Create Buyer Personas For Your Handmade Business

Create Buyer Personas for Your Handmade Business (Even If You’ve Never Heard of Them)

Let’s get one thing straight: if you’re making stuff for yourself and not thinking about who you’re making it for, you’re probably not going to sell much. It’s easy for creatives to get lost in their own vision, but if you’re planning to turn your passion into a business, you need to know who your customer is.

The key to successful marketing is understanding your buyer, and that’s where buyer personas come in. Think of them as your ideal customers, but backed by real research. You need to talk to people—your customers, leads, and even potential buyers you haven’t served yet. This helps you get a solid understanding of what makes them tick and how you can connect with them in a way that actually makes them want to buy.

Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be a boring, stiff process. Have some fun with it. Host a small get-together (or even a virtual one) with your customers, offer free swag, and ask them a few questions. If you can’t pull off an event, do phone or Skype interviews—just make it feel real and personal.

17 Questions to Ask Your Customers (You’ll Thank Me Later):

1. Tell me a little about yourself.
2. Where did you go to school? (Or did you?)
3. What’s your career or work background?
4. What industry do you work in?
5. What size is your company?
6. What’s your job title?
7. Who do you report to? Who reports to you?
8. How do you define success at work?
9. Walk me through a normal day for you.
10. What skills do you need to do your job?
11. What’s your biggest challenge at work?
12. What’s on your plate at work?
13. Tell me about your family.
14. What do you read (blogs, newspapers, etc.)?
15. Which social networks do you use?
16. Do you research products online before buying?
17. What’s a recent online purchase you made?

Create Your Buyer Personas

Now take the answers you gathered and start crafting your buyer persona. You’ll probably end up with a handful of personas, and that’s okay. I recommend keeping it simple with 2-6 personas. Don’t overthink it—just get a clear picture of who your ideal buyers are. If you want to see examples of mine, check out another post I wrote called User Personas and Why You Need Them.

Now, Give Your Persona a Face

Once you’ve got your persona in mind, find a stock photo that reflects them. (I like Pexels for free, high-quality images.) Then, name them. Give your persona a real identity so you can talk about them like they’re an actual person. This makes it easier to create marketing that speaks directly to them.

Need Help? I've Got You Covered!

I’ve created a free download that’ll walk you through the whole process of making your own buyer personas. It’s super easy to use and will help you nail down your customer base in no time. Grab your copy [here] and start making buyer personas that actually work for your handmade business!

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