Buyer personas are the foundation of any solid marketing strategy: Approximately 71 percent of companies that have surpassed their revenue and conversion goals have documented personas as part of their content plans.
But simply having buyer personas isn’t enough – marketers need to know how to speak directly to each personality of their target audience, or their content will fall flat.
Just like there isn’t a one-size-fits-all method with selling your products or services, the same goes for your blog posts, videos, graphics and other pieces. Your buyer personas might be so different from each other that a whitepaper written for one won’t do anything to convert another, despite the fact that they may have similar issues or pain points.
So what to do? Start by knowing that you need to speak directly to each personality, – never assume they all want to read the same thing.
Below, we’ve offered a few content writing tips to tailor your pieces to some of the most common types of buyer personas.
The decision-maker
This individual, usually executive-level in their organization, makes the final decision on whether or not they will become your customer. He or she mostly relies on data and results to come to conclusions that impact the business.
So give your decision-makers what they are looking for! Provide content that is full of information and clearly outlines how your product or service offers a solution to their problem. Forget the fluff, too – the decision-maker doesn’t want, need or have time for any filler details. They are interested in concise and accurate data that shows how becoming your customer will benefit them not only financially but as a way to grow their business.
The influencer
This persona relies on those around them before coming to a decision and thinks more about how their entire team feels about a product or service before jumping in.
Appealing to a collaborative mind like this means that your content can’t only address the concerns of this specific individual – it needs to also answer the issues their team is facing. When writing, focus in on this persona’s main problem, but think about the bigger picture too. Who are the other people the influencer is working with? What are their issues? How can your content address these multiple pain points? There are several players here, and the influencer wants to help all of them, so be sure you are appealing to all involved.
The creative thinker
The creative persona likes to solve their issues by brainstorming innovative solutions and ideas, rather than taking everything at face value.
So brainstorm along with them! With your content, offer unique insights and solutions that help guide them to a solution, but don’t completely solve it for them. Aim to inspire your creative prospects with articles, videos and other pieces of content that energize them with ideas. But don’t be too pushy – creative thinkers prefer content that is more informative, and are more likely to turn away from inherently promotional content.
The analytical thinker
Unlike the creative mind, the analytical thinker relies on cold hard data and facts, and is more likely to make a decision based on their logic rather than emotion.
Create content that gets right to the point and presents the “bottom line,” like case studies. Much like the decision-maker, this buyer persona wants more detailed information that cuts out the fluff. The analytical thinker often also relies on the feedback and thoughts of team members before coming to a conclusion, but at the same time, prefers to back up their views with clear analysis and data. When writing for the analytical mind, cut to the chase and show them the facts. With this method, you’re sure to build trust and create a connection.
The skeptic
We all know this persona. This individual views your products and services through a skewed lense and tries to poke holes in any solutions you offer.
But don’t let that deter you – instead, let your content do the talking and convincing! The skeptical mind is realistic and wants to make sure they have all of the necessary information before coming to a conclusion, so provide them with a strong argument to the issues they are going to raise. This individual values critical thinking, so be sure your blogs, whitepapers and other forms of content offer a detailed and thorough outline of information that solves their problem. This not only helps calm the skeptical mind, but it also helps to establish trust, which is an invaluable asset to have from this type of persona.
The friend
Much like the influencer, this person values strong connections with those around them. But they rely less on the opinions and insights of others, and may often be the only person making a decision.
The friendly persona has lots of enthusiasm about potentially becoming your customer, and responds positively to content that matches it. When writing, get excited about the topic and the information you are providing, and make sure that feeling shines through. When writing to this audience, it’s all about establishing a connection – this individual wants to create a strong relationship with your business, so let your content be the first step in developing that partnership.
If all of your buyer personas were the same, your marketing objectives would probably be easier, but definitely a lot more boring. Embrace the challenge of appealing to various personalities, and create content that connects with each of them to develop successful relationships and happy customers.
