Facebook Insights, Google Analytics and other reporting tools are all great, but unless you have a solid understanding of your customers and their buyer personas you might as well not have anything at all.  The concept of buyer personas originated in 1999 and is still extremely relevant today despite the endless pool of data you can dive into these days.  So why are buyer personas so important?  We’re about to tell you.

The Must Knows

First things first – what is a buyer persona?  It’s simple.  It’s a profile of your ideal customer built around market research and details you’ve already mined from your existing customers.  This is where you take a good, hard look at the data you’ve been collecting, like customer demographics, motivations and behavior patterns, and form personas to structure your business practices around.  Whether you’re a mom and pop shop or a national conglomerate, buyer personas can aid your organization immensely.

Smarter Marketing & Sales Plans

In the B2B world it is a struggle shared by many to figure out the ever-changing buying behaviors of today.  However, strong buyer personas can keep your team focused on who your potential buyers are, what challenges they are currently facing, what their goals are and any changes they’ve under gone so you can be smarter with your marketing and sales tactics.  Not to mention better qualitative and quantitative data most leadership teams are looking for.

Unite Your Team

We’ve all been there, butting heads with another department because you don’t share the same ideas on a project or business plan, and before you know it the infamous silos are erected.  With buyer personas, you can break down those internal walls and communicate more efficiently, almost like the personas are your company’s secret language.

Informed Design

Make your marketing dollars count and design with your buyer personas in mind.  You may have a great idea for a full-blown campaign or even just a billboard, but neither will do you any good if they don’t speak to your target audience.  Not only does the message need to click with your personas, but so do the graphical elements and message delivery.  So go back to your trusty buyer personas and make sure your brilliant idea checks the boxes.

Results You Can Be Proud Of

The facts don’t lie – organizations that listen to their customers and focus on customer satisfaction and buyer needs outperform their competitors.  Again, center your business plans around the buyer personas for your clientele and you will create positive customer experiences and a stronger bottom line.

 

Take It International

With the endless technological possibilities in today’s world, it’s easier than ever to take your company global.  New languages, laws and cultures can be overwhelming, but the concept is the same.  Do your research, focus on your buyer personas and you’ll be well on your way to total world domination.

As you can see, buyer personas are the key to many aspects of running a successful, relevant business in today’s fast paced world. They keep your team focused, strategies in line, and customers center stage.