What is a Buyer Persona?

discover how to create a buyer's persona - brightedgeBuyer personas are outlines of the different types of customers that convert for your business. Marketers use these models of your ideal customers to build targeted strategies.

When used correctly, buyer personas can help you better understand who you are writing content for and how to develop particular campaigns. Most companies create between 3-5 buyer personas. If you have significantly more than that, see if you are being too specific and try to merge a few groups together. If you do not have enough, look carefully at your company’s pain points and motivating factors. These factors are often key to differentiating between personas.

What does a buyer persona look like?

Creating a buyer persona involves going back over your sales records to gain a clear picture of the type of person who patronizes your business. You want to answer key questions about this type of customer that can help you identify pain points and motivations that caused them to buy your company’s products.

When you understand what people are looking for when they find your business, you will be able to create more targeted marketing campaigns.

It can often be helpful to go beyond just outlining the different motivations of a persona. Brands should understand the roles that these customers have at their organizations, including their budgets and background. The more information you can fill in for your persona, the easier it will be to imagine this persona as an actual person that you are selling to, rather than just an abstract thought.

What types of questions should I be able to answer about my buyer personas?

  • What is their role in their organization?
  • What is their budget?
  • What is the problem they are experiencing?
  • What do they want to accomplish with their purchase?
  • What are their pain points?
  • What is motivating them?

You should be able to collect a considerable amount of this information by reviewing your past customers and market research. Many brands also find it helpful to speak directly with their past customers. Ask them what brought them to the business and learn what matters most to them in a business transaction.

How do I create buyer personas?

  1. Look over your past customers and market research to learn who is most likely to target your brand.
  2. Use this information to create a full profile on a specific type of customer, including their pain points and motivations.
  3. Interview and survey customers to fill in any blanks to create a full picture.
  4. Aim to create 3-5 personas.
  5. Use these personas to guide your marketing efforts.

Buyer personas can be very helpful for brands to understand who they are marketing to and to what they will respond best. Take time to break down your customers and pinpoint the types of people you need to target to enhance your marketing efforts. Then, match your personas to their buyer’s journey to create targeted marketing campaigns.

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