The first step in any business is understanding your customer. Because no customers also mean no business. And, it’s more than just having a customer here and there — it’s about understanding them.
You can work that profile into future marketing by understanding and knowing what makes them tick and who they are. You will find that your customers often have commonalities in who they are, where they come from, what they desire and what they fear? Do you know their daily routine, or do you even know their age, sex and social class?
If you don’t yet, you should!
Anytime you think of your business (idea), the first thing that should come to mind is your customer. You should be able to create your solution and its benefits around the person who will use or buy it.
This is done by;
Understanding your Customer
Demographics help you get a first idea of who your customer likely is. To fill your customers with life, create avatars which include primary attributes like;
- needs
- behavior
- spending habits
Creating avatars is the secret to your marketing success.
It allows you to live into understanding your customer and how you can best fill the void and/or need they are after. For example, think about a conversation where someone was telling you about a friend — and you thought, ‘wow, they could use my product or service!’
That is what creating a customer avatar is about. Create those wow moments.
Prioritizing and Exploring your Customer
You may come up with several customer avatars. This is expected and totally normal. What this does mean, however, is you need to prioritize who your number one is.
By now, we hope you have brainstormed a few avatar ideas, and now you want to narrow it down to one. Do not change anything about the profiles — choose the one best suited for that number one spot.
Additionally, this number one may shift as you go through the other phases; however, let’s get you started by going with your first instinct.
Once you have selected your number one, think of the job your customer wants to be done. This helps you to define a clear image. Some examples of jobs-to-get-done are;
- to have a great dinner out
- meet new friends
- spend some great holidays
This list may seem odd to you — so let’s add some substance.
- basic needs: to communicate, still hunger
- social: to try to look good, gain power or status
- emotional: to feel good, secure, loved
- functional: to perform or complete a specific task, solve a particular problem
Key Note: the better you understand your customers’ needs, the more value you can create for them.
Overall, understanding your customers is the ultimate key to your business success.
