Ever feel like you’re throwing words into the void, hoping the right people will find you? You’re not alone. Too many entrepreneurs create marketing content without truly knowing who they’re talking to—and that’s where customer personas come in.
A well-crafted customer persona helps you write with confidence, knowing exactly who you’re speaking to, what they need, and how you can help. But once you’ve created a persona, how do you actually use it? Let’s break it down, step by step, so you can create clear, accurate customer personas and put them to work in your marketing. (Don’t miss the customer persona examples!)
Step 1: Gather Real-World Insights
Before we start making up personas, let’s look at the real people already in your world.
Look at Your Best Customers
Think about the clients or customers you love working with—the ones who resonate with your message, value what you do, and walk away thrilled. They hold the key to understanding your ideal audience.
Ask yourself:
- What industry or niche are they in?
- What challenges do they face?
- What made them choose you?
- What do they say about working with you?
Mine Your Data
If you have an email list, website analytics, or social media insights, dig into the numbers.
- Where do your customers come from?
- What content do they engage with the most?
- What questions do they ask in emails, DMs, or comments?
Listen to Their Words
Customer language is gold. Look for common phrases they use in testimonials, reviews, or discovery calls. The more you mirror their words in your copy, the more they’ll feel like you get them.
👉 Want a deep dive into audience research? Decode Your Audience: A Cosmic Guide to Finding Your Perfect Customer walks you through exactly how to gather and analyze this info.
Step 2: Create Your Core Customer Persona
Now that you’ve gathered insights, let’s turn them into a clear picture of your ideal customer.
Start with the Basics
- Name: (Make one up to make them feel real!)
- Age range:
- Location:
- Occupation or business type:
- Life stage: (Just starting out, scaling, pivoting, etc.)
Define Their Goals & Challenges
- What are they trying to achieve? (e.g., “I want to attract more aligned clients to my coaching business.”)
- What’s getting in their way? (e.g., “I struggle with writing content that sounds like me but also converts.”)
Uncover Their Deep Motivations
- Why do they care? (What’s the emotional driver behind their goal?)
- What keeps them up at night? (What are they secretly worried about?)
- What would make them feel successful?
Know Where They Hang Out
- What social platforms do they use?
- What podcasts, books, or influencers do they follow?
- Where do they go for advice and learning?
This helps you meet them where they already are instead of hoping they stumble across your brand.
Step 3: Put Your Persona to Work in Your Marketing
Now that you have a detailed persona, let’s talk about how to actually use it to create stronger, more effective marketing.
Use It to Personalize Your Messaging
Your customer persona should shape how you speak to your audience.
- Website copy: Does it speak directly to their struggles and desires?
- Social media posts: Do they feel relevant to their daily life and business challenges?
- Emails: Are you addressing their specific concerns and goals?
Example:
- 🚫 “Our content strategy coaching will help you create engaging, high-performing marketing materials.”
- ✅ “Tired of staring at a blank screen, wondering what to write? I’ll help you create content that sounds like you—and works.”
Create Offers That Actually Fit Their Needs
Your persona can help you refine (or even create) your offers.
- Are your products or services solving their biggest pain points?
- Is your pricing aligned with what they’re willing to invest?
- Are you presenting your offers in a way that feels irresistible to them?
🚀 If your persona struggles with writing authentic content… offer a done-for-you service, customizable templates, or a guided process to help them write with confidence.
💡 If they feel overwhelmed by marketing… create simple, actionable frameworks they can follow (without the stress).
Refine Your Brand Voice
Your customer persona should inform your brand’s personality, tone, and style.
- Are you formal or casual?
- Do you use humor or keep it straightforward?
- Should your content feel playful, inspiring, or educational?
By matching your brand voice to what resonates with your ideal audience, you create an instant sense of connection.
Customer Persona Examples
PROFILE 1: The Burned-Out Social Media Manager
Name: Overwhelmed Olivia
Industry: Service Provider (Freelance Social Media Management)
Biggest Struggle: Drowning in client work but not making enough money. Constantly hustling but never feeling caught up.
What She’s Already Tried:
- Raising her prices → But clients ghosted her.
- Hiring a VA → But she spent more time managing than saving time.
- Taking a break → But panicked when leads dried up.
Key Insights:
- If she had a magic wand… she’d have a steady stream of high-paying, dream clients who actually respect her time.
- What’s stopping her? Fear of niching down—she worries she’ll lose business if she says no to certain clients.
- How she talks about her problem: “I feel like I have to say yes to every client or my business will collapse. But I’m exhausted, and I can’t keep this up.”
- What would make her say, “OMG, this is for me!”? Messaging that reassures her she can charge more, work less, and attract better clients without losing stability.
How to speak to her:
Acknowledge her fear of niching down and reassure her that it leads to better clients.
Use her words—”overwhelmed,” “burned out,” “constantly hustling but stuck.”
Position solutions as stress-reducing, not just money-making.
PROFILE 2: The Struggling Etsy Shop Owner
Name: Creative Carla
Industry: Product-Based Business (Handmade Jewelry on Etsy)
Biggest Struggle: Loves making jewelry but hates marketing and feels invisible online.
What She’s Already Tried:
- Running Instagram ads → But wasted money without sales.
- Posting daily on social media → But got crickets.
- Following generic business advice → But it felt inauthentic.
Key Insights:
- If she had a magic wand… she’d have a loyal audience who loves her designs and buys without hesitation.
- What’s stopping her? She doesn’t know how to talk about her products in a way that sells without feeling pushy.
- How she talks about her problem: “I’m trying everything they say to do, but nothing’s working. I don’t want to feel like I’m begging people to buy.”
- What would make her say, “OMG, this is for me!”? Messaging that makes marketing feel fun and natural, not forced or salesy.
How to speak to her:
Offer simple, low-pressure strategies that fit her creative personality.
Avoid overcomplicated marketing lingo—she’s creative, not a strategist.
Use her words—“I hate selling,” “I feel invisible,” “I don’t know what to say.”
PROFILE 3: The Hesitant Course Creator
Name: Hesitant Hannah
Industry: Digital Products (Online Courses & Coaching)
Biggest Struggle: She wants to launch her first online course but keeps overthinking everything.
What She’s Already Tried:
- Watching webinars → But feels overwhelmed by conflicting advice.
- Buying course templates → But never actually uses them.
- Writing content → But second-guesses herself constantly.
Key Insights:
- If she had a magic wand… she’d have a finished course and a clear marketing plan without the stress.
- What’s stopping her? Perfectionism—she keeps tweaking instead of launching.
- How she talks about her problem: “I feel like everyone else knows what they’re doing, and I don’t. What if I launch and no one buys?”
- What would make her say, “OMG, this is for me!”? Messaging that removes pressure and makes launching feel simple, doable, and safe.
How to speak to her:
Acknowledge her fear of failure and normalize her hesitation.
Use her words—“overthinking,” “stuck,” “afraid no one will buy.”
Focus on small, actionable wins instead of overwhelming her with big strategies.
Step 4: Use Your Persona Everywhere
Your customer persona isn’t just for one-time use—it should guide everything you create.
- ✅ Website copy
- ✅ Sales pages
- ✅ Social media content
- ✅ Email marketing
- ✅ Product development
The more you stay aligned with your ideal customer’s needs, the more naturally they’ll be drawn to your brand.
Build Your Customer Persona Today
Creating a detailed customer persona isn’t just an exercise—it’s a tool to guide everything from your content strategy to your offers. If you’ve ever felt stuck on what to write, how to market, or why your messaging isn’t landing, your persona is the missing piece.
Need help decoding your audience? Decode Your Audience: A Cosmic Guide to Finding Your Perfect Customer is packed with worksheets, insights, and strategies to make this process easy (and even fun!). Grab your copy and start crafting content that truly connects. Not only does it include the customer persona examples above, it walks you through how to get there.
Plus, it’s free!!
