When you run a successful business, the world is your oyster. Gazing across a busy street is no longer just people-watching - it’s a snapshot into the hordes of potential buyers ready to fall in love with your brand.
As exciting as that is, it can also feel slightly overwhelming. How are you going to appeal to so many people? What sort of strategy enables you to catch their attention in a meaningful way?
Introducing: Buyer Personas
What Are Buyer Personas?
Buyer personas allow you to condense those crowds into just a handful of representatives. Think of it like politics – large groups of people with similar values and ideologies are represented by a single face.
To start, divide your target audience into subsections, with each buyer persona representing a distinct type of consumer within your market.
Each of these buyer personas should be fully realized, complete with a name, interests, behaviours, and demographic details. They have distinct goals, desires, pain points, and buying preferences. It’s often helpful to give each buyer persona a physical representation, too, allowing you to put a face to the name and really start to think about each persona as a living, breathing customer.
Why Are Buyer Personas Important?
A common pitfall made by small business owners is the assumption that the consumer is exactly like you when, in fact, that’s rarely the case. Remember how we said that your website copy isn’t about you? It’s like that.
Buyer personas help you pinpoint the various types of customers within your wider target market. By directing your branding and marketing efforts toward those defined personas, you avoid the common error of making decisions based on what you like rather than what your customers do.
These buyer personas will influence all areas of business, from your product development to the 4Vs of brand strategy – values, vision, visuals, and voice.
Ready to develop a comprehensive brand strategy that speaks to your target audience? Get started with The Brand Brew’s Brand Development Experience and make a lasting impact on each of those buyer personas.
How To Determine Your Buyer Personas?
It all starts with research. Look to your social media metrics, Google Analytics data, and your existing customer database to determine some key elements of your buyer personas.
If you’re early in your business journey and don’t have these data points to consult, you can look at your unique selling proposition and brand archetype to build an image of your buyer personas. These personas don’t have to be static - as your business develops and you gain information, use those insights to revisit your buyer personas and tweak them as needed.
Imagine you’re operating a monthly subscription box business called VegOut, dedicated to helping customers relax and practice self-care using all plant-based products.
Let’s create an example buyer persona and explore the most important factors to consider.
1. Demographics
Basic demographics can tell you much about a person and how they experience the world. Consider a person’s age, gender, location, education, and family status.
Let’s call our example buyer persona “Alice.” Based on our research, we can determine that Alice is a single 30-year-old woman based in Toronto, Ontario, who holds a bachelor's degree.
2. Psychographics
Demographics describe Alice on paper. Psychographics, however, dig into who she really is as a person.
This step focuses on the buyer’s personality, values, opinions, attitudes, and interests. Alice has moderate political views and values sustainability. She’s attracted to positive, upbeat attitudes. Her interests include hiking, cooking, and animals.
3. Professional Status
Professional status can be defined in many ways. You might focus on the buyer’s industry, job title, level of seniority, or annual income.
In getting to know Alice better, we learn that she’s a mid-level employee working in a hybrid healthcare industry role.
4. Pain Points
Now, analyze the specific challenges that prevent buyers from reaching their goals or meeting their needs. This includes obstacles, frustrations, and inconveniences.
For Alice, she struggles with time management and balancing her busy lifestyle. Her inconsistent work dynamic leaves her feeling chronically stressed, and she needs solutions to help her manage her schedule and practice self-care.
5. Influences and Sources
To harness data about influences and sources, determine where your buyer spends their time, where they source their information, and who they trust. A crucial factor in marketing, this information is very valuable and should influence your content placement, customer communication, and advertising.
Alice, for instance, leans toward Twitter and Pinterest for her social media, and she’s an avid reader of The New Yorker. She follows influencers who focus on interior design and vegetarian cooking, and every year, she participates in her favourite event, the Tough Mudder Run.
Elevate Your Brand with Buyer Personas
Now that we’ve painted a detailed portrait of Alice, you can adapt your branding and marketing efforts with intention. Remember, although Alice is a fictional character - the data behind her and the buyers she represents are very much real.
Alice is just one of a handful of buyer personas, each representing a specific subset that exists within your audience. With a clear understanding of the various personas, similarities, and differences, you can tailor your efforts and connect with your audience like never before.
Buyer personas are your secret weapon when it comes to crafting a brand identity that resonates with your target audience. At The Brand Brew™, we’re your partner in all things branding in Waterdown, ON and beyond. Contact us to define your buyer personas, transform your branding, and start making an impact.