Know your clients
When we think about a business idea, an ideal client also comes to mind: that person who will buy our product or service, who will pay what we ask for, and who would be so happy with us that will recommend our business to all their friends.
Although User Personas have met popularity with UX/UI designers, it’s not a new thing to relate personalities with certain archetyes.
In this article, we will cover:
What are the archetypes?
Why are User Personas necessary for your business?
What must include your Persona study
The Psychology that helps you grow
All entrepreneurship needs to know where it’s heading and what the goals are. Same thing with our businesses: what we offer is to solve a problem, but we need to keep in mind that not everybody has the same issues. So, to know who needs us to ease their pain is a fundamental piece of information.
Identifying who is our ideal client allow us to speak specifically to them: use the same tone of voice, worlds, and even slung. Thus, the worst we can do is to consider everyone’s our client.
Jung and the archetypes
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, and among his research, he left the theory of the 12 archetypes. According to Jung, all humans have specific behavior patterns grouped in one of these twelve units. These patterns come in handy when we need to establish our brand’s persona, as our product or service can align to one of these archetypes.
The archetypes
The innocent
Optimistic and dreamer. This archetype doesn’t like complications, and all they wish for is a happily-eve-after. How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? You sell happiness, simplicity, and your messages are clear.
The Hero
A brave person who trusts himself. They need to show that to the world. How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? They need to show their superiority, talk to them as if you, too, were self-sufficient.
The everyman
The realist and pragmatic person that everyone trusts. How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? Show how proud you are of your work and how you want to accompany your customers in their everyday lives.
The caregiver
They need to protect everyone around them. What to do if this is your ideal Persona? As they feel everyone’s safety depends on them, show how you can help them protect their society.
The creator
They want to excel with their imagination, experiments, and creativity.
How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? You sell a tool for these Personas to show their real power.
The explorer
This Persona can’t stay in the same place for long. They need freedom, space, and the possibility of meeting new people. How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? You sell experiences.
(here is where you catch us, by the way!)
The outlaw
They don’t need anybody’s help, have their own rules, and consider themselves as independents. How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? Your brand is different from the rest, even a bit rebellious.
The lover
This Persona looks for love and passion everywhere.
How do you know if this is your ideal Persona? Your brand has something to do with esthetic, both on service and in the way you promote them: you’re a lust provider.
The magician
A visionary who wants to create a new world. What to do if this is your ideal Persona? You shall inspire your audience to provoke a change.
The leader
They need to be in control; they are not drawn by feelings, can’t stand chaos, and needs to dictate the rules. What to do if this is your ideal Persona? You need to be tidy and present yourself as a leader.
The Jester
A rake who just wants to have fun without any repercussion. What to do if this is your ideal Persona? Choose entertainment, spontaneity, and humor.
The sage
This Persona transmitted a sense of knowledge and values truth over anything else. What to do if this is your ideal Persona? Show how credible you are, prove your point with information, and educate your customers.
How to define the User Persona
First of all: do your research!
Who is your product or service for?
What are the pains your product or service solves? I know the word “pain” sounds a bit harsh, but that’s exactly what people feel when they look for a problem: ease pain. That is what motivates them to search for a solution.
Identifying who our User Persona is can help set the tone of voice, we will use on our brand and then the rest of the communication.
What do I need for that research?
We need to understand our Persona’s pain and goals; with all the online resources we have nowadays, the research is easier than it might sound.
Google, do a Social Media Search, and most of all, ask your customers the important questions.
Personal matters: what influences their decisions, what makes them happy, their goals and dreams, etc.
Conduct patterns: what social media do they use, do they buy products online, look for information, etc.
Demographics: gender, age, socioeconomic level, years of education, where do they live.
Relationship with our business: do they know us, have they bought from us, who did they meet us, why they choose us, etc.
Value Proposition: This is how you will solve your Persona’s Problem
So now you know exactly who will buy your product. That Persona even has a name, age, and you can tell exactly how many kids they have (if it’s relevant information!). The next step is to explain your product or service Value Proposition in a way they can understand it –even yet: in a way that gets them!
Conclusion
To have the User Personas of your brand is to have access to their way of thinking and how they perceive the world; you can create content specifically for them. Once you know who to target, the strategy seems more comfortable to develop.
In Sud Creative, we create marketing strategies for startups and entrepreneurs: research is in our every job, and sometimes it feels like these Personas have bones and flesh. If you want to talk about the way you reach your ideal audience, give us a shout!