At STIR we remind ourselves daily to ‘speak to the persona.’
Personalization is the cornerstone of success in the 1:1 age of marketing. It is a primary method of attracting attention and disrupting mediocracy. In personalizing messaging, we develop an understanding of the emotional drivers of the consumer. We can then share the higher order benefit that they seek. At that point we are speaking to their heart, striking an emotional chord. We are no longer selling a product or commodity but identifying with the consumer as people. They will be drawn to you, they will reward you with loyalty and pay a premium to do so.
Can you truly know every consumer? Can you understand the hopes and dreams of each individual? In reality, probably not. But, by segmenting your audiences by attribute and mindset through the development of relevant personas, you can find common groups and gain insight as to how best to connect with them.
In the 1:1 environment, the messaging that speaks to these personas also needs to come from the heart of the brand. The brand itself has a fully developed persona, complete with a consistent set of values, a voice, a personality. Creating campaigns that reach out, one persona to another, are the most successful because they engender trust, while creating engagement, loyalty and brand equity. That’s why we painted it on our walls, ‘speak to the persona.’
