Why do you need a buyer persona for your business?

To have a satisfied clientele you must put yourself in their shoes. We know that sitting down and talking to every customer is impossible; however, a marketing tool known as a buyer persona helps you in that process. A buyer persona is a model that you can create based on the data and research you collect from your clientele. However, this concept is not new, the first buyer persona in the history of marketing was created in the 1990s and her name was Kathy. Her purpose and all buyer personas since then are the same: that you can get to know your customer and offer them what they need in a personalized way. Look at it this way: the buyer persona is like the "imaginary friend" from childhood to whom you used to tell your secrets, but who now reveals the secrets of your business clientele. A company usually has between two to five buyer personas, with their respective characteristics. Create your business buyer persona by following this three-step guide: Step 1: Research Since your buyer persona should be based on real individuals, the first step is to identify whom you will base it on. Choose someone from:

• Your customer base - It will help you understand how your product solves their needs, why they chose you over the competition, and what additional attributes they find in your product.
• Your prospects - You will be able to identify what obstacles are holding them back from becoming customers and what you can do differently to attract them.
• Your professional support network - Turn to a colleague in your industry, a family member, or a mentor you had during your training. These people will give you an outside perspective on what your product looks like. If you are just starting your business, this is a good option to build your ideal customer base.

Step 2: Interviewing For this step, it is important to prepare a list of questions that can help you get to know your customer better. Use the "who", "what", "why" and "how" techniques to write your questions.

• "Who" - Here you will focus on demographics. Inquire about their level of education, gender, marital status, family composition, current profession, income, and place of residence, among others.
• "What" - Ask about their goals and desires and the challenges they face in achieving them. In this part, dig deeper into their needs. Knowing them will help you position your brand to meet them.
• "Why" - Find out why they turn to your business or product, or why are considering it.
• "How" - This part is up to you, ask yourself how you can solve the problems of each of your ideal customers.

There are several methods and tools to obtain this information, such as focus groups, individual customer interviews, or email surveys. You can even talk to your buyers when they visit your business. The important thing is to be prepared to ask the right questions. Step 3: Visualize Visualize your ideal customer with all the information you have gathered. You can download many free templates to organize the data and create your personas. Use your creativity, give them catchy names and create a "picture" of them. Include those characteristics you discovered in your interviews in their profiles. Take them into account in your daily operations, in your customer service, and when you want to carry a message through advertising or social networks. Your work to market yourself starts with identifying this group of people who share a need. Once you know them, you'll know how to get their attention. Let the business begin!   This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of accuracy or applicability for any particular purpose. Neither Popular, Inc. ("Popular") nor any of its affiliates, subsidiaries or related companies shall be liable for, any special, direct, indirect, or incidental damages including but not limited to loss of profits, that may arise from of be related to information or advice provided in this article, which was created by a third party. Popular provides financial services and is not dedicated (directly or indirectly) to providing any type of service related to the contents of this article. Should you require any service related to this content, you should seek the advice of a competent professional of your choice. Popular expressly denies all liability for any such advice.