Where To Start: Know Thy Customer

When companies embark on marketing campaigns, they often think about the final product first – whether they should create a webpage or develop an ad. For marketing to be successful, companies should concentrate first on what they know about their customer by developing a “user persona.” A user persona is a fictional character, often assigned a name, which is designed to encompass the qualities of a specific demographic within a target market.

Marketing creative should be based on a truth, a particular insight about a target customer. Developing a user persona (let’s call her “Jane”) allows a company to hone in specifically on the attitude and/or behaviors of that “person” in order to develop that unique creative insight. Once you can visualize Jane, you’ll be better able to tailor your campaign by asking questions like, “Is this something that would resonate with Jane?” instead of asking “Is this something that resonates with me?” A user persona removes the subjectivity and helps focus the company’s campaign.

A successful campaign requires two distinct steps, completed in the right order, both of which may require the help of experts. First, a brand must uncover the customer’s “truth” by developing a user persona. Second, the brand must communicate that messaging clearly and consistently, in a unique way.

For assistance with developing a persona for your product or service, call the experts at Starmark.