marketing persona

Definition

A semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on research and data, complete with demographics, behaviors, and a name like 'Marketing Mary' or 'Developer Dan.' It's an imaginary friend who justifies your marketing decisions.

Example Usage

We created five detailed personas with backstories and photos, then ignored them completely when the CEO insisted we target 'literally everyone.'

Origin

User experience and marketing methodology from the 1990s

Fun Fact

Teams often give personas elaborate details like hobbies and favorite foods, which have zero impact on marketing strategy but make the exercises take three times longer.

Source: Marketing strategy and user experience research

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opt-in

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copyediting

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