Persona

One Persona represents a clearly defined target group and serves as a detailed profile of typical users or customers. This method goes far beyond basic demographic data and creates a comprehensive personality profile with specific characteristics, behavioural patterns, motivations and needs.

Persona development is based on robust market research data and user interviews, not on assumptions. In the process, characteristic features such as name, age, occupation, marital status, values, lifestyle, living environment and media behaviour are systematically recorded and compiled into a consistent user profile condensed.

Strategic application in practice

Personas serve as central reference for marketing and product decisions. They enable companies to put themselves in their target audience’s shoes and predict their reactions to specific messages or product features.

A practical example of a B2B persona:

"Thomas Müller, aged 42, managing director of a medium-sized mechanical engineering company with 85 employees. He primarily uses LinkedIn and trade journals to gather information. Decisions are made on the basis of data, and he has a marketing budget of between 50,000 and 200,000 euros per year.”

When personas are useful – and when they aren’t

Recommended use: For complex target audiences with varying needs, for content marketing strategies, product development and website optimisation. Particularly valuable for longer purchasing decision-making processes in the B2B sector or for products that require explanation.

Less suitable: In the case of very homogeneous target groups, simple impulse purchases, or where extensive Customer Journey Mapping is the case. Even in markets where price is a major driving factor, personas can lose their relevance.

Contrasting examples: effective vs. ineffective personas

Effective persona: Based on at least 20 customer interviews, it includes specific quotes and identifies concrete pain points and purchase triggers. It is regularly validated and updated using new data.

Ineffective persona: Is based on mere assumptions, relies on clichés rather than well-founded insights, and remains superficial in its use of demographic data. It is created once and never updated.

The Quality of a persona This is evident in its practical applicability: can team members spontaneously predict how ‘their’ persona would react to a new campaign? If not, the persona lacks the necessary depth and precision.