Why You Need a Buyer Persona
Buyer personas might seem like a bit of hooey at first glance, but they’re the real McCoy when it comes to dialing in your marketing efforts.
Sure, it’ll take some sleuthing to put together, but once you’ve got it, you’ll be squarely focused on the folks you want darkening your door—be it the bricks-and-mortar joint or your online speakeasy.
A well-crafted buyer persona isn’t just a simple sketch of a customer. It’s a genuine representation of your clientele, helping you aim your marketing straight as a die, sharpen your sales game, and add a personal touch to every customer’s experience.
As you work through this guide, remember, a good buyer persona is a living document that should be changed and tweaked as you make more sales and collect more information from your customers.
#1 - Pick a Name
You’ll want to pick a name that is memorable and makes it easy for you to remember. For this guide we’ll create some examples that you can see in the examples if you’d like to see more concrete demonstration of how to fill out each section of your buyer persona.
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
#2 Define Demographics
List key demographic information that your ideal customer would fall into. This will include age ranges, gender, income, education, likely job title or role, location, and family status.
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- Age: 34
- Job: IT Specialist
- Lifestyle: Enjoys hands-on projects, drives a 10-year-old truck he maintains himself
- Family: Married, two young kids
- Income: $65,000 per year
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Age: 52
- Job: HR Manager
- Lifestyle: Health-conscious, enjoys yoga and Pilates, focuses on skincare and wellness
- Family: Recently became an empty nester
- Income: $85,000 per year
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Age: 42
- Job: Construction Worker
- Lifestyle: Active, works long hours, enjoys hiking but limited by pain
- Family: Married with one child
- Income: $55,000 per year
#3 Define Demographics
Describe the customer, client, or patient. Are they tech savvy? Are there any topics or hobbies that they are likely to have? Are there any personality traits that your customers are likely to have?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- DIY Dan is tech-savvy and spends a lot of time researching auto repair on forums, YouTube, and car maintenance blogs. He’s detail-oriented, confident in his basic skills but knows his limits when it comes to complex repairs.
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Helen is tech-savvy, using health and wellness apps. She values self-care and loves skincare. Patient and willing to invest in her health but wants professional advice.
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Alex is not very tech-savvy but uses his smartphone for basic searches. Frustrated with recurring back pain and looking for non-medication options.
#4 Real Quotes
Fill in any real quotes from customers or potential customers about their goals, challenges, and themselves. You may not have these just yet, but they can be collected from your customers later. If you are just starting out, look at competitors in your space and the reviews they receive, these can be incredibly informative. With direct information about things people do and don’t like about your competition and their products and services.
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- “I’d rather try to fix it myself than spend a fortune at the shop.”
- “If it’s something I can’t do in my garage, then I’ll get help.”
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- “I just want to feel comfortable in my skin again.”
- “If there’s a non-surgical way to fix it, I’m interested.”
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- “I can’t keep taking painkillers every day just to get through work.”
- “I need a way to manage this pain without losing time.”
#5 Goals
What goals do your customers have? What “metrics” are they likely to track if any? Do they have any personal or professional goals that relate to your product or service?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- Save money by handling smaller repairs himself and prevent larger issues by keeping up with maintenance. Wants his truck to last another 5–10 years.
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Save money by handling smaller repairs himself and prevent larger issues by keeping up with maintenance. Wants his truck to last another 5–10 years.
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Reduce pain, improve mobility, and find a treatment plan that doesn’t interfere with his job or family time.
#6 Challenges
What challenges are they facing that you can solve with your products or services?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- Limited tools and workspace for advanced repairs, and time constraints from a busy job and family life.
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Aging skin, visible veins, and limited knowledge about non-surgical options. A bit apprehensive about pain and downtime.
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Chronic pain that limits his job performance, and concerns about the cost and availability of ongoing treatment.
#7 Communication
Where are you most likely to find this customer online and in the real world? Do they frequent Facebook or YouTube? Do they prefer to be called on the phone or are more comfortable texting?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- Frequent Facebook and YouTube user; also on automotive forums. Prefers email or text for updates rather than phone calls.
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Active on Instagram and Facebook; follows health and wellness blogs. Prefers email newsletters but open to consultations over the phone.
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Not highly active on social media, occasionally searches Google for health information. Prefers phone calls and straightforward communication.
#8 How Do You Fix the Pain?
What problems does your product or service fix for this customer and how exactly does it do that?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- Offering parts, tools, and detailed guides for DIY repairs. For larger jobs, provide trustworthy, affordable repair services with clear estimates so Dan can make informed decisions.
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Provide clear, friendly guidance on minimally invasive treatments. Reassure her with before-and-after results, easy scheduling, and aftercare tips.
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Offer affordable, flexible treatment options that don’t require long-term commitments, focusing on immediate relief and sustainable pain management.
#9 Messaging
What kinds of messages are most likely to emotionally resonate with your Buyer Persona? Are they “sick” of something? Do they “love” something?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- “For the repairs you can’t DIY, we’ve got you covered.”
- “Affordable, honest auto repair for the hands-on car owner.”
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- “Feel youthful, feel comfortable in your skin again.”
- “Confidence starts here: safe, effective treatments for lasting results.”
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- “Say goodbye to pain, get back to what you love.”
- “Find relief without the pills—your body deserves better.”
#10 Customer Lifetime Value
How much money is this customer likely to spend with you? Over how long? Do you have any products or services that work together as a complete package?
Examples
DIY Dan – (Auto Repair Shop Customer)
- Likely to spend on occasional repairs, but could grow into a loyal customer for larger jobs he can’t handle himself (up to $1,000 per year)
Healthy Helen – (Patient at a Vein and Skincare Clinic)
- Likely to invest in initial treatments with repeat follow-up, potentially spending $2,000 to $5,000 annually on procedures and skincare products.
Aching Alex – (Patient at a Chiropractor)
- Likely to commit to an initial series of treatments, with the potential for periodic visits as needed (around $500–$1,500 per year).
Wrapping Up
Hopefully you’ve seen how straightforward, creating a buyer persona is. It will take a bit of work to collect all of the information needed to complete it, but it will pay dividends in helping to guide your marketing efforts.
If you’d like not only a PDF version of this guide with black workbook sections to help guide you, we have our guide to crafting not only your buyer persona, but an ideal customer profile that you can get for free by signing up to the Heartless Bastard Journal newsletter.
Making Buyer Personas &
Ideal Customer Profiles
Learn how to build buyer personas and ideal customer profiles that help you to target your messaging to not just people, but the right kind of customer for your products or services.
