I’ve been working on a lot of ICP (ideal customer persona/profile) data lately.

With 4 client projects of which 2 being B2B, it’s a lot of different profiles to keep in mind.

One thing I realized is that, it’s all fine and dandy when we come up with these avatars. They get used in the copy, in slide decks and in other marketing materials, but there’s one thing that rubs me the wrong way…

It’s what happens after the project is done and the new messaging is live.

Sure, your copy should speak and sell for you 24/7, but how are you keeping your customers front of mind if those profiles are left to gather dust in the darkest corners of your Google Workspace?

You should consistently dust off, use and keep your personas at the center of everything you do.

That is, if you want to have the best chance at serving your customers and in return, get more of them.

The best example that comes to mind is what Ray Dalio did internally at Bridgewater, when he wanted to make sure his team worked on the tasks best suited tasks for each.

Employees already went through the MBTI personality test, but the insights weren’t really applied.

It’s like saying that we did the research and testing with your target audience, but never used the data.

From Dalio’s book Principles:

“Over and over again, the same people would walk into the same meetings, do things the same ways, and get the same results without seeking to understand why… We needed a way to make the data that showed what people were like even clearer and more explicit, so I began making “Baseball Cards” for employees that listed their “stats.” The idea was that they could be passed around and referred to when assigning responsibilities.”

True, it can sound a bit maniacal and just plain weird…

Bit it’s also brilliant.

What if you created ICP cards that each employee (or at least the customer-facing ones) always kept in their wallets or on their desks?

How much more familiar would they become with the people they serve, every single day? How much more empathetic and understanding of their needs, fears and dreams?

Hell, what about instead of baseball cards, go with huge posters? (doubles as an impressive piece of art whenever you have a customer or supplier visit your offices).

That is if you still have an office in the post-covid era…

But the point is:

When you don’t keep your customers front of mind, you’re throwing all your research out of the window. And decreasing the chances of both helping them as best as you can, and of attracting more just like them.

Turn your customers into your poster idols. Or your baseball heroes if you prefer that analogy.

P.S. Curious, are you using ChatGPT in your business? If so, how? Looking to connect with more people who are into it. Just hit reply.

Quote and reflection of the day:

“In all forms of strategy, it is necessary to maintain the combat stance in everyday life and to make your everyday stance your combat stance.”

• Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

You don’t need work-life balance when you live in alignment with your thoughts, actions, vision and values. Oneness of character and identity, living in a state of play… are the ultimate goals.

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