications

Organizational Impact Questions:

How has [Product Name] affected your organization's [relevant metric - efficiency, compliance, revenue, etc.]?

○ Significant positive impact with measurable results
○ Moderate positive impact
○ Some positive impact but hard to measure
○ No meaningful organizational impact
○ Some negative impact or complications

Integration and Workflow Questions:

How well does [Product Name] integrate with your existing tools and processes?

○ Seamlessly integrates - feels like a natural extension
○ Generally integrates well with minor adjustments needed
○ Requires some workarounds but manageable
○ Requires significant process changes
○ Creates integration challenges and friction

Advanced Segmentation Questions

Customer Success and Expansion Indicators

Expansion Revenue Potential:

If [Product Name] offered additional features that could help with [related use case], how interested would you be?

○ Very interested - would likely purchase additional features
○ Somewhat interested - would want to learn more
○ Might be interested depending on features and price
○ Not very interested - current features meet my needs
○ Not interested - prefer focused solutions

Account Expansion Signals:

Are there other teams or departments in your organization that might benefit from [Product Name]?

○ Yes, definitely - several teams could use this
○ Yes, possibly - one or two teams might benefit
○ Maybe - would need to understand their specific needs
○ Probably not - our use case is quite specific
○ No - other teams have different requirements

Competitive Intelligence Questions

Competitive Evaluation Context:

When evaluating [Product Name], what other solutions did you seriously consider?

□ [Competitor 1]
□ [Competitor 2]
□ [Competitor 3]
□ Building in-house solution
□ Manual processes/existing tools
□ Didn't evaluate alternatives
□ Other: ___________

Competitive Advantage Perception:

Compared to alternatives you're aware of, what makes [Product Name] different or better?

[Open text field - 2-3 sentence limit]

Market Maturity and Timing Questions

Market Timing Assessment:

How ready do you think your industry/market is for this type of solution?

○ Very ready - widespread adoption and understanding
○ Somewhat ready - growing awareness and adoption
○ Getting ready - early adopters starting to use these solutions
○ Not quite ready - still early for most organizations
○ Too early - market hasn't recognized the need yet

Category Education Needs:

How much education or explanation do you typically need to provide when discussing [Product Category] with colleagues?

○ None - everyone understands what this is
○ Minimal - just need to explain specific benefits
○ Some - need to explain the category and our specific solution
○ Significant - need to educate on why this category matters
○ Extensive - constantly explaining both problem and solution

Survey Deployment Best Practices

Timing and Frequency Strategy

Optimal Survey Timing:

New Customers:

• Week 2-3 after first meaningful use
• Avoid first week (still learning) and beyond 4 weeks (honeymoon period over)
• Ensure they've used core features at least 2-3 times

Existing Customers:

• Quarterly for active customers
• Bi-annually for less active customers
• Post-renewal for enterprise customers
• After major product updates (6-8 weeks after release)

Geographic Timing Considerations:

• Local business hours for higher response rates (send between 9 AM - 3 PM local time)
• Cultural holidays and vacation periods
• Local business calendars (fiscal year ends, industry events)
• Seasonal variations in product usage

Multi-Channel Deployment Strategy

Primary Channels (in order of effectiveness):

1. In-app notifications (highest engagement, best for active users)
2. Email campaigns (broad reach, good for segmentation)
3. Customer success team outreach (high quality responses, relationship building)
4. Support ticket follow-ups (contextual, timely feedback)

Channel-Specific Optimizations:

In-App Surveys:

• Keep to 3-5 core questions maximum
• Use progressive disclosure for longer surveys
• Implement smart timing (after successful actions)
• Provide clear value proposition for participation

Email Campaigns:

• Personalize with customer name and usage data
• Include survey length estimate and incentive if offering
• Use mobile-optimized design
• A/B test subject lines and send times

Customer Success Outreach:

• Train CS team on survey objectives and question interpretation
• Provide scripts for phone-based survey administration
• Combine with regular check-in calls
• Follow up on concerning responses immediately

Response Rate Optimization

Target Response Rates by Channel:

• In-app: 15-25%
• Email: 10-20%
• Customer success: 40-60%
• Support follow-up: 25-35%

Tactics to Improve Response Rates:

Survey Design:

• Lead with value proposition: "Help us improve [Product] for users like you"
• Show progress: "Question 2 of 8" or progress bar
• Estimate completion time: "2-3 minutes" (and stick to it)
• Mobile optimization: Ensure excellent mobile experience

Incentives (use judiciously):

• Product credits or extended trials
• Early access to new features
• Exclusive content or reports
• Charitable donations on behalf of respondents

Follow-up Strategy:

• First reminder: 3-4 days after initial send
• Second reminder: 7-10 days after initial send
• Final reminder: 14 days after initial send
• Vary messaging and channels for reminders

Geographic Response Pattern Considerations

Cultural Response Behaviors:

High Response Cultures:

• Germany, Netherlands: Typically high response rates, detailed feedback
• Japan, Korea: Lower response rates but very thoughtful responses
• Australia, US: Moderate response rates, direct feedback

Response Quality Variations:

• Detailed feedback: Germany, Japan, Nordic countries
• Direct feedback: US, Australia, Netherlands
• Polite/diplomatic: UK, Canada, many Asian markets
• Context-heavy: Japan, Korea, Germany

Regional Follow-up Strategies:

• High-context cultures: Provide more explanation for non-response follow-ups
• Direct cultures: Clear, concise follow-up messages
• Relationship-focused cultures: Follow up through account managers rather than automated emails

Response Analysis Framework

Basic PMF Calculation and Segmentation

Overall PMF Score Calculation:

PMF Score = (Number of "Very Disappointed" Responses / Total Valid Responses) × 100%

Example: 45 very disappointed ÷ 120 total responses = 37.5% PMF Score

Geographic Segmentation Analysis:

Region | Responses | Very Disappointed | PMF Score | Status
-------|-----------|-------------------|-----------|--------
US West | 35 | 18 | 51.4% | Strong PMF ✓
US East | 28 | 13 | 46.4% | Strong PMF ✓
Europe | 32 | 11 | 34.4% | Weak PMF ⚠️
APAC | 25 | 8 | 32.0% | No PMF ❌

Advanced Segmentation Analysis

Multi-Dimensional Segmentation:

By Company Size and Geography:

           | US | Europe | APAC
-----------|----|---------|-----
Enterprise | 52% | 41% | 38%
SMB        | 49% | 31% | 28%
Startup    | 46% | 29% | 25%

By Industry and Geography:

              | US | Europe | APAC
--------------|----|---------|-----
Technology    | 54% | 42% | 35%
Marketing     | 48% | 33% | 30%
Professional  | 44% | 35% | 32%

Qualitative Response Analysis

Theme Identification by Geography:

Common Response Themes by Region:

US Market Themes:

• "Saves time and increases productivity"
• "Easy to use and intuitive interface"
• "Good value for the price"
• "Integrates well with our existing tools"

European Market Themes:

• "Reliable and secure solution"
• "Good customer support and service"
• "Compliant with our data requirements"
• "Professional and enterprise-focused"

APAC Market Themes:

• "Mobile-friendly and accessible"
• "Adapts to our local business practices"
• "Cost-effective for our market"
• "Good training and onboarding support"

Theme Analysis Framework:

1. Categorize responses by theme and sentiment
2. Identify regional patterns in language and priorities
3. Map themes to product features and positioning
4. Prioritize improvements based on theme frequency and geographic importance

Correlation Analysis with Business Metrics

PMF Score Correlation Tracking:

Retention Rate by PMF Score:

PMF Score Range | 1-Month Retention | 6-Month Retention | 12-Month Retention
50%+ | 95% | 89% | 82%
40-49% | 91% | 82% | 74%
35-39% | 84% | 71% | 58%
<35% | 76% | 52% | 34%

Customer Lifetime Value by PMF Score:

PMF Score Range | Average CLV | Expansion Rate | Referral Rate
50%+ | $2,400 | 35% | 28%
40-49% | $1,800 | 22% | 18%
35-39% | $1,200 | 12% | 8%
<35% | $800 | 5% | 3%

Geographic Performance Correlation:

• Strong PMF regions: Higher CLV, lower CAC, better expansion rates
• Weak PMF regions: Higher churn, lower expansion, higher support costs
• No PMF regions: Negative unit economics, high churn, poor growth

Common Survey Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Survey Design Problems

Leading Questions: ❌ Wrong: "How much do you love our amazing new feature?" ✅ Right: "How would you rate the usefulness of our new feature?"

Too Many Questions: ❌ Wrong: 25+ question surveys with 10% completion rates ✅ Right: 8-12 core questions with 20%+ completion rates

Cultural Insensitivity: ❌ Wrong: Identical surveys across all cultures and languages ✅ Right: Culturally adapted questions and response options

Mistake 2: Timing and Distribution Errors

Survey Fatigue: ❌ Wrong: Monthly surveys to all customers ✅ Right: Quarterly surveys with rotated segments

Poor Timing: ❌ Wrong: Surveying during onboarding or immediately after issues ✅ Right: Surveying after customers have established usage patterns

Single Channel Reliance: ❌ Wrong: Email-only distribution ✅ Right: Multi-channel approach optimized for each segment

Mistake 3: Analysis and Action Problems

Ignoring Geographic Segments: ❌ Wrong: Only calculating overall PMF scores ✅ Right: Analyzing PMF by geography, size, industry, and tenure

No Follow-up Actions: ❌ Wrong: Collecting data but not changing strategy ✅ Right: Setting clear action triggers based on PMF thresholds

Insufficient Sample Sizes: ❌ Wrong: Making decisions on 10-15 responses per region ✅ Right: Ensuring 30+ responses per significant segment

Mistake 4: Cultural Misinterpretation

Assuming Universal Disappointment Expression: ❌ Wrong: Expecting identical response patterns across cultures ✅ Right: Understanding cultural communication patterns and adapting interpretation

Missing Context: ❌ Wrong: Comparing raw scores across very different markets ✅ Right: Considering market maturity, competition, and cultural factors

One-Size-Fits-All Approach: ❌ Wrong: Identical surveys and analysis across all regions ✅ Right: Regional customization with local market expertise

Conclusion: Building Your PMF Survey Strategy

Effective PMF surveys go far beyond the core Sean Ellis question. They provide a comprehensive view of customer satisfaction, regional variations, and expansion opportunities that can guide your entire growth strategy.

Your PMF Survey Implementation Checklist:

Survey Design:

• Customize core template for your product and market
• Adapt questions for target geographic regions
• Test survey with small group before broad deployment
• Optimize for mobile experience
• Set up geographic and segment tracking

Deployment Strategy:

• Choose optimal timing for each customer segment
• Plan multi-channel distribution approach
• Set up automated follow-up sequences
• Train customer success team on survey objectives
• Prepare response rate tracking and optimization

Analysis Framework:

• Set up PMF score calculation by geography and segment
• Create qualitative response analysis process
• Establish correlation tracking with business metrics
• Define action triggers for different PMF score ranges
• Plan regular review and iteration schedule

Key Success Factors:

1. Geographic customization is essential for global companies
2. Regular measurement beats one-time surveys
3. Multi-dimensional analysis provides richer insights than overall scores
4. Action-oriented approach turns data into growth strategies
5. Cultural sensitivity improves response quality and interpretation

The companies that master geographic PMF measurement will have a significant advantage in global expansion. Start with these templates, adapt them for your market and culture, and build a systematic approach to understanding where and why you have product market fit.

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