Are Your Customers Strangers? That Might Be Why You’re Not Making Sales

Have you ever considered that one of the reasons you are not making sales is because you don’t know your customers enough?

While trying to market your business online, one of the major questions you want to ask yourself is: Who is your Customer?

Understanding who your customers are solves a large chunk of your marketing struggle online. By understanding who your customers are, you can create custom content that addresses the pain points for each type of customer.

Based on statistics culled from a case study published on Delver AI, a brand attributed their 100% increase in page visits, 111% increase in email open rate and 171% increase in generated revenue to their effective use of Customer Personas.

This significant impact makes sense when you think about it – when you truly understand who you’re selling to, you can speak directly to their needs rather than shouting into the void. 

In this article, I will walk you through the following:

• What makes up a Customer Persona?
• Practical example of Customer Persona.
• Knowing how to tailor your approach per Persona.
• How to gather data to inform your Persona(s).
• Why creating customer personas is worth it.

What Makes Up a Customer Persona?

Three metrics go into classifying each Customer Persona:

• Who (This covers their name, age, occupation, location, etc.)
• Goals (This covers what they are looking out for, which usually aligns with your product)
• Barrier (What’s stopping them from buying from your brand)

Let’s Break This Down: A Real-World Example

Now let’s assume you sell cakes online and you have two personas that you have narrowed it down to.

Persona 1: The Budget-Conscious Student

• Name: Jake
• Age: 19 
• Occupation: Student 
• Location: Arizona (U.S.A)

Jake fancies the idea of having occasional cake treats every once in a while.

However, one thing stopping Jake from buying is cost.

Persona 2: The Quality-Focused Professional

• Name: Penny
• Age: 35 
• Occupation: Banker 
• Location: Washington (U.S.A)

Penny loves cakes and wants to spoil herself often.

However, what’s stopping Penny’s major barrier is rooted in the catalogue of bad experiences with buying from other cake vendors online. As such, she would rather buy from physical locations nearby.

Tailoring Your Approach to Each Persona

Once you’ve identified your customer personas, the real magic happens when you tailor a comprehensive marketing plan for each one. Let’s expand on our cake business example:

For Persona 1: The Budget-Conscious Student (Jake)

Since money is Jake’s primary challenge, consider these targeted approaches:

• Value-Focused Pricing Strategies: Create clearly labeled “Student Specials” or “Budget Packs” with smaller portion sizes or simpler designs at accessible price points
• Installment Payment Options: Offer flexible payment plans for larger celebration cakes
• Loyalty Programs: Implement punch cards or digital rewards where every 5th purchase earns a free treat
• Strategic Timing: Promote special discounts during student-centric periods (beginning of semester, exam weeks, etc.)
• Content Strategy: Create social media content showing how your cakes make affordable self-care or celebration options compared to other treats
• Referral Incentives: Establish programs where students get discounts for bringing friends, creating a network effect on campus

For Persona 2: The Quality-Focused Professional (Penny)

Trust and quality assurance are Penny’s primary concerns, so focus on:

• Transparency: Provide detailed information about ingredients, sourcing, and preparation processes
• Social Proof: Showcase authentic customer testimonials with photos, especially from other professionals in similar positions
• Quality Guarantees: Offer satisfaction guarantees or easy returns/replacements if the product doesn’t meet expectations. Certain certifications from reputable bodies could also help move the needle.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Share videos of your baking process to demonstrate quality control and attention to detail
• Professional Packaging: Invest in premium, secure packaging that ensures cakes arrive in perfect condition
• Personalized Follow-up: Implement post-purchase check-ins to build trust and relationship
• Exclusive Options: Create premium lines with high-end ingredients or special designs that appeal to those with discerning tastes

Cross-Persona Considerations

While tailoring to specific personas, also consider these broader strategies:

• Communication Channels: You can probably establish trust on social media with students like Gideon, but older customers may prefer email newsletters or telephone calls.
• Visual Branding: Ensure your photography and design elements speak to both audiences, perhaps with different campaigns for different personas
• Customer Journey Mapping: Identify where each persona typically encounters obstacles in the buying process and optimize those specific touchpoints
• Seasonal Adjustments: Recognize that personas may have different priorities at different times of year (budget constraints might be higher for students at semester start)

How to Gather Data for Your Personas

Let’s face it, understanding your customers doesn’t happen by magic. You need to roll up your sleeves and collect some real insights. There are many ways to go about this.

Here are two powerful strategies that won’t break the bank:

Strategy #1: Create Polls on Social Media

Facebook and other platforms make this super easy. Set up a quick poll asking direct questions like “What’s stopping you from buying our cakes?” or “What matters most when you’re choosing a cake?”

The beauty of polls is how quickly you can collect responses. Then comes the fun part: look for patterns in those answers. Notice how several customers mention price concerns? That’s a barrier worth noting. See others talking about delivery issues? There’s another persona forming right there.

Group similar responses together, and voilà—you’re starting to see your customer personas take shape based on their shared barriers and goals.

Strategy #2: Interview Your Top Customers

This is the gold standard approach, and it’s simpler than you might think. Reach out to 5-10 of your existing customers (aim for variety in age, location, and buying habits) and ask for a quick chat.

I know what you’re thinking: “Only 5-10 people? That seems tiny!” But trust me, it’s enough to spot meaningful patterns. The truth is, thousands of potential customers share similar goals and pain points with these few individuals.

During these conversations, dig deeper than just basic demographics. Ask questions like:

• “What problem were you trying to solve when you found our business?”
• “What nearly stopped you from buying from us?”
• “What finally convinced you to make a purchase?”

These conversations reveal insights you’d never get from website analytics alone. The stories and language your customers use become powerful tools for creating marketing that truly resonates.

Both approaches help you stop shooting in the dark with your marketing. Instead of guessing what your customers want, you’ll know—and that’s when your content, offers, and products start hitting the bullseye every time.

Why Creating Customer Personas Is Worth Your Time

There is more to say, but this is getting longer than I planned it to be.

Creating customer personas has the following perks:

• Helps you see the big picture for your brand
• Helps create products that address your customers’ pain points
• Gives you direction on content to create
• Gives you direction on your marketing strategy
• Boosts sales

Create Customer Personas for your brand today.