The Power of Customer Personas
You can’t sell what you don’t understand. Here’s how to create customer personas that actually convert — and why lazy entrepreneurs skip this step at their own expense.
– 4 min read
Be honest — do you really know who you’re talking to?
Too many founders don’t. They post, promote, and pray — and wonder why no one buys. The truth is simple: if you market to everyone, you sell to no one.
This week, we’re breaking down how to build Customer Personas — the quiet secret behind every brand that sells with ease.
What a Customer Persona Actually Is
A Customer Persona is a written snapshot of your ideal buyer — their lifestyle, values, struggles, and what drives their decisions.
Think of it as your GPS for marketing. Without it, you’re guessing. With it, every post, product, and ad hits the right person at the right time.
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Glossary Callout: Customer Persona — a semi-fictional profile that represents your ideal customer based on data, behavior, and emotional triggers.
Why Lazy Entrepreneurs Skip This (and Why You Can’t)
Most people skip it because they want fast money, not slow research. But skipping personas means you waste time and ad dollars.
Lazy entrepreneurs:
- Sell to “everyone who likes skincare.”
- Write captions that sound generic.
- Price their products without considering their audience’s spending power.
Smart entrepreneurs:
- Know their customer’s job, income, and hobbies.
- Understand what keeps her up at night.
- Tailor every offer to her exact needs.
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Pro Tip: If your audience feels like you “get” them, they don’t compare prices — they just buy.
Why Personas Matter
Creating personas helps you:
- Target your marketing budget where it actually works.
- Design products that solve real pain points.
- Set prices that your audience can afford and that sustain you.
- Write messaging that converts because it speaks their language.
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Hot Stat Highlight: According to HubSpot, customer personas can make your website 2–5x more effective and improve email open rates by 14%.
How to Create a Customer Persona (Step-by-Step)
- Start with Demographics:
- Age range
- Gender
- Location
- Income bracket
- Job or industry
- Layer in Psychographics:
- Values, dreams, fears
- Hobbies and interests
- What they read, watch, and follow
- Map Behavior:
- Where do they spend time online (TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram)?
- How do they prefer to shop — mobile, in-store, or desktop?
- What type of content grabs their attention (tutorials, quotes, stories)?
- Understand Needs vs. Wants:
- What problem are they trying to solve?
- What would make them spend even in a slow economy?
- What feels like a “treat” vs. a “necessity”?
- Reality Check the Economics:
- How much can they afford to spend monthly on your product?
- At your current pricing, can you make a living selling to them?
Case Study 1: New Mom Wellness Brand
Persona: “Nicole – The Rebuilding Mom”
- Age: 30–36
- Occupation: Teacher, maternity leave
- Income: $65K
- Platforms: Pinterest, Instagram
- Needs: Self-care that feels affordable, not indulgent
- Wants: Energy, routines, and confidence post-baby
- Buys: Wellness kits, planners, time-saving products
- Budget: $30–$60/month
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Marketing Move: Run Pinterest ads for “self-care for new moms” and share relatable short videos of 10-minute morning routines.
Case Study 2: Makeup Brand
Persona: “Jada – The Beauty Explorer”
- Age: 24
- Occupation: Retail associate
- Income: $42K
- Platforms: TikTok, YouTube Shorts
- Needs: Products that work for textured skin and deeper tones
- Wants: To look polished without overspending
- Buys: Lip glosses, setting sprays, skincare minis
- Budget: $20–$40 per order
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Marketing Move: Partner with micro-influencers for TikTok GRWM videos and run $5–$10 boosted posts featuring bold visuals and shade variety.
Case Study 3: Life Coaching Brand
Persona: “Tesha – The Career Changer”
- Age: 38
- Occupation: Mid-level manager
- Income: $85K
- Platforms: LinkedIn, Instagram
- Needs: Clarity and structure before quitting her job
- Wants: Freedom, flexibility, and validation
- Buys: Coaching sessions, courses, personal development books
- Budget: $150–$400/month
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Marketing Move: Share testimonials and structured “career clarity” frameworks on LinkedIn; use a free clarity checklist to build email subscribers.
How the Economy Changes Everything
Personas aren’t static. Inflation, layoffs, and life stages all shift what your audience can buy and how they buy it.
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Example: The same customer who spent $100 on candles in 2022 may now spend $40 — but she’ll pay $100 for a class that helps her start her own candle line.
Always revisit your persona every quarter to reflect real conditions.
Final Word: Stop Guessing. Start Understanding.
The difference between a struggling brand and a scaling one isn’t talent — it’s targeting.
Lazy entrepreneurs build content.
Smart entrepreneurs build understanding.
You can’t speak to your audience if you don’t know their language — and this is how you learn to speak it fluently.
Action Checklist:
- ☐ Create one detailed persona using the steps above
- ☐ Identify which platform your audience lives on
- ☐ Audit your pricing against your persona’s income
- ☐ Update your persona every quarter
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Written by
Khila James is the founder of Ovidia, empowering women of color in business through funding, tools, and community. A seasoned entrepreneur, she blends vision with strategy to help founders turn bold ideas into thriving, lasting ventures.
