Understanding your ideal client (POWER TO THE PERSONA: PART 2)
Whether you’re presenting at an industry event, posting on social media or developing a downloadable resource, these tips can be used to reach your persona in a meaningful way.
Priscilla McKinney, Little Bird Marketing
1- STOP FOCUSING ON OUTLIERS
Don't let your outliers be your disqualifiers
The minute I start talking about buyer personas and knowing your audience, there’s always at least one person who chimes in with, “But, I have this one client that ___________.” You can fill in the blank, but some of my favorites include “…is allergic to electricity,” and “…doesn’t know the difference between a rumba and a tango.”
When it comes to personas, don’t let your outliers be your disqualifiers. While they may exist, they aren’t going to be the bulk of your work. When you’re building personas and crafting content to reach them, don’t let the outliers stress you out. Get focused on where you can reach the most people in the most meaningful way.
2- Ask the Right Questions
In order to get the information you need to understand your persona(s), you need to ask the right questions. While you can start with the basic, “Walk me through a day in their life,” you need to push beyond that. Consider the first things they do when they wake up, where they are going to get lunch, and what they plan to do after leaving the office.
It doesn’t stop there. Really try to get inside your customers’ minds. What are they thinking about when lying in bed at night? What are their greatest personal life challenges? What achievements make them most proud?
Motivational Profile Questions:
• Who are they trying to impress?
• What keeps them up on Sunday night?
• What gets them up on Monday morning?
• Who are they likely to ask for help from?
• What are they afraid to admit?
No matter what industry, there are obvious questions that need to be answered and other important questions that will bring your personas to life. Start with the basic info and work your way into questions that will offer you more insight into what it’s like to be the customer.
Truthfully, you need a mix of both general and open-ended questions. he general questions get you the
basic information that is fundamental to understanding your customers. The open-ended questions will offer the information you need to understand and create a story for your buyer personas.
(editor’s note: Your goal is not to create a demographic profile. Your goal is to create a motivational profile. What will make them act?)
3- craft The Perfect Persona
Meet Marketing Matthew – he’s a sample of what a completed persona would look like. Notice the details, name and narrative.
WHAT’S NEXT?
You’ve heard it said, “Always Be Closing.” It’s the ABC’s of sales. I prefer ABH – Always Be Helping. More than a marketing agency, at Little Bird Marketing, I like to say that we’re a sleep improvement agency. If our clients can sleep easier at night knowing that their marketing problems are being solved, we’ve done our job. Our due diligence truly attracting the RIGHT client means the relationship is that much smoother as we partner for mutual success.
stay true
With a well-crafted persona (or three) in hand, your content and business will be structured around solving problems for people who are excited to have you on their side! Your new mantra before you create anything, “Is this helpful?”
Now it’s your turn!