Who You Selling To?
Perhaps one of the most overlooked steps in crafting a cohesive brand is thoroughly outlining who comprises your target audience. As an entrepreneur, it can be tempting to say “everyone.” Intuitively, it may easy to calculate that more people equals more money. However, cultivating and nurturing a niche audience can yield high profits and providing more longevity through a loyal consumer base.
Before getting into how to create buyer personas, I want to emphasize that understanding your target audience is a part of your brand foundation, not just your marketing plan. Understanding the audience you intend to serve with your product, service, or lifestyle is in the nucleus of your business.
I place a great deal weight on understanding your target audience because in business and branding, the goal is always to create assets (anything owned or created by the brand: logo, website, photography, ads, etc) that resonate with your target audience and offer a lifestyle, products, services that address their needs and desires. How can this be done if it is unclear who you are aiming to engage?
Also, I recommend creating at least 5 different buying personas to outline the varying people, values and lifestyles that your brand may appeal to.
To create buyer personas, begin by outlining the demographic information for each buyer profile. This is where you list the facts and numbers about each persona. Include things like age, sex/gender identity, profession, location, and income. This can help give you an idea about their tangible needs and provide guidance for what your offer and how you may price it.
After, begin to list their psychographic information. This includes information such as their attitudes, lifestyles, wants, needs, and aspirations. This abstract information is vital for creating a brand that fosters personal connection in the mind of your consumers. It can help direct the mood, tone, and personality of your brand.
