If you’re in B2B, or have written copy for a lot of clients, you probably dealt with a lot of customer or buyer personas too.

How much do they matter though?

And do companies even use them?

All those fancy-looking cards that seem to be made for a role playing video game…

All those “Sales Sally” or “Marketing Mark” fake-looking profiles…

They might feel insightful, but most of the times all they end up doing, is just creating extra busy work.

But the problem is not these personas.

It’s that there’s a fundamental lack of understanding at the base.

I just read the most clear explanation for this:

“ There’s only one customer, and that’s human nature itself. Each individual customer is only the representative of human nature in their given case. What is being brought to them is that which is universal.”

– David R. Hawkins, M.D./Ph.D., Success Is for You

It’s the reason why I always stress the importance of deep research and of understanding the fundamentals of what makes people tick.

Things like their level of awareness, their sophistication, their decision-making type, their convincer mode and channel, their emotional direction, and more.

Before going into a month-long exercise in creating personas that look great, but will end up under a pile of other more urgent documents, study the human nature that makes up your customers.

And only then, dive into their given case.

Next time you wonder why your messaging doesn’t resonate with your audience, ask yourself:

Do I really know these humans?

Quote and reflection of the day:

“In this world there are three levels of existence: There is “having,” there is “doing,” and there is “being.” Lots of people will tell us to “do,” but not how to “have” out of “being.”

• David R. Hawkins, Success Is for You

Become who you need to be to have what it takes. Your daily actions are just the reflection of that person and of the journey you’re on.