Page 8 - Demo

By the time we’d finished, we had a buyer persona for each type of customer in every target market and were able to construct fictional but true-to-life scenarios around them.
We then developed a further summary that describes how my client’s products and/or services solve customer problems, ease their pain points and/or meet their needs.
Why not use real customer stories instead of buyer personas?
If we’re using real and believable examples, why can’t we use real customers? Good question.
Customer testimonials (and/or case studies) are valuable tools to use in sales and marketing. They validate your claims, demonstrate and support what you are saying about your products and services and substantiate happy customers but they are different to buyer personas and should be involved at a much later stage in the buying process.
What we’re aiming to do at this early stage is grab people’s attention and connect with potential customers and prospects. To do this, we need to engage their interest and attention. It’s too soon in the process to use testimonials.
Storytelling engages people on an emotional level as well as a physical one and that’s important. This is how you cut through the noise of the internet and social media. The more talent you demonstrate for engaging your audiences in this way, the better.
Testimonials from real customers validate your claims and give credibility to your marketing but they do not engage people on an emotional level like storytelling using buyer personas.
Another reason buyer personas are better for spinning solution stories is because of the approvals process. If you were to use real customers and name them, you would have to seek their approval and that may take time and come with restrictions
You need to get their attention first before you confirm how great you are
To engage with you, people must be involved emotionally
©Alison Campbell 2017 8