7 Steps to Create a Marketing Persona That Gets Customers to Buy

Ever tried selling to “everyone” and ended up connecting with no one? That’s what happens when businesses skip marketing personas.

A marketing persona is a semi-fictional profile of your ideal customer, built from real data and insights. Done right, it’s like turning on GPS for your marketing.

Suddenly, you know exactly who you’re speaking to, what they care about, and where to reach them.

According to HubSpot’s research on buyer personas, companies that use personas see stronger targeting and more effective campaigns. And here’s the kicker: personas don’t just make marketing smarter — they help customers buy.

For a deeper dive into why personas matter, check out our post: What Are Marketing Personas: 7 Reasons You Need to Know.

But in this post, I’m going to give you the 7 simple steps you should take to create a marketing persona so your customers want to buy from you!

Step 1: Define Your Goal for the Persona

Before you build anything, ask: Why am I creating this persona? Are you:

• Launching a new product?

• Refining your brand voice?

• Segmenting your audience for better targeting?

Without a clear purpose, personas can become fluff. As Foundation Inc. explains, personas must connect directly to your marketing goals, not just be a “nice-to-have.”

Step 2: Gather Real Customer Data

Personas built on guesses fail. Real personas are built on data. Start with:

• CRM or customer database: What do your current buyers have in common?

• Surveys and interviews: Ask about pain points, goals, and buying behavior.

• Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics or social insights to spot patterns.

• Sales team feedback: They know what objections and questions prospects bring up daily.

HubSpot suggests combining quantitative data (age, income, job title) with qualitative insights (values, fears, motivations). That balance is what makes personas powerful.

Step 3: Identify Demographics and Psychographics

Your persona should include:

• Demographics: Age, gender, role, income, location.

• Psychographics: Goals, fears, values, behaviors, and decision drivers.

Example: instead of “35-year-old executive,” build “Jason, a 35-year-old operations manager who values efficiency, is frustrated by wasted time, and wants tools that streamline workflow.”

This mix transforms a flat description into a story you can market to.

Step 4: Map Out Pain Points and Goals

People don’t buy products — they buy solutions to problems. So, you need to ask:

• What frustrates them most?

• What outcome are they chasing?

Example: A bakery might learn one persona is “Busy Mom Megan,” whose pain point is finding healthy snacks for kids, and whose goal is convenience with nutrition.

According to Buffer’s beginner’s guide to personas, connecting these dots helps craft messaging that says, “We get you”—the exact trigger that turns browsers into buyers.

Step 5: Discover Where They Spend Their Time

Even the best message fails in the wrong place. Identify where your persona hangs out:

• Social media (TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn).

• Podcasts, blogs, or YouTube channels.

• Local groups or events.

This step ensures your marketing actually reaches them, instead of shouting into the void.

Step 6: Write a Persona Profile (Make It Human)

Here’s where you bring your research to life. A good profile includes:

• Name + photo (to humanize it).

• Demographic details.

• Pain points and goals.

• Favorite channels.

• A short backstory or “day in the life.”

Example: “Meet Sarah, a 42-year-old small business owner. She values community and family time, struggles with tech overwhelm, and reads local Facebook groups for advice.”

This exercise turns a spreadsheet of data into a person your team can imagine. For more on how storytelling shapes branding, see Why Your Brand Needs a Hero—And It’s Not You.

Step 7: Apply the Persona to Your Marketing Strategy

Personas aren’t posters—they’re tools. Apply them by:

• Writing ad copy that speaks directly to their pain points.

• Choosing channels based on where they spend time.

• Training sales teams to anticipate objections.

• Tailoring offers to fit their goals.

Column Five Media reminds marketers: personas are only valuable if you actually use them to guide strategy.

Also, revisit them. People and markets change. A persona that worked last year may need refreshing today.

For more on aligning persona-driven messaging with branding, see Top 5 Branding Mistakes I See (And How to Fix Them).

FAQs: Marketing Persona Essentials

How do you develop a persona for marketing?

A: By gathering data, segmenting, mapping pain points, and creating a profile that connects to goals.

What are the 7 steps to create a persona?

The framework above: define goal, gather data, demographics/psychographics, pain points/goals, find channels, profile, apply.

What should a persona include?

Demographics, psychographics, pain points, goals, channels, and a backstory.

What are the 4 types of customer personas?

Decision-makers, influencers, end-users, and gatekeepers (varies by industry).

What is an example of a persona in marketing?

“Busy Mom Megan,” juggling parenting and work, looking for convenient and healthy options.

What are best practices for creating personas?

Use both quantitative and qualitative data, update regularly, and keep them actionable—not just descriptive.

Conclusion: Personas Are Maps, Not Guesswork

Marketing personas aren’t about guessing who your customer might be. They’re about knowing, with clarity and evidence, who you’re talking to and what they need.

The payoff? Sharper messaging, more efficient spend, and customers who feel like you get them.

So here’s your challenge: build one persona this week, apply it to a campaign, and watch how much clearer your strategy becomes.

Want help taking the next step? Check out The Next Three Steps Every Small Business Should Take.