Your Target Audience Has Personality, Let's Define It

It's hard to connect to the people we are trying to sell to. And it's even more difficult to find that perfect product your customers are going to line up to buy. This is why we need to create a buyer persona, to help us to understand the personality of our customers, and what makes them tick. 

In this video you learn step by step tasks on how to better understand the charecter of your customers, but more importantly you'll learn what motives them to act. 

Who Has Personality?

Have you ever met someone, and there was just something dynamic about them? They simply had a personality that just attracted people. What was it that drew you in? Why was their personality so magnetic? Maybe you are that person. What is your personality like? 

Now take a look at your business. What is the personality of the company you run? Is it magnetic where it attracts customer to you? Or is it a personality that people prefer not to do business with?

You know who else has a personality, your customers. What is their personality like, what motivates them to wake up every morning, what are their goals and passions? What problems do they face that they are trying to overcome? 

You see if we can understand the personality of our customers, then we can create customized messages that will connect and resonate with them. If we can understand what motivates them to act, then we can create products and solutions in line with this motivation. 

Business is about empathy. Understanding where your customer is and creating enjoyable solutions they are looking for. 

What is a Buyer Persona

A Buyer Persona, also referred to as User Profiles, may sound like something fancy but in reality, it is simply  a personality profile of our customers trying to understand what motivates them. In creating a buyer persona, we are trying to accomplish 2 things:

• Describe their personality
• Identify what motivates them

Here is a step by step task list on how to do this.

How to create a Buyer Persona

#1 Identify Segment

Ideally you want to create a separate buyer persona for each of your main segments. Remember, each segment will use your brand for different reasons, so most likely they will have different personalities. I know, I know. This may seem like a lot. But make it easy on yourself - start with one. Select one of the top segments you want to target. You can always go back to create buyer personas for other segments later. 

#2  Describe their Personality

• Demographics - These are the physical attributes of an individual. The number of demographics you use to describe your segments are endless, however you only need to use the ones that make the most sense for you. They can include, but are not limited to:
  • Age / Gender
  • Location
  • Occupation
  • Nationality / Race
  • Single / Married / Parent / Grandparent

• People - Who are the people in your segment’s life who are most important to them? For example, a parent might be their children; and athlete might be their teammates, ect. 
  • Who would they sacrifice for?
  • What do they want for them?

• Entertainment - What does your target do in their spare time?
  • What do they enjoy doing with their friends and family?
  • What do they find entertaining?

• Groups / Associations - What groups or associations does your target belong to? For example, Chambers of Commerce, professional groups (be specific as to what ones), PTA's (Parent / Teacher Association), Home Owners Associations, bible studies, church groups, athletic clubs, singing classes, ect
  • What people and brands do your target follow on social media?

• Rememberable Experiences - What past experiences are important to your segment? Example  Christmas time as a child by the fireplace with snow outside; a favorite family vacation; overcoming the odds to fulfill a goal.
  • Why were these experiences so memorable?

#3  Describe their Active Motivations

•  
• Passions - What is your target passionate about?
  • What is important to them?
  • What are their hobbies?
  • What are their interests?

• Goals - What are they trying to accomplish?
  • What are their ambitions?
  • What are the benefits of being able to accomplish this?

• Problems - What problems or challenges are your segment facing, what do they need help with?
  • What are the pains that result from these problems?
  • What is their biggest fear?

• FAQ - What are the most frequently asked questions your segment is asking?
  • What answers are they searching for online?

• Image - What is your segment's ideal persona, how do they want people to view them?
  • What image are they trying to portray?
  • What reputation do they want to have?

#4  Do It Again with Another Segment

Remember, you ideally want to have a buyer persona for all of your major segments. Once you have completed a persona for your first segment, select another leading segment to create a persona on. Now, you do not need to over extend yourself, especially if you are a local small business. However it is beneficial to have a profile on all of your leading segments. 

Now, when you create a marketing campaign, you can look at your buyer persona for that segment, and create engaging messages in line with their personalities (more on this in the MESSAGE section). Likewise, when you create new products or solutions, you can look at your buyer persona to see what issues they would like to solve or items they would like to buy (more on this in the SOLUTION section).