Keys to Finding Your Ideal Customers' Buyer Persona

Does it really make a difference who your ideal customer is? Isn't it good enough to base your marketing plan on people who are a specific age, live in a particular place or earn a certain income? Shouldn't you simply direct your sales efforts toward every person you think might ever consider buying your product or service?

There are good reasons to spend time uncovering who your ideal customers are. For one, you don't want to waste money and resources chasing people who aren't the least bit interested in buying your product or service. Your marketing plan, no matter which channels you utilize, should always be aimed at people who have the highest statistical likelihood of someday becoming your customers.

What You Need to Know

Taking the time to determine exactly who your customers are will give you a clear idea of how you can better serve their needs and convince more people like them to do business with your company. Here are some questions beyond basic demographics you should answer about your customers:

• What role do they play in the company they work for or own?
• Do they get their information about brands online, in newspapers or magazines, on television or through friends and acquaintances?
• Why did they start doing business with your company, and how did they originally find you?
• What do they think of your product or service?
• What aspects of your business are important to them?

Make sure your marketing team, sales representatives and customer service people provide input for your survey. After all, they are dealing with your customers directly, and when your survey has been completed, they will implement the information you collect.

Learning About Your Customers

So how should you go about gathering information about your ideal customer? Here are some ways to carry out useful research:

• Focus groups can be helpful, but they also can be costly, especially for small companies with limited marketing budgets.
• You can learn a lot by talking with your customers, but you can probably learn more if you hire a third party to handle this task. Customers would be more likely to voice their true feelings to a neutral source, especially if they were assured their responses would remain anonymous.
• You can conduct online surveys using SurveyMonkey, Constant Contact's survey tool or something similar.
• Many people post comments about companies, including yours, on social media platforms. Some of this information will be helpful in your quest to determine your ideal customer.

Once you have determined who your ideal customer is, this information will affect many of your marketing decisions, from what your website looks like to what you write about in your blog to how you contact your current and potential customers.

Why Your Customers Love Your Business

You're putting in a lot of time to find out who your customers are and how you can attract more of them, but you shouldn't neglect the needs of the people who are already doing business with you. Here are some ways to show them appreciation:

• Interact: Address them by name, respond quickly to their concerns and make sure they know your name.
• Show Respect: The quickest way to lose a customer is to be rude or disrespectful. And once a customer is gone, he probably won't be back.
• Listen: Don't blow off customers who take the time to offer their input. Listen carefully to their thoughts, and consider implementing their suggestions.
• Build Trust: How do you earn customer trust? Let them know about changes in your product or service, listen to their feedback and admit when you've made a mistake.
• Follow Through: If you make a promise to a customer, make sure you keep it. Your customers should know you mean what you say.
• Show Appreciation: "The customer is always right" is more than an overused idiom—it really means something. Let the people who keep your business going know you appreciate them. Always do your best to turn a dissatisfied customer into a cheerleader for your business.
• Show Thanks: People appreciate gratitude. Without your customers, you wouldn't have a business, so show them you truly appreciate their loyalty.

Regardless of the industry your business is in, your company won't last long without loyal customers. First knowing exactly who your customers, then showing your appreciation for their business will help you retain current customers and attract new ones.

Photo Credit: Market Culture

Allison Rice is the director of marketing for Amsterdam Printing, a leading provider of custom pens and other promotional items such as  personalized wall calendars. At Amsterdam Printing, Allison focuses on providing quality marketing materials to small, mid-size and large businesses.