Buyer Persona Development Part 3: Creating Customer Profiles

Follow these steps to help you create meaningful customer profiles:

• Give each persona a name: A descriptive name can help trigger a reminder of the thoughts and feelings that each persona is likely to have. For example, if you have one persona named Mama Mary and another called Jet-setter Jane, you can quickly associate each profile with their likely behavior.

• Describe each persona in detail: The more you know about your ideal customer personas, the better you will be able to develop the marketing messages that are most likely to speak to them. Include demographic data, a description of their day-to-day activities, the elements in their lives that they feel are most important, and any other details that will help your marketing team better understand your customers.

• Use an image: Names are helpful, but a graphic can also be powerful. You might use photos of actual customers, stock imagery that represents them, or even cartoon characters that match each personas description.

• Know how to identify personas: An important part of buyer persona development is generating the ability to identify a persona when you see one. What can a salesperson look for to quickly match a lead to a persona profile?

It is helpful to use an existing template or customize a new one before you start creating persona profiles. Remember to update them periodically, especially if you notice changes in the types of customers who typically make purchases.

Buyer persona development can seem overwhelming, especially if you have never done it before. Fortunately, there are plenty of experts available to help.

What part of buyer persona development do you find most intimidating?