Matt Lloyd Guidelines: How to Define a Strong Customer Avatar

A customer avatar is an imaginary person that describes the ideal demographic for your business. This avatar is a composite of many characteristics that describe your target market—the customers your business desires the most. The characteristics will vary depending on what your company is selling, but will comprise of someone who will buy from you over and over again.

Businesses create customer avatars instead of just using preferred demographic statistics because these avatars can ultimately help you make better decisions. Imagining an individual that has his or her own backstory that buys from your company can give executives a more complete picture.

Define but Don’t Limit

Where does a company begin in determining their own avatars? Think of video game avatars. When those are created, you have to do much more than just name them. They are constructed with specifics, in a number of categories. When specifying your customer avatar, it will be no different. Establish categories that must be filled out, such as, their name, a photo, age, interests, family information, psychological traits, etc. There are websites that provide avatar builders like Mad Men Yourself and Face Your Manga.

Defining your customer avatar is crucial so your business can focus its marketing and new offerings appropriately. Companies can then tailor a message that will resonate with customers most likely to buy from them. Just be certain not to limit your target audience too much. After years in this business, I’ve discovered that casting a wide net is more productive. Then, within that big net, people from your avatar’s main demographic will buy from you. There will also be others that don’t fall into your targeted demographic that will also buy from you. This wouldn’t happen if your marketing didn’t encompass this broader strategy. The last thing you want is to limit anyone from buying from you, even though they might not fall into your originally identified avatar.

Marketing

Once you have defined your customer avatar, it’s now time to market. Keeping in mind that you want to broaden your marketing efforts to a scope further beyond your ideal demographic, it’s time to place some ads.

Where to begin? This is where your avatar can be used as a key advantage. It can force you to brainstorm actual marketing channels that you would use to advertise and other methods to reach those customers. It helps answer key questions like the types of ads that would be effective or the vocabulary and tone that should be used. Just remember to broaden the scope beyond the rules of your avatar to cast a wide net.

Capture Leads

The leads that resonate the most with you, will buy from you. You’ll get these leads with your funnel and lead capture page. These potential customers will subscribe to your list. They’ll start getting your emails, your videos and all of your marketing efforts. Introduce yourself within that messaging, explaining what you’re doing and why.

Final Thought

One last thing that is very important when communicating to your avatar’s key demographic: be authentic. Adding personal details, when appropriate, can help show your authenticity. This will help your business stand out in a crowded market.

Creating your company’s own customer avatar is beneficial. It provides focus for marketing and new products. It helps answer key questions, is a great point of reference, and adds a little imagination when trying to define your ideal customer.

-Matt Lloyd