A while back we wrote about what personas are and why your marketing needs them. Still, we know that sometimes they seem like a nebulous thing you should do, but don’t do. These quick tips could change that once and for all.
As Neil Kloppenborg, Associate Creative Director/UX Designer said then, “Every project is different, and thus no two persona documents should be the same.” Which is true! However, when building personas we do follow some categorical standards:
- Name, paired with a role this person plays & basic demographic information
- Just like in any good story, naming your character (or in this case, persona) helps keep it real, and relatable to real people
- The role further illustrates the point that a persona does not equal a job title, and can keep teams focused on the persona’s needs
- Demographics - generalized characteristics to round out the picture
- Quote - Something that sums up this persona’s M.O. that you can commit to memory to build user empathy
- Motivating Factors & Pain Points - to create that 360 view of how you can inspire engagement and action with your marketing efforts.
Need a quick and adorable example? Neil created personas for his two dogs - Rusty and Bisquick.
Emotional Support Rusty: Ever the lover, just looking for laps to sit on.

Perimeter Control Bisquick: the protector, leading the way with her age, smarts, and cunning to safeguard the household.

Ready to throw a bone at your marketing personas? Bark twice at hello@cidesigninc.com and we’ll help you get started.
Heather Vaughn
Executive Director of Marketing
Heather Vaughn is CI Design's Marketing Services Director. Her marketing career has been split with equal time on the agency and client sides, giving her a 360 perspective on marketing, and a keen understanding of how to use all its glorious data effectively.