upstream marketing - build buyer personas for better marketing

Upstream Marketing

Prepared by Kevin HuangFeb 13, 2016

Build Buyer Personas for Better Marketing

What Is Upstream Marketing?

Why Going Upstream?

Upstream vs. Downstream Marketing:What’s the Difference?

A New Framework for Competing

Insight Identity Innovation

Source: Upstream Marketing

How To Build Buyer Personas

Facility/Operations Manager Homer

Two Parts of A Buyer PersonaCore Buyer Persona

• Information remains the same for all buying decisions

• Data from analysts, quantitative studies, online observation

• Demographic information- Job title- Company size- Industry- Education

• Job description• Top 5 priority initiatives

Product , Service or Solution Connection

• Information specific to a particular buying decision• Insights not obvious, source of competitive advantage• Discovery requires qualitative interviews

• Priority Initiative: buying triggers• Success Factors: why we win• Perceived Barriers: why we lose• Buying Process: which persons are

critical, resources buyers trust• Decision Criteria: capabilities buyers

consider most important

Source: Buyer Persona Institute

A Better Buyer PersonaIT Manager Matt

A Better Buyer Persona

5 Rings of Buying Insight

PRIORITYINITIATIVES

SUCCESSFACTORS

PERCEIVEDBARRIERS

BUYER’SJOURNEY

DECISIONCRITERIA

Reveals why some buyers make your solution category a strategic priority while others choose the status quo.

Reveals what buyers expect to change after implementing your solution, and why.

Reveals why some buyers wouldn’t perceive your company or solution as their best option.

Reveals which buyers are involved in the decision and what resources they trust to guide their decisions.

Reveals what criteria buyers use to evaluate and make a purchasing decision, and why.



5 Insights Into A Buying Decision…

Priority Initiative

Success Factors

Perceived Barriers

Success Factors

Buyer’s Journey

Who triggers the search and why

What outcomes buyers expect, in their own wordsWhy this buyer wouldn’t make this decision or choose you

Which capabilities or attributes this buyer evaluates

Which buyers are involved and how they weigh options to choose one

Targeting and messaging for demand generation campaigns

The benefits you will emphasize to position your solutions as an exact fitWhat you will say and do to overcome barriers to consideration or purchase

How you will give buyers the useful information that helps them decide

How and when you will deliver your message and to which audiences

BUYERS TELL US SO YOU CAN CHOOSE

How to Get Into the Buying Insight


Whoyou need to persuade within the buyer’s

organization

WhatInformation they need to make their purchasing

decision

WhenBuyers are

most likely to receptive to

your message

WhereTo reach

buyers with your marketing

content

HowTo create a persuasive content for purchasing

your solution

WhyYour marketing and sales plan

is the best course of action


What Is the Value Proposition?

Buyer’s Top Priorities, Success Factors, Perceived Barriers Or Decision Criteria

Our Most Relevant Capabilities

Competitors’ Capacity To

Match Capability1 = Impossible2 = Difficult3 = Easy

Relative Importance To Buyer

1 = Critical2 = Important3 = Least Important

What control over opt-in experience, including content of first email

Works like other software, no training or HTML required

Automated response fully integrated with my CRM/web systems

We evaluate your prior opt-in policies, waive 2nd opt-in, plus you control initial emailText editing plus drag & drop works just like MS Office applications

Integrates with top 10 CRM and web platforms

2

3

2

3

1

2


Choosing Content Strategy & Message

What you

want to say

What buyers want to

hearContentStrategy

Core MessageStrategy

Filter/ranked based on competitive differentiation• Importance to buyers


Messaging Before And After Buyer Insights

Before:Provide east-to-use, enterprise-level protection that optimizes performance and system resources so small business can get up and running quickly.

Increase productivity with the security software that won’t slow you down, get in your way, or swallow up system resources.

After:


Aligning Sales & Marketing Efforts


Insights Clarify Marketing InvestmentsStep Key

PersonasKey Ringsof Insight Resources

Consulted

Trigger

Research

Assess

Negotiate

Implement

Small biz owner

OfficeManager

OfficeManager

Small biz owner

OfficeManager

Lightweightoption, warranty

expiring

Battery lifeSize/Weight

Keyboard feelScreen Resolution

Cost trade-offsExtendedWarranty

Start-up timeTech Support

WSJ ArticleLinkedin Group

Online ReviewsBlog Posts

Apple StoreBest Buy

SupplierWebsites

CustomerNewsletter

User Community

ConvRate

75%

20%

80%

65%

40%

Sales &Marketing Assets

PR and social media

Use case studies,blogger outreach

POS displays,sales training

Comparison pages

Customer feedbackprogram

1 2 3 4 5 6


Facebook's paid advertising now allows for an incredible amount of advanced targeting based on information like location, age, language spoken, education level and interests. Even with a small budget and as a new online store, you have access to very specific audience targeting.

Targeted Ads Are More Effective& Give A Better ROI

How To Research Your Buyer Personas

Facebook Insights

Google Analytics Audience Reports

AppendixUse the Five Rings of Insight for Better Marketing

What Trigger The Buyers’ Search

PRIORITYINITIATIVES

SUCCESSFACTORS

PERCEIVEDBARRIERS

BUYER’SJOURNEY

DECISIONCRITERIA


Pain Points Are Reverse-Engineered

Try to find & persuade

buyers who have XYZ pain

Work with the product experts

Our product benefits buyers

who have XYZ painMake Stuff Up

about XYZ pain relief

We typically start here


Ask The Buyer To Tell You Their Story

Take me back to the dayWhen you first started looking for a ___________ solution.

What happened?


Success Factors Might Seem Obvious…

PRIORITYINITIATIVES

SUCCESSFACTORS

PERCEIVEDBARRIERS

BUYER’SJOURNEY

DECISIONCRITERIA


Personas Need Details

No:Reduce costs

Yes:Reduce desktop support costs and make me look good to my boss


Don’t Ignore The Negative Perceptions

PRIORITYINITIATIVES

SUCCESSFACTORS

PERCEIVEDBARRIERS

BUYER’SJOURNEY

DECISIONCRITERIA


Addressing Objections

Increase productivity with the security software that won’t slow you down, get in your way, or swallow up system resources.


PRIORITYINITIATIVES

SUCCESSFACTORS

PERCEIVEDBARRIERS

BUYER’SJOURNEY

DECISIONCRITERIA

Where, Who & What Matters


The Buyer’s Version, Not Yours

StepHow ManySolutionsEvaluated

KeyPersonas

Key Ringsof Insight

ResourcesConsulted

Trigger

Research

Assess

Negotiate

Implement

5

3

2

1

Small biz owner

OfficeManager

OfficeManager

Small biz owner

OfficeManager


expiring





WSJ ArticleLinkedin Group

Online ReviewsBlog Posts

Apple StoreBest Buy

SupplierWebsites

CustomerNewsletter

User Community


PRIORITYINITIATIVES

SUCCESSFACTORS

PERCEIVEDBARRIERS

BUYER’SJOURNEY

DECISIONCRITERIA

How Buyers Compare Their Options


Which Differences Matter to Buyers

Our Assessment Buyer AssessmentMarket leader

Ease-of-use

Scalability

IntegrationPricing


StepHow ManySolutionsEvaluated

KeyPersonas

Key Ringsof Insight Content

Trigger

Research

Assess

Negotiate

Implement

5

3

2

1

Small biz owner

OfficeManager

OfficeManager

Small biz owner

OfficeManager


expiring





PR: story about product weight

Website: Comparisons of one model vs.

competition

In store offers

Offers(coupon, rebate?)

User community on siteHelp Tips

Map Content & Messages
