What’s Up With “Persona Marketing”

Have you heard of this? 

Persona Marketing is becoming a buzz word in the sales and marketing world these days…I’m hearing about it right & left.

If you’re not familiar, Persona Marketing means to create full profiles of your “typical” customers.  While there are some positive uses for full-on Personas, it seems to me this is just fancyTarget Marketing.  Target Marketing gone bananas.

Marketing 101: Determine Who Your Customers Are.  Am I right?

So what makes Persona Marketing different from Target Marketing?  It takes the concept one step further (possibly over the edge). 

Your Target Market is a demographic, a type of person or business that you consider your customers.  All products, services, marketing and sales efforts are focused on your Target Market.

A Persona is a character that embodies your Target Market.  A completely fictional character.  A blurring of business and Saturday morning cartoons.  (Okay maybe that’s a bit dramatic).

The latest is a recent article Overcome the Disconnect with Persona Marketing by Lisa Wehr, the CEO of digital marketing agency Oneupweb.  All kidding aside, the Persona does provide an opportunity for audiences to relate to our products & services in a new way.

If you’re interested in giving Personas a try, this article is a useful “how to.”  Suggestions of Persona birthday cakes aside.

Good luck out there!  It’s getting nuttier by the minute…