# What is a Buyer Persona and How to Define Yours

[Alma Muñoz](https://blog.saleslayer.com/author/alma-mu%C3%B1oz)  ·  April 23, 2020

**Table of Contents**

1. [What is a buyer persona?](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#what)
2. [Uses and benefits of a buyer persona](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#uses)
3. [How to build a buyer persona for your business](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#how)
4. [Methods for creating a buyer persona](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#methods)
5. [Negative buyer persona?](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#negative)
6. [Examples of buyer personas](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#examples)
7. [Buyer persona templates adaptable to any industry](https://blog.saleslayer.com/what-is-buyer-persona#templates)

## **What is a buyer persona?**

A buyer persona is **the ideal customer or buyer profile for the products or services that a business is selling**. It is based on information obtained from market research, as well as current and potential customers.

Creating a buyer persona should be a priority for any company. Carrying out this type of research shows that **the company cares about its potential customers** and is trying to understand them and adapt the product or service, along with its message, to their needs.

Buyer personas are almost like a type of “fictional character”. Developing these profiles will allow you to define all the ideal characteristics that the perfect customer should have.

## **Uses and benefits of buyer personas**

- **Product development:** Buyer persona descriptions help the development team to create products and services with the end user in mind.
- **Content creation:** The marketing department will be able to work closely with the sales team, since they share the same target customer profiles.
- **Sales tracking:** Sales representatives can better understand customer habits and background, allowing them to determine the best way to deal with each customer.
- **Customer Support:** Understanding the buyer persona can be useful during initial consultations and addressing specific concerns.
- **Corporate organization:** Buyer personas enable all departments to focus in the same direction toward the real objective—the customer.

## **How to build a buyer persona for your business**

To create a buyer persona, you need **raw customer data**, from which you can extract common patterns.

The buyer persona may be very clear for your business already, but you may be surprised to discover [new niches that you had never even considered before](https://blog.saleslayer.com/ecommerce-trends).

### **Methods for creating a buyer persona**

- **Do your own research:** Analyze your database to find patterns in how customers find or contact you.
- **Active participation:** Conduct questionnaires, surveys, and interviews with former or current customers.
- **Contact network:** Gather information from your sales representatives who know how users react to your product.
- **Market research:** Analyze buying trends, industry statistics, and competitors.
- **Web analytics:** Review numerical data showing customer navigation on your website.

## **Is there such a thing as a negative buyer persona?**

Defining your negative buyer persona can be useful for customer segmentation and to reduce non-converting traffic. This includes customers who do not fit the profile for your service or product.

## **Examples of buyer personas**

## **Buyer persona templates adaptable to any industry**

There is some key data that must be included in every buyer persona profile:
- Name
- Gender
- Age
- Geographical location
- Personal interests
- Work details
- Personal details: routine, hobbies, events they usually attend
- Favorite channels for viewing content
- Type of vocabulary used in searches for the service or product
- Typical problems related to the service or product

### **Conclusion**

Getting started with creating buyer personas may require extensive research, but it benefits all departments of the company. **Keep expanding and modifying your buyer persona regularly**, as customers' preferences and your business may change.