Developing Customer Personas

Carl Jung was a psychiatrist studying dreams and mythology in 1919. He had no interest in marketing. Yet the 12 human archetypes he identified are now the psychological backbone of the most valuable brands on earth. Your brand is not just a logo but a psychological identity. Here is everything you need to know ⬇️ 👉🏻 WHAT ARE BRAND ARCHETYPES? Universal character patterns rooted in human psychology. When a brand embodies one authentically, customers do not just recognize it - they feel it. And feeling, not logic, is what actually drives people to buy. 💡THE 12 ARCHETYPES AND WHAT THEY DESIRE • Ruler - Power, control, prestige  •Creator - Innovation, imagination  •Innocent - Optimism, purity, safety  •Sage - Knowledge, truth, expertise •Explorer - Freedom, discovery  •Outlaw - Rebellion, disruption •Magician - Transformation, wonder •Hero - Courage, achievement •Lover - Passion, intimacy  •Jester - Fun, humor, playfulness  •Everyman - Belonging, relatability  •Caregiver - Nurturing, protection 👉🏻 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Customers do not buy products. They buy identities, feelings, and the version of themselves they want to become. Brands that understand this use archetypes to position themselves inside that desire, and the ones that get it right do not compete on price, because their customers never think to compare. 👉🏻 HOW TO CHOOSE YOURS? Ask one question: at the exact moment your customer engages with you, what do they need? That answer is your primary archetype - about 70% of your brand personality, built around your customer's need. Your secondary archetype (30%) reflects your leadership team's personality, adding depth without overriding what customers came for. 💡 EXAMPLE: A customer walking into an ice cream shop wants joy and indulgence, not expertise. The Lover or Jester fits as the primary. If the founder is a lifelong history obsessive, the Sage lives in the secondary layer - adding character without confusing anyone about what the brand is actually for. 👉🏻HOW TO APPLY IT? 1️⃣ Visual identity - Your colors, imagery, and design should reflect your archetype's world. An Explorer brand has no business looking corporate. 2️⃣ Tone of voice - Every word should sound like something only your archetype would say. Nike's "Just Do It" works because a Hero brand cannot afford to sound uncertain. 3️⃣ Brand behavior - Dove's "Choose Beautiful" is not advertising. It is a Caregiver-Innocent brand doing exactly what its archetype demands. 💡 My $7 million, three-year neuromarketing study scanned the brains of 2,000 people as they experienced brands and products. The finding: the subconscious drives far more of buying behavior than logic ever will. ‼️ Archetypes work because they speak directly to that subconscious.

When I removed targets from my team, the first question every sales leader asked was... “How did you stop everything turning into chaos?” The answer was simple but not easy. We replaced top down targets with something far more powerful… A personal success blueprint for every rep. If you’ve never used one, here’s exactly what it is and how it works. It's a structured, data informed plan the rep co creates with their manager. It defines the inputs, activity levels & funnel metrics they need to achieve THEIR definition of success. It becomes the foundation for coaching, accountability & weekly 1:1s. Here’s how we built it. Step 1️⃣: Start with what top performers actually do... We pulled the data from our best reps. Things like... Discovery calls per week Discovery to qualified Opps created per month Opps to close Average deal size Sales cycle Etc....you get my point. This became our baseline blueprint. Not a rule, more like a map of effective execution inside our reality. Step 2️⃣: Understand the rep's intrinsic motivators... Because a blueprint only works if the rep is building toward something they care about. But first we needed to model the openness we sought from them. I shared my personal manual for working with me; a meaty guide that included lots of personal info, including my drivers & motivations. Then we found out what drove them... Some wanted a promotion. Some had a clear earning goal. Some wanted to rebuild confidence. Some wanted to be at the top of the leaderboard. Once you uncover the driver, you can build a plan that actually means something. Step 3️⃣: Build their personalised blueprint grounded in data... This is the coaching conversation where real change happens. It sounds like… “If your goal is £X and your deal size is £Y you will need around Z deals…” “Your win rate is X%, top performers sit at Y% percent…where could you realistically get it to?” “With your discovery to qualified at X%, how many discovery calls per week do you need?” The manager questions. The rep thinks. Together they build something ambitious but believable. And everything is rooted in their personal motivator...e.g. a clear path to promotion. The rep signs off. The manager commits to coaching to it. Step 4️⃣: Contract for accountability... This is where most leaders fall. We asked every rep… “When you fall behind, how do you want me to respond?” Some wanted a Slack nudge. Some wanted a short problem solving session. Some wanted it raised in weekly 1:1s Different reps need different triggers. Agreeing this upfront turns accountability into partnership. Step 5️⃣: Use the blueprint every week... Every 1:1 followed the GROW model. Goal, Reality, Options, Will. What’s working, what's not, what options do you see and what will you commit to this week? It keeps the conversation grounded in reality and solution focussed. 5 simple steps but success is driven by the quality of the coaching. That'll be my next post...

We’ve all heard of audience personas. But what if you could look beyond demographics and see how a persona thinks, behaves, and buys in real time? That’s exactly what I did today using Momentro, diving into the “Coffee Lovers” persona while comparing Barista Coffee Company Limited and t-Lounge by Dilmah but instead of focusing on search or content, I went deeper into behaviour. ☕ The “Coffee Lovers” Persona in Sri Lanka. 📌 Behavioural Trends: Actively follow slow living, café culture, and minimalism creators on YouTube. Prefer review led content over ads. Blend indulgence with wellness interested in both high-end desserts and clean living. 📌 Influencer Signals: Gravitate towards authentic, often micro-influencers who feel like trusted voices. Example: I checked out Alison Wijemanne who popped up in the F&B influencer space. Momentro provided me her category strength (food, beverage & travel) her brand history, her sentiment index (largely green = safe bet for partnerships) and some of the brands she has worked with in the past too. 📌 Brand Affinities: Engage with Barista, Dilmah T-Lounge, Java Lounge (Pvt) Ltd, Peppermint Cafe, Ibsons Choice Cafe, and even Starbucks — suggesting they blend local pride with global taste. 📌 Pain Points & Opportunities of coffee lovers in Sri Lanka: Tired of copy-paste content Seek genuine café experiences and behind-the-scenes narratives Want to feel spoken to, not marketed at For Content Teams: This is a Gold Mine. Most content teams are briefed with assumptions: “Target millennials,” “Make it Gen Z-friendly,” “Do something trendy.” But with Momentro, your creative team gets the nuance: -What this persona wants to hear -What frustrates them -What formats they consume -What tone feels authentic vs performative -Build campaigns based on what this persona already consumes -Choose influencers that align with their behavioural identity -Tailor content formats (YouTube > Facebook, micro > macro) No more content roulette. You build stories rooted in reality, pain points, motivations, peer influence, and preferred channels. Suddenly, your next campaign isn’t just more relevant. It’s more wanted! #marketing #influencermarketing #personaanalysis #microinfluencers #momentro

Sales teams often build from the top down. That’s why they break. I’ve spent decades studying what separates consistent performers from one-hit wonders. It comes down to this pyramid. Start at the foundation. Habits. Three clear priorities every morning. Follow up with purpose, not just to check in. Maintain clean systems. Build momentum through small daily wins. Consistent structure beats motivation every time. Next level up. Skills. Discovery that uncovers real impact. Objections handled early, not late. Negotiation anchored on outcomes. Demos that show value created, not features listed. The best sellers talk less, listen more, and guide with intent. Then comes Mindset. Treat rejection as feedback, not failure. Build confidence through preparation, not personality. Stay curious. Optimize for learning first, outcomes follow. Growth-oriented sellers outperform those chasing quick closes. Now you’re ready for Process. A predictable pipeline rhythm. Templates that move fast but personalize where it matters. Measure what converts. Forecast with evidence, not optimism. Disciplined process closes more deals than instinct alone. Finally, Edge. Build a reputation that precedes the meeting. Share wins and playbooks internally. Run experiments, not guesses. Coach others. Visibility and credibility create warmer referrals and more inbound.

One of the most effective ways to define your brand is by mapping it to a specific person. Not just a vague demographic, but an actual persona—real or fictional—who embodies everything your company stands for. When I launched my activewear brand, Ellie, we created Amy, a 27-year-old woman from California who represented our ideal customer. Every marketing decision we made was filtered through the question: Would Amy be into this? Amy loved the outdoors, so our ads featured scenic landscapes. She wasn’t too serious, so our content was lighthearted and casual. She had big aspirations but also made time for fun. Getting specific with her persona made our messaging feel natural and authentic. And it worked. When defining Hawke Media’s persona, we landed on me because I am the customer we serve. Before launching Hawke, I built, scaled, and sold e-commerce brands. I know firsthand the pain points our clients face, from tight budgets to inefficient marketing strategies to the constant pressure to grow. That perspective shaped the way we built Hawke Media. We are not a buttoned-up, corporate agency. We take marketing seriously, but we also have fun, challenge norms, and embrace creativity. That personality attracts the right clients and the right talent because it reflects exactly who we are built to serve. Defining your brand’s persona, whether it is a fictional character, a celebrity, or even yourself, keeps your messaging sharp and consistent. It gives your company a voice, a personality, and a clear direction. Without it, your marketing risks being generic and forgettable.

If your content marketing feels like screaming into the void... You’re probably starting from the wrong layer. Let’s fix that. 🛠️ "3 Layers of Content Marketing" perfectly maps what most teams get wrong; They jump straight into creation (Layer 3) without a strategy (Layer 1) or a plan (Layer 2). Result? You’re publishing blogs no one reads, posts no one shares, and videos even your mom won’t like. Here’s the real game (yes, backed by actual 2025 marketing trends) 🥇 Layer 1: Content Strategy (The Brain) Start with your Target Audience (Spoiler: “Anyone with a wallet” is not a persona). Craft sharp Positioning - you’re not just another “innovative, cutting-edge solution provider.” Develop Content Pillars - think Netflix series, not random TikToks. 🥈 Layer 2: Content Plan (The Blueprint) Plan Distribution before creation. (If you build it, they won’t come - unless you drag them in creatively.) Repurpose Smartly - one podcast = 5 posts = 10 memes = 1 whitepaper (I'm only half-kidding). Mix Formats and Channels - blogs, carousels, reels, carrier pigeons (ok, maybe not pigeons). 🥉 Layer 3: Content Creation (The Show) Invest in Psychology and Research - writing without audience insights is basically fan fiction. Style Matters - ugly content burns eyes and trust. Get Feedback - if your audience is silently nodding, they're actually leaving. Pro Tip from 2025 Trends - Brands winning today create narrative ecosystems, not random content islands. AI tools help scale, but insight and originality are still your real currency. Attention spans are shorter than ever (8.25 seconds) - your formatting and hooks matter more than you think. Moral of the story Strategy → Plan → Creation Not the other way around. (Unless you enjoy publishing into the abyss, in which case... carry on.) 👉 How are you layering your content marketing this year? #ContentMarketing #MarketingStrategy #ContentCreation #DigitalMarketing #MarketingTips #GrowthMindset

Is our audience wrong or is our content wrong? 🤔 I've seen founders post daily, try new angles, get decent engagement... but the RIGHT people never show up in their DMs or sales pipeline. Views don't pay bills. The wrong audience does nothing for your business. Here's what most brands miss: 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼. At Click Fox Media, we start with audience persona mapping — 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙖-𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙮. Research shows that 90% of companies using detailed buyer personas develop a better understanding of their consumers and see higher engagement and conversions. (Delve AI) Three ways to fix this today: 𝗗𝗶𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 → Go beyond age and location. Understand their fears, triggers, and what keeps them up at night. 𝗦𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 → Look at who actually engages, saves, and buys. Not who you think should care. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 → Stop trying to speak to everyone. Clarity beats volume every time. When your content speaks to the right person at the right time, everything changes 💥 What's stopping your content from reaching the people who'd actually buy?

Some user groups have distinct usability needs, and to design experiences that truly meet those needs, we need to identify patterns in how different users interact with a product. Clustering helps group users based on shared behaviors rather than broad assumptions, allowing UX researchers to uncover deeper insights, optimize design decisions, and improve the overall experience. One of the most common clustering methods is k-means, which groups users around central points based on similarity. It is widely used for segmenting personas and analyzing behavioral trends but requires predefining the number of clusters, which can be a limitation. Hierarchical clustering offers an alternative by building a tree-like structure that reveals relationships between different user groups. This method is particularly useful for mapping engagement levels and understanding how different users interact with an interface. Density-based clustering, such as DBSCAN, identifies areas of high user activity while automatically separating outliers. This method works well for analyzing drop-offs, onboarding friction, and engagement patterns without assuming a fixed number of clusters. Gaussian Mixture Models take a probabilistic approach, allowing users to belong to multiple clusters at once. This is particularly useful for analyzing hybrid user behaviors, such as those who switch between casual and expert usage depending on the context. Fuzzy clustering is another approach that enables users to be part of multiple groups simultaneously. This is helpful when behavior is fluid and does not fit neatly into distinct categories. It is often used in personalization systems where engagement modes shift dynamically. Constraint-based clustering applies predefined business rules to the process, making it ideal for segmenting users based on factors like subscription tiers or access levels. Grid-based clustering, including the BIRCH algorithm, is particularly useful when working with large-scale datasets. Unlike other methods, BIRCH processes large amounts of data efficiently, making it a valuable tool for analyzing heatmaps, session recordings, and high-volume engagement metrics.

5 rules that helped me keep brands consistent across 4 platforms. I built this system after realizing...   "Posting more” wasn’t the answer. When you manage multiple brand accounts, one thing you realize early on: Consistency isn’t the problem. System design is. Most brands try to “be everywhere.” But they end up spreading themselves thin. One post on LinkedIn. One on Instagram. And silence everywhere else. Initially, I made the same mistake. We were posting the same content across every channel. It looked efficient, but it didn’t connect. Because every platform speaks a different language. That’s when I built a multi-platform consistency framework.. One that keeps messaging cohesive, while adapting to each platform’s audience psychology. It’s now the same framework I use for my clients. To scale presence without burnout or creative chaos. Here’s how it works 👇 Step 1: Define your Core Message Pillars Every brand needs 3-4 content pillars that anchor every platform. The message stays the same. The delivery changes. → LinkedIn: Strategic frameworks → Instagram: Visual storytelling → TikTok: Quick, relatable insights Same foundation. Different format. Step 2: Repurpose by Angle, Not Copy Never duplicate captions. Translate tone. → LinkedIn = authority + storytelling → Instagram = emotional + aesthetic → TikTok = casual + entertaining (by the way, this may vary depending on your brand tone and niche) You’re not repeating yourself. You’re reinforcing your narrative. Step 3: Build a “Content Core” Document This is your strategist dashboard. Every idea starts here, then gets localized for each platform. No guessing. No starting from scratch. Step 4: Assign “Platform Anchors” Each channel plays a distinct role in the ecosystem. → LinkedIn → Thought leadership → Instagram → Brand storytelling → TikTok → Awareness driver → YouTube → Depth & trust When every platform has purpose. Consistency becomes effortless. Step 5: Weekly Sync, Monthly Scale I batch ideation weekly, review analytics monthly. That balance keeps content adaptable, but aligned with brand goals. Because true consistency isn’t about posting daily. It’s about designing a system that scales your message predictably. P.S. Platforms change. Algorithms shift. But your system? That’s what stays timeless. P.P.S. How do you currently maintain consistency across platforms? Manually or through a system?

Why Consistent Messaging Across Channels Increases Conversion Most brands optimize individual channels. Website Email Social media But in sexual wellness, consistency across all of them is what drives results. Users rarely convert after a single touchpoint. They see a post Visit the site Read product details Receive an email Each interaction shapes perception. If the messaging is aligned, confidence builds. If it shifts, doubt appears. Different tone Different positioning Different expectations These inconsistencies create friction. And friction slows conversion. High performing brands ensure: The same core message across all channels Consistent tone and language Aligned product positioning Reinforced trust signals at every step This creates continuity. Users feel like they are interacting with one system. Not multiple disconnected experiences. There is also a speed advantage. When messaging is consistent, users understand faster. Which leads to quicker decisions. At V For Vibes, alignment is a priority. Because in a category where trust is built step by step, consistency across every touchpoint is what moves users forward. #SexTech #MarketingStrategy #Ecommerce #ConsumerBehavior #BrandStrategy