My husband loves game stores.

He truly can’t resist popping in to our local Game Stop and seeing what’s new. In fact, there was a point in time where the manager not only knew him by name, but also held games back that she thought he’d like.

Me? I am a sucker for a boutique. Display a few sparkly earrings and a cute wallet, and I’ll be in the door before you can say “scarves on sale today!”

These are two very different stores, and they market to two very different groups of people. Now, that’s not to say there isn’t the occasional overlap: I know plenty of women who enjoy games and also pretty things. A cornerstone of marketing is knowing who will be spending money on your things. The more specific the story — age, income, where they like to vacation, their favorite type of ice cream — the better prepared the business is for capturing their business.

Understanding Buyer Personas for Social Media

These stories are called personas, and they are a foundational element to a successful marketing plan. Before you know where your ideal customer can be found and what you can do to engage them, you have to know who they are. Whether you’re in a brick-and-mortar business, a service-based digital business, or a direct sales business, personas are the magic key.

Your ideal buyer personas for social media aren’t real, but are based on real people who regularly buy your product or services, or the people who you’d like to work with or sell to the most. The best personas have names — and sometimes even stock photos — so you can better place yourself in their shoes.

Personas include typical demographics, but go far beyond that. Personas paint a picture of the likes, dislikes and behaviors of your ideal customer.

Here are four things you need to know about building the buyer personas for for social media and your business.

Research First

You don’t need expensive, time-consuming market researchers, but spending a little time getting to know your best customers will pay off in the long run. A short Google form survey or a series of polls on your Facebook page can give you a decent sample — or at least enough data to start building your persona stories. If you’re short on ideas, this blog from Optin Monster has 188 questions to help you identify your audience.

Get Detailed

Think about your relationship with your your best friend, most fun aunt, or favorite coworker. What do you know about these people? What makes them tick? What do they care about most? Using this same exercise, imagine yourself getting to know to your best customer in the same way. Write down everything you think your ideal customer would enjoy ( books, television shows, digital magazines) as well as their behaviors (where they shop, what they do on weekends). This buyer personas for social media exercise can open up new avenues for generating leads that include these exact individuals.

Pick a Name

It may seem silly, but choosing a name and a face for a your persona profiles can help breathe life into your marketing. Naming your persona allows you to speak to that person instead of a faceless, nameless demographic. Your content will be more effective and your message will be more authentic when you know to whom you’re talking.

Identify How You Can Help

As you’re laying out the behaviors and beliefs of your buyer personas for social media, don’t forget to touch on their values, their concerns, and how you can help them with your product or service. This exercise can help you see your products from your customers point of view, providing a fresh perspective on the benefits of what you have to offer.

Once you’ve compiled your buyer personas, you’ll be better equipped to find content your customers will crave, build trust, and generate more leads.