Trying to market without doing persona research is a lot like trying to cook dinner for a stranger without asking if they’re allergic to shellfish. Sure, you might impress them with your famous shrimp scampi—or you might send them to the ER. Either way, you’re guessing, and guessing rarely ends well.
That’s why persona research exists. It’s the unglamorous but essential grunt work that keeps your marketing from spiraling into irrelevance. Done right, it tells your marketing team exactly who they’re writing to, and your sales team exactly who they’re pitching. Done wrong—or not at all—and you’re just another company shouting into the void, hoping someone happens to care.
The Importance of Persona Research
Whether you already have a vague sense of your target audience or you’re starting with a blank slate, persona research narrows the guesswork. It’s like switching from “Where’s Waldo?” to a GPS that drops a pin right on Waldo’s striped little head. Suddenly, instead of writing for “everyone with money and a pulse,” you’re writing for people who actually might buy what you’re selling.
Step 1: Demographics — The Basic Resume
Start with the basics. Age, gender, marital status, household income, number of kids, zip code. Yes, it feels nosy. Yes, it’s essential. Without these building blocks, your persona is just a blurry silhouette.
Step 2: Education & Career Path
Don’t stop at “went to college.” Find out what they studied, why they studied it, and whether it has anything to do with what they’re doing now. Half of us majored in something we don’t actually use (hello, communications majors). Understanding the detours and pivots gives you a sense of how your persona thinks—and buys.
Step 3: Company & Role
Now zoom out: where do they work? What industry? How big is the company? How much revenue? Then zoom back in: what’s their actual role? Do they call the shots or report to someone who does? If you’re selling B2B and don’t know whether you’re talking to the decision-maker or the gatekeeper, you’re in for a lot of “We’ll get back to you.” (Spoiler: they won’t.)
Step 4: The Day-to-Day Grind
This is where persona research gets juicy. What does their average Tuesday look like? What tools do they use? What metrics are they responsible for? Knowing their daily grind tells you whether your product makes them a hero—or just another email clogging up their inbox.
Step 5: Challenges & Goals
Every persona has a headache. Maybe it’s cash flow. Maybe it’s compliance. Maybe it’s Kevin from accounting who still hasn’t learned to use the CRM. Whatever it is, if you don’t know their challenges, your marketing will never hit the nerve. On the flip side, what does success look like for them? Promotions? Fewer fires to put out? More time to drink wine at 5 p.m. without feeling guilty? That’s your hook.
B2C vs. B2B: Same Game, Different Rules
If you’re in B2C, your persona research might reveal personal frustrations (“I just want a stroller that folds without requiring a PhD in physics”). In B2B, the stakes get corporate: budgets, metrics, reporting structures. Either way, you’re looking for pressure points you can speak to.
The Reality Check
Now, here’s the kicker: persona research is tedious. It takes time. It requires digging through surveys, interviews, LinkedIn profiles, and sometimes even company org charts that look like they were designed by M.C. Escher.
Which is why most companies don’t do it properly. They cut corners, guess, or skip it entirely. Then they wonder why their campaigns sound like they were written for “people” in general, rather than actual customers.
Enter BuyerTwin: Research Without the Headache
This is where BuyerTwin saves your sanity. Instead of spending weeks cobbling together spreadsheets, BuyerTwin’s Ask Your Buyer Twin feature digs into the data for you—firmographics, job roles, challenges, goals, all without the manual grunt work. You get the insights faster, and your team can actually focus on strategy instead of pretending they enjoy survey analysis.
Conclusion: Stop Guessing—Start Knowing Your Buyer
Getting to know your buyer isn’t a box to check—it’s the foundation of your entire marketing and sales strategy. The more detailed your persona research, the more precise your campaigns, your copy, and your conversions.
But let’s be honest: doing it manually is about as fun as assembling IKEA furniture without the instructions. That’s why BuyerTwin exists—to do the heavy lifting and hand you a persona you can actually use.
👉 Try BuyerTwin today and stop guessing who your buyers are. Start knowing.