Marketing professionals have understood the importance of defining a target audience for years. Creating buyer profiles have been an instrumental tool in that regard, but a buyer persona is the difference-maker. Knowing how to create a buyer persona that works goes beyond the audience or industry and is the key to reaching prospective customers.
It Begins with the Buyer Profile, Ends with the Buyer Persona
The first step in creating a buyer persona will usually begin with the buyer profile. The buyer profile will help to define and focus on where those buyers are and how to connect with them. The buyer persona then will build on that data and begin to personalize and speak in a language those buyers know and understand.
That profile may highlight a region or company, but the buyer persona will reveal more about the people within that region or company. A profile could outline the wage median for an industry or the typical weather of a region. Yet the details about the potential buyers within that industry or region will remain a mystery. That is the goal of the buyer persona, to define, detail and assimilate those future customers.
Information is the Foundation of a Buyer Persona
There will be some speculation required along with some creative common sense, but the majority of creating your fictional buyer will be dictated by the information and data you collect. It is important to allow the data to direct this buyer representation while avoiding allowing our personal bias or ideas to influence this step of the process. Part of creating a persona that works is deeply rooted in fact. These are the points and details that will connect with the audience because they are drawn from facts about that audience.
The creation of this buyer profile will not only resonate with your buyers but it will also afford your marketing campaign very useful insights. Simply put, you wouldn't want to spend a great deal of time marketing your hunting knives to a persona that describes a 30-year-old mother who works in the accounting department for a company in downtown Chicago!
Maintaining the Buyer Persona
Of course that seems obvious, but that is obvious because of that buyer persona and the valuable information regarding your target market. The buyer persona will be an ongoing investigation, and ideally it will reflect not only the target buyers but the changes within those audiences. So now that you've created your buyer persona, how do you know if it is effective and working?
How to Determine if the Buyer Persona is Working
If your buyer persona is answering questions like where your buyers spend their time online, or helping to guide product and service development then it is effective. When the results are reflected in revenues - it is working. Creating an effective buyer persona that works will benefit everyone.
Providing a product or service that meets needs, answers questions or makes life better is a formula for success. The buyer persona is an essential part of that formula and the success of any marketing campaign. It isn't uncommon for this process to take some time and it may often need to be adjusted.
Regardless of your industry or what product and services you provide, a buyer persona will improve the success of your marketing efforts. That will equate to better and more useful products and services, happier customers and generate more revenue. If you are looking to improve your current buyer persona or would like to know more about how a buyer persona can help your business then contact us.
A Buyer Persona is the Key to Success
Know your market, know your buyers and know how to unlock the road to success. The key to a successful marketing campaign isn't in your product or service, it is found with your customers. A buyer persona that works will unlock the secret to reaching those buyers, and make them customers - giving you the keys to success.
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Rica Bouso
Rica harnesses her love of writing to create unique and engaging content. She can reach any audience through any form of media, and she I’ll give your brand the voice you’ve been looking for.
