How To Build A Buyer Persona

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SO WHAT IS A BUYER PERSONA ANYWAY?

A buyer persona is an overview of your ideal customer, their wants, needs, desires, fears and thinking processes. The more detailed the buyer persona the more likely you will fully understand the people you are speaking to. While many people who do not fit this description may also purchase your products, you must understand one larger group of people will be more dedicated to your product or service than any other group of consumers.

Let’s start with an example: Apple sells electronics, Apple electronics are popular amongst consumers, however, the largest consumers of Apple technology is young adults aged 18–34. While this may be a large age gap, understand this group of mostly people living in North America has flocked to apple as a community rather than a faceless technology company. Apple was smart enough to notice their products build more than just technology and quickly adapted their message to convey that Apple is a family and not just a company. This could not have resonated better with their target audience because sales continue to increase yearly.

HOW TO CREATE A BUYER PERSONA

Unlike most things related to digital marketing, buyer personas are quite easy. Start by looking at what you already know works. If your brand/service has had past success, see why and who it targeted, odds are these individuals will hold the same values as the consumers today. If this is your first launch, choose who you would like to target. Understand that you can’t target children because they don’t have money to spend, not to mention the moral implications associated. Let’s say you choose males aged 18–25. Now that you have chosen an age group, you must step into their shoes, think like them, write like them, consume the same media they enjoy. By pretending to be who you are talking to, you will gain much stronger insights and fully understand their lingo instead of coming off as disingenuous. A great way to begin understanding your target market is to go online to websites they visit or even talk to them outside. By simple starting small conversations you will…

UNDERSTAND THEIR LINGO

Become aware of the mechanisms that cause them to act/react Find insights you would have never thought of otherwise Learn about new technologies and platforms used by your consumer Develop a mind that doesn’t talk to the target but talks with them.

Now that I have the info what do I do with it?

Once you have enough insights for your buyer persona, build a collage of your buyer to remind yourself who they are, what they value, and why. By doing this it will help keep the tone of your ads and content on point with who you are speaking to. Often we get sidetracked and begin to lose the tone of our consumer, this can kill an entire campaign, by understanding your consumer you are able to create content they not only enjoy but acutely seek out. By doing this like Apple, you are now creating a community and that is something only the pros do.

Originally published at spacetree.ca on September 19, 2017.