My grandfather, everyone knew him as D. José Mora el de Marfil, was ahead of his time. A businessman with an extraordinary vision of which not even he himself was aware. Marfil was a clothing store that was a leader in Tenerife from the 50s to the 90s. 4 decades remaining as the preferred establishment to buy the “good clothes” not only of the inhabitants of the island, but also of the thousands of visitors who passed through the city, usually in transit to America.
My grandfather’s success was that he had his buyer persona in mind every time he bought merchandise, met his customers and bought the product from the representatives, thinking about each profile of people who then went to buy from the store. My grandfather did it by intuition and common sense. But knowing the customer was the basic ingredient for him. Can you say the same?
Today that “intuition” has been given a name. This is the Buyer Persona concept that has become a key aspect in the creation of effective marketing strategies. Shoppers are no longer seen as a generic audience, but as individuals with specific needs and preferences. That’s why it’s essential to have an in-depth understanding of who these buyers are and what motivates them. In this article, we’ll explore what a buyer persona is and why it’s important for your marketing plan.
What is a Buyer Persona?
A buyer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer. It is based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and purchase goals. It is important to note that a Buyer Persona is not just a demographic profile; It’s a detailed description of your ideal customer’s personality, lifestyle, and needs.
A good Buyer Persona should include information such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Education
- Revenue
- Interests
- Purchase motivations
- Problems or challenges faced by the buyer
- Sources of information and communication channels you use to inform yourself and make purchasing decisions
Why is the Buyer Persona important for the marketing plan?
A well-designed marketing plan is based on a thorough understanding of buyers and their needs. Here are a few reasons why a buyer persona is important for the marketing plan:
- Customer-focused
A buyer persona helps keep the focus on the customer. Instead of focusing on the company and its products, the marketing plan focuses on the customer and their needs. By creating a marketing strategy that adapts to the customer’s needs, you increase the likelihood that they will identify with the product or service and buy it.
- Message personalization
A buyer persona helps personalize the marketing message. Every customer is different and has unique needs. By knowing these needs and preferences, a specific and personalized marketing message can be created for each group of buyers.
- Improve marketing effectiveness
In-depth customer knowledge helps create a more effective marketing plan. This information can be used to create advertising campaigns that resonate with the customer, and to select the communication channels that work best for them.
- Identification of new markets
A buyer persona can help identify new markets. By knowing the problems and challenges faced by the buyer, opportunities can be identified to create new products or services that meet these needs.
In short, a buyer persona is a key element in creating an effective marketing plan. It helps to maintain customer focus, personalize marketing message, improve marketing effectiveness, and identify new markets. By creating a Buyer Persona, you can better understand the customer’s needs and preferences and therefore create a more effective marketing strategy.
If my grandfather raised his head, he would freak out, and he would surely laugh a lot, that nowadays it takes so much study to know something that, for him, was pure common sense.
