Go-to-market strategy
Buyer persona
A buyer persona is a semi-fictional profile of a typical individual in a target buying decision, capturing their role, goals, challenges, and how they make decisions.
In short
- A buyer persona is a semi-fictional profile of a typical individual in a target buying decision, capturing their role, goals, challenges, and how they make decisions.
What a buyer persona is
A buyer persona is a research-based profile of a specific type of buyer, for example, a 'VP of Sales at a mid-market SaaS company.' It captures their responsibilities, goals, pain points, objections, and the way they evaluate and buy, so reps and marketers can tailor messaging to a real human rather than an abstract market.
Most B2B deals involve several personas, an end user, a champion, an economic buyer, and others, each with different priorities. Mapping the personas in a deal is part of navigating a buying committee.
How reps use personas
Personas shape how a rep tailors the conversation. The message that lands with a hands-on end user (does it make my day easier?) differs from the message for an economic buyer (what is the return?). Knowing the persona lets a rep lead with the value each one cares about.
Personas work hand in hand with the ideal customer profile: the ICP picks the company, the persona picks the person and shapes the pitch. Tailoring to the stakeholder is also central to methodologies like the Challenger Sale.
Frequently asked
What is a buyer persona?
- A buyer persona is a semi-fictional profile of a typical individual in a target buying decision, capturing their role, goals, challenges, and how they evaluate and make purchasing decisions.
What is the difference between a buyer persona and an ICP?
- A buyer persona describes an individual person involved in a purchase, while an ideal customer profile (ICP) describes the company or account that is the best fit to target.
How many buyer personas should a B2B team have?
- Most B2B deals involve several personas, so teams usually map the key roles in a buying committee, such as end user, champion, and economic buyer, and tailor messaging to each rather than relying on a single persona.