Definition

Fictional but detailed character profiles of your ideal customers, used to guide marketing and product decisions. They're archetypal customers with names, backstories, and motivations.

Example Usage

Our primary persona is 'Marketing Manager Megan,' age 32, working at a tech company, focused on efficiency.

Origin

Popularized by Alan Cooper in interaction design during the 1990s, adopted by marketing

Fun Fact

The best personas are based on actual customer research, not just what the marketing team thinks people want.

Source: User Experience and Marketing Strategy standards

Related Terms

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User Acquisition Cost (UAC)

The cost to acquire one new user, calculated by dividing total acquisition spending by users acquired. It's basically your efficiency metric, and you're probably underestimating it.

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customer journey mapping

Creating elaborate diagrams showing every touchpoint a customer encounters with your brand, from blissful ignorance to purchase and beyond. It's like stalking, but with Post-it notes and the pretense of empathy.

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pixel

A tiny piece of tracking code embedded on websites that monitors user behavior and enables retargeting. The invisible spy that follows you around the internet suggesting you buy those shoes.

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blue ocean strategy

Creating an uncontested market space where competition is irrelevant because you're the only fish in the pond. The opposite of battling in the 'red ocean' where everyone's fighting over the same bloody scraps.

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Touch Point

Any place where a customer interacts with your brand—ad, email, website, customer service call, social post, etc. Every touchpoint costs money and you're probably wasting it on most of them.

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burst campaign

A concentrated marketing blitz over a short period, flooding channels with messaging like a promotional tsunami. The opposite of always-on, favored by those with seasonal products or limited budgets.

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See “Personas” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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