What are ‘buyer personas’?

The term ‘buyer persona’ has been around for a while, but became hot property over the last couple of years thanks to David Meerman Scott.

Buyer personas are an extension of traditional market segmentation. But they are deeper, more personal and ‘real-world’. Only by breaking down everything we know about the people in a distinct market segment (to create a sort of biography for each group) can we truly know them.

• What age and gender are these buyers (and does that matter)?
• Where do they live (and what do they earn)?
• What do they read (newspapers, trade journals, email newsletters)?
• What websites, forums, and networks do they use?
• How do they research business purchases?
• What are the key drivers in the work life (and what would make their lives easier)?

Crucially, buyer personas consider and describe the type of language and phrases such prospect groups use. By seeing the world through eyes of buyers, and not via the lens of product features and marketing jargon, a more human and realistic visualisation of the people that form customer segments is revealed.

Rewind: buyer personas put the customer first – not your product.

Buyer personas in action: Air-con company deep customer knowledge

A manufacturer of air-conditioning units sells into a two markets, each with quite distinct characteristics and decision-making processes.

1. Its larger AC units, which have complex control systems and maintenance contracts, are used in large public sector projects such as hospitals and schools. Buyers (and there will inevitably be several in the Decision Making Unit) follow a rigorous procurement process often involving long and complex tenders. The buyer persona research identifies where these buyers seek information, which publications they read, what trade shows and conferences they attend, and what tone of language they use when they search or talk to each other in business forums. Interviewing buyers directly is the best way to do this, but online research can be useful, too.
2. At the other end of the spectrum the firms sells small portable AC units into households and small business premises. One person makes the buying decision, quickly, and based on a different set of triggers. It’s likely that personal recommendations and price will be key factors here. Once again, understanding the motivations and business situation of this group creates a deeper empathy and understanding of how they choose an AC product.

It can be useful to give these buyer personas a nickname. For instance, in recent UK election campaigns the idea of ‘Worcester Woman’ and ‘Essex Man’ proved useful for the winning parties.

Please contact me to discuss how to maximise sales using this powerful segmentation technique. You can reach and influence customers if you truly know them.