It’s easy to throw up your hands when it comes to people. Everyone seems to want something different, and no one’s ever on the same page. But swallowing your pride and delving a little deeper into different buyer personas is definitely a better approach than writing off your customer base — especially if you were hoping to turn a profit. Find out more about what they are, and you how you can use them to your advantage.
What Are They?
Buyer personas are a way of truly defining who your customers are. You’re looking to find the most specific strategy possible to get your customers onboard with your product. Ideally, people are looking for one-to-one messaging when it comes to marketing. They want your brand to speak to them and no one else. Sound impossible? See how you can get started.
Zoom Out
Before you zoom in on just one single person, you need to start with a slightly larger playing field. Defining the age of the person, their financial background, and their physical location is always going to be the best way to get started. A 5-person family who nets $30,000 a year isn’t likely to be interested in your luxury product, and a 55-year-old man is probably not going to be excited about your new take on a selfie stick.
Are there exceptions to every rule? Of course! But that doesn’t mean you can’t use this initial data as a jumping-off point.
Zoom In
The next step is going to seem a little cheesy, but it’s necessary. You need to start narrowing down on your ideal target base. Give the person a name, and then start filling in the details. For example, you’re marketing to Jack Q. He works as a plumber for $40,000 a year, and he’s 45-years old. He enjoys feeling useful with his hands but doesn’t always have the time to fix things around the house. He drives the car his father gave him, and he rarely spends money on luxury items. He’s married with two kids, and enjoys watching “This Old House” in his spare time.
Now you know what this person’s priorities are (and what they aren’t.) It makes it easier for you to decide what this person needs exactly. If you were advertising a DIY solution to this person, you might focus in on how it still lets the user be handy but actually saves them time when it comes to repairs. If you were looking for ways to advertise, you should be focusing on either DIY television shows or websites.
Need a little help getting started? Click here!
