Most of the companies we work with have multiple buyers involved in the buying decision, so we encourage marketers to think about how each of these people will evaluate the decision (their buying criteria) and the process (sometimes complex) they will follow to make the decision.

This gives marketers the information we need to develop different messages that communicate value to each of several buying influencers. Plus we now know where to deliver the relevant messages and how to be effective at each of several stages of the buying process.

For your example of a parent and toys for her children, I would develop a persona for the mother and look at my toy through her eyes, matching her buying criteria to unique aspects of my toy. The message to the mother would be conveyed through the text on the package, on the website parents would visit to evaluate the toy, etc. I would also build a persona for the child, and ensure that the colors/image on the package, the look of the toy, and any promotions the child would see were visually and emotionally appealing to the child. The child might see the package while passing through the aisles or on TV. When the parent stops to evaluate the purchase, they see that the toy is safe, durable, etc.

To see persona-based messaging that is closely related to your second example, see what Vantage Mobility does (scroll down to the bottom of the page).

Marketers should not be too concerned about who will use the product when we develop our go-to-market strategies. If we focus on each of the buying influencers and their needs we will be successful.

Answered by Adele Revella