Personas: why Ed, Henk and Yasmin contribute to an organization's success!

What is a persona?

A persona is a fictional person who represents the target group. Instead of approaching a vague crowd, focus on one person: the persona. Do you have a broad target group? Then you create multiple personas. Thanks to AI, these personas can be dynamically optimized based on data insights, making your marketing increasingly focused.

Different types of personas

Buyer persona

The ideal customer. AI helps by analyzing customer data, predicting purchasing behavior, and continuously updating personas based on trends.

User persona

The user of the product or service. Not always the person who makes the purchase, but AI helps analyze usage data and interaction points here.

Candidate person

Focuses on potential employees. AI can help identify talent, analyze job interaction, and personalize labor market communication.

Why do you want personas?

I mentioned it above. By developing personas, you put yourself in the shoes of the ideal customer or that top of an employee. And when it is known what they find important, what they base their choices on, what to expect or what to expect, you are able to make the message much better suited to the target group. And because we simply can't enter into a dialogue with everyone, we look for the major common denominators in the target group and thus make them one person. You guessed it; hello Ed, Henk and Yasmin :-)

You then use these personas for content and copy development. Just think of setting up a new website, deploying an awareness or recruitment campaign, or launching a new product. The personas help you really think carefully about (strategic) choices. From the choice of image, tone of voice, short and long copy to channel and frequency. And that provides an awful lot of insight into really getting the message where you want it. In the head and heart of the target group. This is how you get people moving. Entice them to visit the website, apply, buy the product, become a fan, and maybe even endorse the brand or company.

How do you create the perfect personas?

The development of a persona is about creating a clear, comprehensive and valuable explanation of the target group, trapped in one person. In addition, asking the right questions is essential; please also take the time to be critical about this. Because quite simply, if you just fill in something, you run the risk of not addressing the target group in a way that matches their experiences and triggers. A shame. So take your time and at least follow these steps:

1. Desk research

Fortunately, a lot of information can be found online. Sitting at the computer, you surf the big web a long way. Here you can find reports and presentations related to your target audience (you'll be amazed at what's out there). Especially use data and information from, for example, the CBS, UWV, SER, and various industry reports such as Rabobank's, or, of course, numerous commercial — read paid — reports. There is certainly no shortage of information. Be critical about whether your question is actually answered. AI tools can help analyze large data sets and detect trends faster

2. Data-driven research

In addition to generic information from available sources, big data is of course the must go to in the development of personas. Start with the Google Analytics behind the website to learn more about the visitors to this site. Where do they come from, what is their age, area of interest, what do they click on? Also, the results from the online campaigns (adwords, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) provide a lot of inside information. The CRM system can also provide a lot of insight into purchasing behavior and lead time. AI can analyze this customer data, segment it and create predictive models.

3. Use the existing target group

Talk to current customers, users, or employees. After all, they already know the organization, have chosen the company and can provide so many extra insights. Really no report can compete with that. By the way, you can just talk in real-life in nice focus groups, so you can really look for the common thread and get the bottom line. In addition, it provides space for extra deepening and reinforcement. But also a survey (we prefer to use this) Type form whether SurveyMonkey) or a (telephone) interview are excellent tools for gaining more insight into the target group. Above all, ask the why question a lot with open questions and use the lickert scale to qualify opinions. Preferably in a 1-5 ratio. Small sidenote: For the sake of convenience, I assume that the current customers, users and employees are a good reflection of the target group you want to reach.

4. Everything in the blender

Desk research, data research and so-called field research have uncovered a lot of information. Now it is important to distinguish the main issues from the side issues and to look for the common denominator. What do all the people in the target group have in common? Or at least most of it. That will certainly come back in a persona. And here too, you wouldn't expect it, AI can help you analyze the collected data to find the common thread. AI can discover patterns that might otherwise be overlooked, but human interpretation remains important.

Essential questions you can't forget

The importance of developing a good persona is now clear to you, at least if you've come this far reading, I'll assume that. Nice! And you also have the tools and tools to find out the information about the target group. But one important step in the process is still understudied. What questions do you actually need to ask to get a really good persona? Exactly which questions these are depends, of course, on whether you are developing a persona for a customer, a user or an employee. And of course, it's good to name your personas, know what their private situation looks like, and what they do. But what's much more interesting is really a layer deeper. Zoom in to their values and norms. Their motives and motives. But also their fears and frustrations.

Download a handy template to create your own personas here.

Customer persona

When we zoom in on the customer, you especially want to know how their purchase process works. It is therefore interesting and relevant to map out the customer journey. This allows you to determine how a potential customer even makes a possible purchase, which touchpoints are essential and - last but not least - you provide insight into where the company is doing well or where it is losing the ball. Talk to the customer and let AI ask relevant questions based on your previous analysis. In any case, ask the following questions:

• Where do you start your search?
• What triggers you?
• What considerations do you include in your purchase process?
• How do you experience our website
• On a scale of 1-5, how easily were you able to find what you were looking for?
• What caused you to take or not take action?
• What else can we do in your purchase process?

User persona

A user is not necessarily also the buyer, so different motives apply to this persona. Here, you mainly want to zoom in on the actual use or the expectation of this use. So be sure to dive into the reviews. This can be done via the corporate website or social media channels, but also via review sites such as trustpilot, the healthcare card, nederlandreview, etc. Keep an eye on when and in what light the organization/product will be evaluated. Start a conversation with users. Both people who have a positive and negative attitude to use. Make sure there is room for honest and constructive feedback here. Questions you should definitely ask:

• How would you describe the product to your friends?
• Why did you start using the product?
• Which feature stands out positively?
• What do you miss in using?
• If this product was not available, what alternative would you use?

Persona employee

A company doesn't necessarily want a lot of applicants, it mainly wants the right applicants. So it's important that you not only present potential candidates with a good and honest picture of the organization, it's even more important that you communicate with them in the right way. And that they are provided with the correct information to determine whether there is a possible match. But to do that, you first need to know who is the ideal candidate. So talk to current employees, dive into your ATS statistics and ask at least the following questions.

• Why do you work for this company?
• How did you become aware of us?
• What do you like most about your job?
• Name three words that best describe this company?
• If you weren't working here, where would you?
• What do you look for in a new colleague?

By the way, it is also a good idea to include any exit interviews in the development of employee personas.

You want to know what drives people, why they do what they do. And then looking for the common thread. What unites them, what they have in common. From this, you can then develop your persona (s).

Deep dive into your persona's mind

Just zoom in on adding value. An important trigger is concerns (for each persona). Because no one wants trouble for that. So it's important that you get Ed's concerns out and know how to answer them. One example; Ed is interested in walking shoes. He would like to order them online, but is afraid they won't fit properly and he won't be able to return them. So he wants to know what the return policy is. Describe ALL the concerns that come to your mind about the persona and then also indicate how the organization deals with it. Of course, this can also be run. What is someone excited about and why? Describe all the things that someone has a positive attitude about and expand this.

Great personas and where to find them

Developing personas is one thing. But then you also have to know how to find them. Where is the target group and where do you have the best chance of successful contact? Fortunately, AI offers powerful support here. AI tools can help analyze existing customer data, social media behavior, and online interactions to better define personas and select the right channels.

A handy prompt for using AI to do this: “Analyze my audience based on [data source, such as CRM data, Google Analytics, or social media insights]. Provide an overview of the most used platforms, interests, and purchasing behavior. Which trends are visible and which channels offer the best chance of interaction?”

In addition, there are many studies that you can consult. An important Dutch study in the field of social media use can be found here (2024 edition). Specific media purchasing agencies specialize in targeting the target group. And don't forget to ask the people you've involved in developing the personas.

• What websites and blogs do they visit?
• Are they active in forums or discussion groups?
• What social media are they active on?
• What are offline places where they are present, such as events, fairs, etc.?
• Which magazines and newspapers do they read?
• Do they use public transport?
• Do they listen to the radio or podcasts? And if so, which ones?

In addition to online, you can of course also communicate via out-of-home channels (billboards, bus stops, public transport, etc.) and offline (magazines, advertisements, DM promotions, etc.). AI can help by analyzing historical campaign data and predicting where your marketing budget will have the most effect. Be critical of the reach, expected results (clicks, exposure, views, streams, etc.) and actual action from the target group. Always ask yourself: do I want to reach as many people in the target group as possible or do I want to achieve as much action as possible? And am I focusing on awareness or conversion?

Use your personas to create the ideal content

The unique Ed, Henk and Yasmin have been developed. You know what you want to achieve and what the goals are. By now, you know the target group as well as the back of your hand, including their main motives. Once again, AI can help here by applying content personalization:

A handy prompt for using AI to do this: ”Create content ideas that match the persona [persona name] with focus on [specific goal, such as conversion, engagement, or lead generation]. Take into account their interests, pain points, and preferred channels.”

An example from my own practice: For a large healthcare institution, we developed a labour market campaign. We focused on young, recent HBO graduates as well as 50+ side entrants and colleagues' healthcare providers. Using AI analysis, we were able to quickly discover trends in search behavior and interactions, allowing us to make content and ads even more targeted.

Two copy examples within the same campaign that appeal to two different personas:

1. For the young HBO student: Working with attention to you and your development, without losing sight of the people around you? Come work in healthcare! It means doing something good for others in a job where you are flexible, able to grow and no two days are the same.

2. For the side entrant: Giving loving care to others is a job you can be proud of! And if you have that care in you, we have a place for you. Working together with friendly, driven and hardworking colleagues at various locations, including near you!

Let's do this!

In 2025, personas will no longer be static documents, but dynamic profiles that are constantly evolving. AI helps to discover patterns and refine personas, but human interpretation and creativity make the difference. Want to know more about this? We would love to think along with you!

‍