I think you will agree it is very important to know who your best customers are because that is who you are looking for; and you will not waste time talking to people who are not interested. Mark Twain said, “Don’t try to teach a pig to sing, it’s a waste of your time and it annoys the pig.” Most of us have annoyed a lot of pigs. Take the time to know your personas.
Can you describe your ideal customer? Do you have a profile, a written document that you can share with your your employees? Have you memorized what this customer looks like so that you will stay focused and not go off chasing pigs?
HubSpots definition: A buyer to know your personas is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers. When creating your buyer persona(s), consider including customer demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals. The more detailed you are, the better.
Start by creating a single persona. Use basic demographics, which are representative of a segment of your typical customers if possible. If you have a wide variety of customers, focus on a few which represent the most common or the most preferred. Give your personas a name. For this article I will use a persona named Libby.
Begin by listing her traits. Be specific, as if you were describing a friend, because you want the persona to resemble a real person when completed and not a simplification. She needs an exact age, title, career, income and residence. What does a day in the life of Libby look like?
By using a name you and your staff will know immediately whom you are talking about as if she were an actual person. For marketing purposes it is good to have a “persona wall” with a picture of Libby. Or pictures of various activities your persona is interested.
Next what is Libby’s buying style? What are Libby’s pain points? What can you help her solve? Where can she go for information? What experience is she looking for when purchasing your product? What is her most common objection when buying your service?
There are many buying styles but we are working one persona at a time and we are talking about Libby’s style. Libby makes decisions on the fly. She sees or experiences a car. She likes it and that’s it. She doesn’t spend time online checking mileage and consumer reports. She rides with a friend and the friend shares her buying experience. That is enough for Libby. She trusts her feelings. But persona Sharon’s style is to research the web, consumer reports, talk with knowledgeable friends and test drive. She is afraid of making the wrong choice. The customer’s journey to purchasing your product is a simple set of steps: Attract, Persuade, Close and Fulfill. Some of your prospects will complete the journey, others will become a lead and others will buy from a competitor. Why?
The more detailed you can be, the more focused and effective the advertising and marketing. It keeps everyone focused on your persona’s needs and your differentiation. Your personas and your brand are linked together. “The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer.” Peter Drucker, author, teacher, and marketing genius.
Know your personas
Advertise. It pays
About Ken Gasque
Ken Gasque is a brand image-maker, marketing planner and designer. Ken works with small companies and Fortune 500 companies who recognize the need to differentiate their products and services to stand out in a cluttered market. Ken is a highly visual, outside-the-box-thinker on advertising, branding and marketing—his work reflects his belief that “We buy with our eyes.” Ken writes and lectures on brands, design, images and brand development.
