How to Create a Buyer Persona That Doesn’t Suck
...and Actually Helps You Convert Strangers into Customers
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Let’s be brutally honest: most buyer personas are fluff-filled nonsense. You’ve probably seen the kind — a pastel-coloured slide deck featuring “Millennial Mandy,” who apparently drinks oat milk, scrolls TikTok, and shops exclusively on Thursdays.
And then… nothing. The persona gets filed away. Nobody uses it. Marketing keeps guessing, sales keeps improvising, and product development continues launching features no one asked for.
Here’s the thing: buyer personas done properly are a game-changer.
A strong buyer persona gives you the clarity to stop marketing to “everyone” and start connecting with the right people — the ones who actually want what you sell, and will pay for it. It helps you write emails that get opened, design offers that get clicked, and build solutions that solve real problems. Whether you’re trying to boost conversion rates, reduce churn, or finally understand why “that one campaign worked so well,” personas are your shortcut to insight.
Personas align your internal teams. They give your salespeople a narrative, your marketers a compass, and your product team a customer they can picture. When everyone is building for the same person, magic happens.
In this guide, we’re not just going to tell you what a buyer persona is — we’re going to walk you through how to build one that’s genuinely useful. We’ll explain each section in plain English, give you real-world examples (both B2C and B2B), and show you how to actually use this thing once it’s built.
Because if your persona isn’t driving smarter decisions, sharper messaging, and better results — then yes, it does suck. Let’s fix that...
Demographics & Background
Why it Matters
This is your persona’s driver’s licence info — age, job, income, where they live. It won’t win a Pulitzer, but it helps you understand the human-shaped container your customer comes in.
How to develop it
Use customer data, CRM exports, and a dash of logic. Don’t overthink it — just sketch the edges of the map.
What to include
- Age — Helps define life stage and buying priorities.
- Gender — Influences tone, design, and even channel use.
- Marital/Family Status — Changes daily routines, decision urgency, and influences.
- Location — Important for language, timezone, and lifestyle.
- Income — Indicates spending power, value sensitivity, and priorities.
- Education — Shapes how you communicate — jargon or plain English.
- Occupation — Reveals authority, tech comfort, and daily mindset.
Emily (B2C):
- Marital/Family Status: Engaged
- Age: 28
- Gender: Female
- Location: Denver, CO
- Income: $85,000
- Education: Bachelor’s in Marketing
- Occupation: Marketing Manager at a tech startup
Marcus (B2B):
- Marital/Family Status: Married with two kids
- Age: 41
- Gender: Male
- Location: Boston, MA
- Income: $160,000
- Education: Master’s in Business & Information Systems
- Occupation: Director of Product at a SaaS company
Biography
Why it matters
This is where your persona goes from cardboard cut-out to someone you’d actually meet in line at a coffee shop. A proper biography helps your team connect emotionally and remember that they're building for a real human, not just a demographic blob.
How to develop it
Imagine you’re writing the intro for a reality show contestant. Pull from interviews, customer anecdotes, or even your own ideal-client composite to craft something vivid but grounded.
What to include
- Career and lifestyle summary
- Relationship or family dynamics
- Desires and context for current needs
- Emotional tone and life stage
Emily (B2C):
Emily is a 28-year-old marketing manager at a tech startup in a bustling city. She's passionate about her career, loves creativity, and is always on the lookout for the latest trends in fashion, technology, and design. Emily met her fiancé, Mark, during university, and they’ve been together for five years. As they plan their wedding, Emily is determined to make it an unforgettable day that reflects their personalities and love story. She’s detail-oriented and has a clear vision for her wedding, which she’s been dreaming about since childhood.
Marcus (B2B):
Marcus is a 41-year-old director of product at a mid-sized SaaS company. He’s built a strong reputation internally for delivering results but is recovering from a complex rollout that damaged team morale. Marcus lives in Boston with his wife and two kids and balances leadership with hands-on project work. His world is filled with pressure to deliver faster, smarter outcomes without adding overhead. He’s analytical by nature and keeps a tight rein on timelines, budgets, and vendor reliability.
Personality, Psychographics & Values
Why it matters
This is the internal world of your persona — their mindset, quirks, and principles. Knowing these traits allows you to speak their language, anticipate their behaviour, and create emotional resonance. It’s also the section where things start feeling a little less “marketing deck” and a little more “human being you’d actually enjoy emailing.”
How to develop it
Mine voice-of-customer data, social bios, testimonials, and customer interviews. Stalk them gently (but legally) on LinkedIn. Try to uncover what drives their choices and how they see themselves — not just how you see them.
What to include
- Quote — A phrase or belief that encapsulates their point of view.
- Personality — Describes their temperament, confidence, and mindset.
- Lifestyle — How they spend their time, manage their day, and make room for your product.
- Values — What they stand for when choosing between options.
- Motivations — What they’re striving for and what matters most.
- Behaviors — How they typically act before and after purchasing.
Emily (B2C):
- Quote: “Our wedding is a reflection of who we are. I want the photos to capture not just how we look, but how we feel.”
- Personality: Creative, expressive, perfectionist
- Lifestyle: Structured workdays, creative evenings, wedding planner on standby
- Values: Authenticity, quality, aesthetics
- Motivations: Make her wedding feel personal and emotionally significant
- Behaviors: Spends hours researching photographers, checks every review, compares portfolios
Marcus (B2B):
- Quote: “We don’t have time for vendors who make things harder. If it doesn’t integrate or show value fast, it’s a no.”
- Personality: Strategic, efficient, process-focused
- Lifestyle: Back-to-back meetings, spreadsheet deep-dives, and minimal time for distractions.
- Values: Simplicity, transparency, ROI
- Motivations: Drive better product outcomes without overloading his dev team
- Behaviors: Reads SaaS reviews, consults his team, only engages after deep research
Goals & Motivations
Why it matters
People don’t actually want your product — they want what your product gets them. This section helps you unpack that “end state” they’re chasing, and the very human reasons behind it. It’s not about selling treadmills; it’s about selling how they’ll feel running that first 5K (or finally fitting into their jeans from 2018).
How to develop it
Ask, “What does success look like for you?” and then — this is the key — ask, “Why does that matter to you?” Rinse, repeat, until you strike gold (or a mild emotional breakthrough).
What to include
- Underlying Motivation — The emotional driver behind that goal (status, security, pride, etc.).
- Primary Goal — The clear, surface-level thing they want to achieve.
Emily (B2C):
- Underlying Motivation: She's always been sentimental and wants to relive the day emotionally, not just visually.
- Primary Goal: Have wedding photos that feel authentic and timeless. She wants every glance, every tear, every laugh captured.
Marcus (B2B):
- Underlying Motivation: He wants to be seen as a strategic leader internally — someone who delivers seamless experiences and measurable gains.
- Primary Goal: Streamline the onboarding experience to reduce drop-off rates. It’s about reducing friction and improving retention.
Fears, Pain Points & Objections
Why it matters
This is where your persona's inner sceptic lives. What are they worried about? What’s frustrated them before? What tiny red flag will cause them to ghost your sales funnel faster than you can say “30-day free trial”? Understanding this makes your messaging reassuring, your product positioning stronger, and your pitch less “please buy” and more “this is built for you.”
How to develop it
Listen to objections in sales calls. Scan review sites. Read support tickets like bedtime stories. Anywhere a customer hesitates or complains — that’s gold. Better yet, talk to churned customers (if your ego can handle it).
What to include
- Objections — What stops them from saying “yes” right away?
- Fears — What bad things do they think might happen?
- Pain Points — What are they actively frustrated by or struggling with now?
Emily (B2C):
- Objections: Concerned about the value relative to the price and whether it truly includes everything she needs.
- Fears: She’s worried she’ll hate the way she looks in photos and regret the whole experience. She’s also scared the day will go by in a blur and she’ll have nothing meaningful to look back on.
- Pain Points: She’s spoken to photographers who felt cold or too corporate. She hates when vendors take weeks to reply or hide costs.
Marcus (B2B):
- Objections: Skeptical of onboarding claims due to past experiences with clunky integrations and poor vendor transparency.
- Fears: That the platform won’t deliver on its promises and will waste both time and money. He doesn’t want another embarrassing rollout.
- Pain Points: Vendors that over-promise, poor support, bloated feature sets. Anything that delays time-to-value.
Buying Process & Decision-Making
Why it matters
If you don’t understand how someone makes decisions, you’re essentially showing up at their front door with balloons when they’re halfway down the block. This section helps you align your outreach with their rhythm, their research habits, and the silent committee of influencers behind every purchase (hello, legal and Karen-from-Finance).
How to develop it
Trace their steps from “I have a problem” to “Let’s go with this one.” Use interviews, surveys, analytics, or your sales team’s battle scars. Understand what triggers action, who gets consulted, and what boxes must be ticked.
What to include
- Discovery Sources — Where do they first hear about brands like yours?
- Influencers — Who do they consult (or blame) before making a decision?
- Decision Criteria — What turns interest into a confident yes?
Emily (B2C):
- Discovery Sources: Instagram and Pinterest boards filled with wedding inspiration. She finds most photographers through hashtags and referrals.
- Influencers: Friends who recently got married, bridal bloggers, and wedding forums help validate her choices.
- Decision Criteria: Style match, responsiveness, and clear pricing with no surprise fees.
Marcus (B2B):
- Decision Criteria: Ease of integration, documented ROI, and a no-fluff demo process.
- Discovery Sources: SaaS marketplaces like G2, LinkedIn posts, and niche tech newsletters. He values peer recommendations.
- Influencers: His development team, legal/compliance, and the CFO all play a role.
Hobbies, Interests & Applications
Why it matters
Yes, we’re still building a marketing document — but your customer is more than a conversion rate. This section lets you peek into their real life: what excites them, how they unwind, and where your product naturally fits — not awkwardly wedged into their day like a pop-up ad during a meditation session.
How to develop it
Ask what they do when they’re not shopping for your product. Social media stalking (ethical variety), lifestyle surveys, or good old-fashioned “So what do you do for fun?” questions all work wonders.
What to include
- Applications — How your product/service fits into their lifestyle or workflow.
- Hobbies — What they genuinely enjoy when they’re not being productive.
- Interests — The broader themes or categories that draw their attention or spending.
Emily (B2C):
- Applications: Uses images for albums, large-format prints, and social sharing.
- Hobbies: Enjoys planning, visual design, and local market hopping. She loves mood boarding and styling spaces.
- Interests: Wedding inspiration, storytelling through visuals, home décor.
Marcus (B2B):
- Applications: Needs the platform to support internal rollouts, usage tracking, and onboarding analytics.
- Hobbies: Weekend cycling, cooking with his kids, and board games. These give him balance.
- Interests: UX design, SaaS metrics, team productivity tools.
Empathy Map
Why it matters
Empathy maps let you crawl inside your customer’s head — not in a creepy way, but in a “finally understand why they ignore your emails” way. It’s one of the most useful exercises for content creators, UX designers, and anyone trying to market to actual human beings rather than theoretical “decision-makers.”
How to develop it
Use direct quotes from interviews, reviews, and surveys. Channel their inner monologue. Don’t write what you want them to think — write what they actually think (even if it stings a little.
What to include
- Think & Feel — Internal thoughts, fears, and hopes they may never say aloud.
- See — What surrounds them? What do they notice in their environment or industry?
- Hear — What are friends, influencers, bosses, or family members saying?
- Say & Do — What comes out of their mouth or fingertips that reflects what they believe?
- Pain — Specific frustrations or stressors they want solved.
- Gain — The benefits or outcomes they deeply desire.
Emily (B2C):
- Think & Feel: Excited but pressured to ensure everything is perfect, especially the photography.
- See: Styled weddings online, “Pinterest-perfect” images, and endless vendor lists.
- Hear: Advice from friends and family on the importance of a good photographer.
- Say & Do: Makes detailed checklists, builds mood boards, emails multiple vendors.
- Pain: Fear of looking awkward or missing key moments.
- Gain: An emotionally resonant, beautiful photo set she’ll treasure forever.
Marcus (B2B):
- Think & Feel: Overwhelmed by options but determined to find something dependable.
- See: Competitors improving onboarding, internal pressure to reduce churn.
- Hear: “Don’t mess up another rollout.” “This needs to scale.”
- Say & Do: Asks sharp questions, vets competitors, advocates with data.
- Pain: Burnout from failed vendors, integration chaos.
- Gain: A tool that works, fast, with minimal hand-holding.
Key Marketing Messages
Why it matters
You’ve done the research — now it’s time to use it. This section takes everything you’ve learned and distils it into pitch-ready messaging that makes your audience feel seen. It’s the cheat sheet your copywriter will print and stick to their monitor.
How to develop it
Start with your value proposition, then write like you’re trying to win over the persona directly. Bonus points if your positioning statement feels like a mic drop — not a mission statement. And no, you don’t need to cram in every feature. Focus on the transformation.
What to include
- Positioning Statement — A short paragraph about what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters.
- Key Marketing Messages — Three punchy points that speak to their priorities, pain points, or desired outcomes.
Emily (B2C):
- Positioning Statement: “We capture authentic wedding moments that feel natural, not staged — so you can look back and relive the feeling of the day, not just how it looked.”
- Key Marketing Messages:
Marcus (B2B):
- Positioning Statement: “Our platform transforms onboarding from a pain point into a competitive advantage — fast, seamless, and scalable without the extra bloat.”
- Key Marketing Messages:
Customer Journey
Why it matters
A buyer persona without a journey is just a character sketch. This section maps out how someone goes from “I have a vague problem” to “I’m raving about this brand in Slack.” It’s essential for aligning content, campaigns, and conversion points — without making your team guess what happens next.
How to develop it
Ask what they’re doing, thinking, and feeling at each stage of the decision-making process. Use tools like Google Analytics, customer interviews, or CRM data to see what moves them forward — or makes them stall.
What to include
- Post-Purchase — What turns them into loyal advocates (or makes them disappear)?
- Awareness — How do they realise they have a problem or desire?
- Consideration — What do they do to explore options?
- Decision — What convinces them to say yes?
- Service — What happens when they start using your product/service?
Emily (B2C):
- Post-Purchase: Tags vendor in her photos and refers three friends within six months.
- Awareness: Searches Instagram for wedding photography ideas and gets served a promoted post.
- Consideration: Visits 5 websites, compares packages and vibe. Reads reviews and browses Instagram portfolios.
- Decision: Books a call, likes the consultative style, and locks in a date with a deposit.
- Service: Gets a planning guide, has a relaxed pre-shoot, receives sneak peeks within days.
Marcus (B2B):
- Post-Purchase: Expands company-wide. Becomes a reference customer, shares feedback in quarterly review.
- Awareness: Reads a case study about reduced onboarding churn in a competitor’s newsletter.
- Consideration: Reviews 4 platforms on G2 and discusses options with his team.
- Decision: Chooses the tool with the cleanest integration path and clearest pricing.
- Service: Runs a pilot in two teams, sees improvements within a month.
Final Thoughts...
A buyer persona is not a box-ticking exercise or a colourful slide you present once and forget. It’s not just a profile. It’s a compass for your entire business.
Done well, a buyer persona becomes the most under-utilised (and most powerful) tool in your marketing kit. It turns late-night copy rewrites into strategic messaging sessions. It gives your sales team something more to go on than, “I think this lead sounds promising.” It prevents the product team from building features for people who don’t exist.
It’s also a unifying force. When marketing, sales, and product are speaking to the same person — instead of shouting in three different directions — things just work better. Funnels make more sense. Ad spend performs better. And suddenly your team is high-fiving in Slack instead of passive-aggressively commenting in Google Docs.
Whether you build it using our free template, or let us build a beautifully researched one for you — make it count. Revisit it regularly. Update it when things change. Share it with every new hire like it’s your brand bible — a go-to guide for understanding who you’re really serving.
Because if you’re not using a persona, you’re using a dartboard. Blindfolded. In the dark.It’s how you bring clarity to your brand, consistency to your team, and humanity to your strategy.
And that, dear reader, is how you avoid creating yet another vague, forgettable “Marketing Mandy.”
Now go forth — and build personas that don’t suck.
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