There are plenty of important strategies that you can
implement to build your brand, but if you don’t have an
in-depth understanding of who you’re trying to reach out to,
then you will not create the kind of engagement that your
brand needs.
Once you identify, research, and develop your primary
personas, then you know who you are crafting your content
for and can better develop your marketing strategies.
Buyer personas help you and your marketing team create
better content, improve your SEO efforts, and gain better
quality leads.
You’ll be able to meet your customers or clients where they
are: on social media.
They might be creatives dwelling on Instagram and Pinterest
or professionals on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Wherever they are, you will start using the right tone of
voice and style in your content to speak to these buyer
personas directly.
First, it’s key to identify who buys your products and
services. Start with the basics, like their age, possible
professions, and lifestyle.
What would a typical day look like for this individual?
What problems do they have that your brand can solve?
What are their objectives and goals?
How can your brand help them achieve these goals?
Ask yourself:
What questions would your buyer personas need answered?
What challenges do they face on a day to day basis and what
about long-term challenges?
A common mistake that marketers make is focussing too
much on the buyer, while neglecting the process that the
buyer goes through.
When building your personas, include information on their
journey. What impacts your buyers when they make a
purchase decision – their boss, peers, a budget?
Look at their decision criteria:
What is your buyer looking for when they weigh your brand
against your competitors?
It’s also important to research your buyers. Information
such as salary ranges, background, and lifestyle habits can
help you better flesh out the identity of your target audience
and better meet (and exceed) their expectations.
Ask existing customers that fit into your identified buyer
persona description these questions and more. Look at the
data to create more accurate personas.
Once you have your personas mapped out, you can make lists
of the most relevant keyword phrases that will attract
visitors with your inbound marketing techniques and start
putting your marketing plans into action.
Now you’ve made them, don’t turn your back on them.
There’s no question that buyer personas are important for
building brands successfully, yet few companies consistently
use them.
This is where your
marketing team can gain
an edge in understanding
the positive impact that
your personas have.
A survey conducted in 2015 in the U.S found that only 8% of
marketing professionals and in-house business teams believe
that at least three-quarters of their organisation can
adequately describe their buyer personas!
It’s easy to fall into the trap of ignoring the details and just
pushing through with your marketing team's traditional
strategies.
However, consumers today expect more.
They want their brands to ‘get them.’
Savvy, modern consumers expect more personalised,
custom-tailored interaction; this is what conveys trust and
value – and garners brand loyalty.
If you can’t speak directly to them, then they are unlikely to
listen.
In fact, they will probably turn to your competitors who
have mastered the art of utilising buyer personas.
With well-developed buyer personas, your marketing team has
the foundational information it needs to craft effective,
laser-focussed content that will engage your audience and
get the high-quality leads that you want.
Ready to build your brand with buyer personas?
Download our free guide
"Building Brand Awareness: The Ultimate Guide for 2017."