At some point or another we have probably all been guilty of trying to get too much information in to some form of marketing communications or another. Whether it is an ad, blog post, social post, an email, or verbal communication – we just want to make sure we get all of our points across. The problem with that is that often in doing this we end up watering down the point of the communication so that we are in fact, speaking to nobody.
The key to keeping the communication on target is to make sure you are targeting just one audience. That doesn’t mean it won’t necessarily be consumed by others. But it should only be crafted with one in mind.
Always include a graphical representation of your Persona to help you personalize and internalize the profile.
Personas are audience profiles. They include everything from basic demographics to the elements that really make this group unique. From needs and goals to decision making habits, the persona can guide the communication process and allow you to map out a content plan that will be effective with this audience.
When you construct the Persona, pull together all of the necessary information and then when you construct your communications – use the quotes and the talking points that you construct for the Persona to keep your communications on target.
Use real data to build the Persona whenever possible. But use your gut to back-stop the data. You know your customers. But always be open to a surprise.
I recently held a seminar where taught the audience how to utilize Personas. If you missed the seminar, I’m including links to the presentation deck and the sample worksheet. I hope you find them helpful. Feel free to share them with anyone you think could benefit. Be on the lookout for next month’s seminar.
Download the Personas Worksheet
Worksheet: http://www.slideshare.net/MattSwanson3/personas-worksheet
Presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/MattSwanson3/personas-57385223