One of the first steps in a marketing strategy is to determine the target group. It has been known for some time that if you target marketing at the group of ‘fathers’ or ‘people with computers’, you will not reach the entire group. To understand the needs of your target group, make a sketch of your ideal customer. We call this the buyer persona. After this explanation, you will create your perfect persona in no time!
The buyer persona is created based on research. Set up a brainstorming session to find out which characteristics are evident in the current customer base. See if you can enter into conversation with (regular) customers to get to know them better in other areas. Write up the brainstorming sessions and interviews in the form of a story. After reading, you should know the buyer persona almost as well as your best friend! Include the following information:
Day-to-day life
What does your persona do in everyday life? What job do they have, and what skills do they need? What are their responsibilities? Are they a decision-maker or an influencer? Check out the Decision-Making Unit (DMU) model to determine this. Also, think about who your persona is dealing with at work. Basically, what does a typical workday look like?
Company X
Describe the company in which Person X (think of an appropriate name) is employed. Describe the working environment in which they will work. The size, location and corporate culture can be the focus.
Personal Background
Why is it important to know that your fictional person has two dogs and a goldfish? This is how you find out where the common ground is. What does the persona do outside of work? It is good to know your priorities and possible concerns and what you can do to generate interest. Hobbies are also suitable for this. Age, education and social environment can help you determine the tone of voice.
Goals and challenges
Where does your buyer persona want to go? And what is (still) blocking their path? Describe this elaborately: this is essential information for writing well-tuned content. Describe what the persona needs to achieve their goals and deal with challenges.
Online behaviour
And finally, where can you find them? How does your persona get information? This could include blogs, articles, news platforms. But also, whether the persona is active on social media, and if so, on which channels and how often?
Now that your persona has been established, you can move on to telling your story.
If you are struggling to draw up your buyer persona, we're here to help! Feel free to get in touch.