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It was almost the end of senior year at the university. Four close friends -- Sarah, Maria, Andrea, and Kaitlin -- were preparing to celebrate the momentous achievement of earning a degree. To make their upcoming graduation even sweeter, each had found employment that would begin a few weeks after they received their diploma. These girls had plenty to celebrate.
Constructive criticism is one of the most powerful tools available to businesses of all types today. After all, who better to tell you how you're really doing than the people you're supposed to be pleasing in the first place? Thanks to the Internet and the scores of online review sites that have cropped up over the years, you don't have to look very far anymore for someone's honest opinion of a product or service, especially now that everyone has an equal voice in the proceedings.
Imagine overhearing a conversation between a little girl named Sarah and someone else you cannot quite identify. Sarah is addressing this other person, telling them to get dressed for the day and eat their breakfast quickly -- they don't want to be late for school.
It sounds as though this other person doesn't really want to get out of bed. Sarah turns to a more coaxing tone of voice, and you hear her tell this other person that she understands not wanting to confront a mean classmate, but that going and doing it anyway will make her feel better and put an end to the bad treatment.
Finally, you catch a name. Sarah is speaking with someone named Samantha. Wait a minute. Isn't Samantha Sarah's doll?
Children and dolls
Have you ever met a little girl who loved her dolls? Most of us have. These small children can come up with elaborate stories about these inanimate figurines. They'll tell you the doll's name, her background, what she likes to do, and who her friends are. Most importantly, they'll tell you how the doll is likely to react in different situations, and they know how to 'motivate' their make-believe friend.
As adults, many of us watch children playing with their dolls with a detached amusement, occasionally jumping into the game. The next time you watch a child with their dolls, however, you should stop to think about how much this active imagination is actually teaching you. If you listen closely, you can learn a bit about how to use buyer personas to grow your business.
The common persona mistake
Buyer personas are frequently cited by companies as the best way to market. It makes sense. You need to understand your customers if you want to successfully encourage them to buy. Countless companies will comb through their customer data and develop categories of buyers. They note the approximate age ranges, the budgets, the company size, and what they bought. Then, they distribute folders describing each 'persona' to others in the company, expecting to see an enormous jump in sales.
Unfortunately, they're missing one key detail -- bringing their personas to life.
Buyer personas vs. dolls
To maximize the potential for buyer personas, you need to treat them like small children treat their dolls. They have to completely come to life. Start by giving your personas a name and a photo. Understand their back story as though they were a close friend. Most importantly, figure out their motivations and how to encourage them to buy. It's only when you understand these key points that you can direct your marketing efforts to better address these ideal customers.
How to understand the motivations of customers
To understand why your customers behave the way they do, you need to step back from gathering data and start asking 'why' and 'what.'
Ask your customers about their back stories, so you can understand the stories of future customers.
We've all met, or even been, little children who loved their dolls so much they brought them to life. Rather than dismissing the phenomenon as child's play, think about what these games can teach us about marketing. These children are showing us the path to successfully using buyer personas. We just need to recognize it. If you're looking to improve your marketing campaigns, speak with us today. We'd be happy to help you get started on the path to success.
Do you think offline marketing is obsolete? It isn't...not by a long shot. In fact, you need to pay just as close attention to your offline marketing as you do to your online marketing in order to achieve success.
The seventh grade physics class sat in their classroom eagerly listening to their teacher explain their next project. The class would be divided into 5 groups of 5 students. Each group would have three class sessions to design and test a small rolling car. They would all be given a variety of materials to use to design this car. After spending three days on design, there would be a competition to see whose car would roll the farthest. The winner would be automatically granted an A on a quiz that would be administered on the Friday after the competition.
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms right now. As such, it's the perfect showcase for your business. With so many people using Instagram, you need to stand out to make an impact with your audience and gain new, devoted followers. This means thinking outside the box. Here are four extraordinary ways to use Instagram to boost your company's success.
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