There are many things that separate leading businesses from their competitors. But arguably the biggest factor for success is whether a business owner has a solid understanding of their customers. Without this, it’s impossible to market your product or service appropriately.

You may have a cutting-edge, groundbreaking product or service, but if you’re aiming yourcontent marketing at the wrong people, it’s going to fall flat.

It’s also important to recognise that having a lot of data about your customers is not the same as understanding them.
Many businesses have plenty of data available, they simply aren’t using it effectively.

Here are a few reasons why you may be finding it difficult to understand your customers:

• Customers are less trusting and loyal than they used to be. They’re also more cynical and unlikely to buy from brands that come across as inauthentic.
• Customers now have more power than they ever had before. This is largely due to comparison-shopping, review sites, social media, and a proliferation of choices.
• Data overload and economic uncertainty often confuse customers. The more choices they have, the harder it is to make a decision.

The above points are true for both B2B and B2C businesses. At the centre of every B2B purchase is a person or a few people who are making the decision about whether or not to buy. And if you want to grow your bottom line, it’s critical to understand who those people are.

Not sure if you understand your customers? Ask yourself these questions:

• How old are my target customers?
• Are they mostly male or female?
• What role do they have in their company?
• How much do they earn each year?
• Where do they get their information?
• What are their biggest challenges?
• What are their goals?
• How would your product solve their problem?

There is also a huge difference between knowing your customers and understanding your customers. For example, you may know that your customers are aged between 40 and 50 working for a medium-sized company as the VP of operations. But actually understanding them means:

• You know the challenges and problems they’re facing in their jobs
• You know and appreciate their day-to-day situation
• You have an understanding of their passions
• You know what their goals are, and what may be preventing them from achieving their goals
• You know what’s keeping them up at night
• You know how and why they would use your service or product
• You know why they would choose your competitors over your company

Above all, understanding your customers means being able to put yourself in their shoes, and then ask the question, “what’s in it for me?” Once you can answer that question honestly, you can develop a content marketing strategy that will resonate with those customers.

If you have a lot to learn about your customers, the best way to do this is through the creation of buyer personas. These are hypothetical people who represent your typical customers, so you can create content that will fit their needs.

Want to gain a better understanding of your customers? Get in touch today to learn how we can help.