Are you (like many other marketers) unsure of how to write your content because you do not really know whom you are writing for? Or do you recognize yourself as having a lot of interesting data but not really knowing what to do with it? You are definitely not alone. We know that you know the target group in general, but the question is whether you know them on a more detailed level. It can be difficult to figure out how to segment your customers if you do not know how. Using buyer personas can be the solution that makes data become conversions.

Let us briefly describe what buyer personas are…

A buyer persona is a search-based profile that describes a specific customer group. A buyer persona describes your ideal customer (and your worst customer), how they make decisions and what their needs are.

It sounds simple and straight forward, right? Developing a buyer persona is often not always as easy as it sounds – it can often be quite difficult.

A buyer persona is based on market research and existing information about your customers. A buyer persona contains information about, among other things, demographics, goals, behaviors and what motivates them. A buyer personas (or several) are developed so that a company can better understand and respond to its customers.

Your customers make decisions in different ways and have different criteria when it comes to a product or service. Not all customers are the same and you therefore need to create a strategy for how to address their needs. For this reason, many companies choose to produce more than one persona.

Why should you create buy buyer personas?

What the sales process looks like today compared to the past is enormous. In the past, you went into a physical store and bought what you wanted – even though many still do today, the process looks very different. Today, customers actively seek out their own information about the product or service they are going to buy. They know what they want and what options are available on the market. They compare, think, see where they get the best service and if they can relate to the company they are going to buy from.

We do not just buy a product today, we buy the whole experience and the company. It is a much tougher competition today compared to a decade ago. Customers gravitate more towards a company they trust – and a good way to build trust is by understanding your customers and caring about them.

But is it really necessary?

You probably want to hear no, but yes, I would probably say so. Even if you are self-employed and work alone at your company, it is good to have an understanding for your customers. You probably know what they are, but with the help of buyer personas, you can target your marketing in a completely different way.

For example, you run a café where you have your regular customers, you have a website and some social media channel you post on. You notice that most people who visit your café are new mothers in the 25-30 age group who come there and have coffee with their friends.

You want to continue to have this target group as your customers and can now tailor and shape your content on your channels especially for them.

If you know your target audience is on a particular channel – make sure to be there. Always be where your customers are. Are they active on Twitter? Yes, then you should be seen there. Are they active on Instagram but rarely Facebook? Focus less on Facebook and more on Instagram. Connect with your customers using the same type of language and words as them.

By keeping a close eye on where your customers are in their shopping journey, you can be there early in the process and meet them along the way. And of course with the right content at the right time.

Short summary

Using buyer personas helps your company move forward and get to know your customers. Now you know where to market yourself, how to talk to them and when they are receptive. Not only that, you save money in the form that you do not have to run unnecessary marketing and you do not waste your resources in form of staff. Do not forget that it is the buyer’s market and you need to create trust with your customers that makes you the obvious choice for them.