How SaaS Buyer Personas Guide Your Marketing Strategy

Understanding who your customer is, what they desire, and how they think, is the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy. Today, we’ll focus on the world of Software as a Service (SaaS), and how you can uncover your SaaS buyer personas.

How to identify your SaaS buyer personas:

1. Market research – Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather data about your potential customers.
2. Analyze existing data – Review your current customer data to find common characteristics and behaviors.
3. Monitor social media – Pay attention to comments, discussions, and trends within your industry on social media platform.
4. Competitor analysis – Look at who your competitors are targeting. Learn from their successes and failures.
5. Identify pain points – Understand what problems your product or service is solving.
6. Customer interaction – Encourage feedback and engage in conversations with your customers to discover their needs and expectations.
7. Create persona profiles – Based on your findings, build out detailed personas that include demographic info, professional goals, pain points, and preferred channels of communication.
8. Test and revise – Continually refine your SaaS buyer personas as you gain more insight and as market dynamics change.

Who are you selling to? Understanding SaaS customer behavior.

Before we dive into the mechanics of SaaS buyer persona creation, let’s demystify an important term— “Understanding SaaS customer behavior”. Sounds quite scholarly, right? Well, it’s simpler than it sounds. It refers to getting a handle on what your customers want, why they want it, and how they go about getting it.

Picture this: You’re a detective, and your customers are the case you need to crack. You’ll gather clues from their digital footprints—website visits, social media interactions, product reviews, and more—to understand their habits, preferences, and pain points.

The building blocks of SaaS buyer persona creation.

Creating a buyer persona isn’t akin to conjuring a mythical creature from thin air. You can’t just decide your ideal customer is a 30-something wizard with an affinity for spell-check software (unless you’re in a very niche market). 

Instead, you need to gather real data from various sources. This includes your existing customer database, market research, social media analytics, and direct customer interviews or surveys.

Now, let’s talk about the basic components of a buyer persona:

• Demographics: This is your persona’s skeleton—age, location, gender, education level, income, etc.
• Job specifics: Now, we’re adding some muscle—industry, job title, job responsibilities, company size, etc.
• Goals and challenges: We’re giving our persona a heart here. What are they trying to achieve? What obstacles stand in their way?
• Values and fears: Let’s add some soul. What principles guide them? What keeps them up at night?
• Shopping preferences: We’re adding some personality. Do they shop online or in-store? Do they read customer reviews, or do they prefer personal recommendations?

Building this persona may feel like you’re playing Dr. Frankenstein, but rest assured, this is a tried and tested marketing strategy.

Fleshing out your SaaS buyer personas: A deep dive.

Now that we have the framework of our buyer persona, it’s time to add the finishing touches. This is where we breathe life into our Frankenstein monster and turn it into a functional tool for understanding and targeting your SaaS customers.

Deciphering demographics and job specifics.

First, demographics and job specifics. They might seem surface-level, but they can provide significant insights. For instance, a CTO in a large corporation might prioritize security and scalability in a SaaS product, while a startup owner might look for affordability and user-friendliness. The key here is not to make broad assumptions but use real data to fuel your insights.

Goals and challenges: The heart of your persona.

Identifying your persona’s goals and challenges is like getting an X-ray of their heart. It reveals what drives their actions and decision-making process. For instance, if a common goal among your customers is to automate repetitive tasks, your SaaS content marketing should highlight how your product can save time and increase efficiency.

The challenges are equally important. If your customers struggle with adopting new technology, your content should focus on ease of use, customer support, and user training.

Understanding values and fears.

This is where we get into the psychology of your SaaS buyer persona—what they value and fear. If your SaaS caters to 

environmentally conscious businesses, your marketing should emphasize your sustainability efforts. Likewise, if a common fear is data loss or security breaches, underscore your stringent security measures.

Shopping preferences: The cherry on top.

Finally, understanding how your persona likes to shop will shape your sales strategy. If your target audience relies heavily on reviews and testimonials, make sure these are readily available and easy to find. If they prefer personalized demos or trials, ensure your sales process accommodates this.

Example SaaS buyer personas for an “enterprise chatbot for employees”.

We’re about to get practical here. The product in question is an “Enterprise Chatbot for Employees”. This AI-powered marvel is designed to streamline internal communication, automate repetitive tasks, and make information more accessible for employees in large organizations. 

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dissect how to construct two potential buyer personas for this tech powerhouse.

POWER psychology tip. You need to know this:

Let’s tap into a universal truth about our audience. There’s a fundamental human psychology at play that every SaaS founder or marketing pro should remember: 

Each and every one of your potential customers has an innate desire to look good in front of their coworkers. They are continually seeking solutions that not only solve their pain points, but also enhance their status, credibility, or reputation in their professional community.

This is a key piece of the puzzle. Your SaaS solution is not just a tool—it’s a potential badge of honor, a symbol of innovation and efficiency that your buyer persona can wear proudly. When your solution makes your customers look like the heroes of their story, you’ve hit the sweet spot.

Oh, and there’s another important factor to consider!

These decision-makers are often not spending their own money. They’re usually employees of a company, tasked with finding solutions and given a budget to do so.

This often leads to decision-making that may seem irrational or perplexing from your perspective. Why didn’t they choose us? Why did they opt for that? 

However, if you scratch beneath the surface, you’ll often find a common thread: the safe option. More often than not, the decision-makers lean towards larger, more established companies. It’s a ‘better the devil you know’ scenario.

So, what does this mean for you, particularly if you’re a SaaS startup? 

Well, the easy answer is to become the safe option. To do this you’re going to have to work smart. You’ll need to ensure all your ducks are in a row, from offering top-notch customer service to proving the value and reliability of your product. Only then can you challenge the notion of the ‘safe option’ and position your solution as a worthy contender.

Why do people choose the safe option? Because they want to look good.

One more pro tip. Your buyer, or the ultimate decision maker, may not be the person you’re talking to.

So, you’ll want to take this into consideration when defining your SaaS buyer personas. If you’re targeting the HR Manager selected to source an HR solution, who is their boss? What role do they play in the process? 

Now that we’ve grasped these important principles, let’s dive into constructing two potential buyer personas for our enterprise chatbot solution.

Data gathering: The first step.

Whether it’s Google Analytics, customer surveys, social media insights, or good old-fashioned sales team feedback, gathering data about your customers is your first step. Remember, real information should guide your persona creation, not assumptions or wishes. Talk to your prospects and customers.

Persona 1: “Efficient Eric,” The HR Manager.

Eric is a middle-aged HR manager in a large multinational corporation with 500+ employees. He’s tech-savvy, constantly looking for innovative solutions to streamline HR tasks and improve employee engagement.

Demographics and job specifics:

• Age: 35-45
• Job Title: HR Manager
• Industry: Multinational Corporation
• Company Size: 500+ employees

Goals and challenges:

• Goals: Eric wants to streamline HR tasks, improve internal communication, and boost employee engagement.
• Challenges: He struggles with managing a large and diverse workforce, addressing individual employee queries promptly, and simplifying HR processes.

Values and fears:

• Values: Eric values efficiency, innovation, and employee satisfaction.
• Fears: His main fear is low employee morale and productivity due to inefficient communication and processes.

Shopping preferences:

• Eric relies heavily on online reviews and case studies when deciding on a new software solution. He values a user-friendly interface, robust customer support, and a customizable solution that fits his organization’s needs.

Persona 2: “Tech-savvy Tina,” The CIO

Tina is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in a rapidly growing startup. She’s responsible for implementing technology solutions that enhance productivity, reduce costs, and support the company’s growth.

Demographics and job specifics:

• Age: 30-40
• Job Title: Chief Information Officer
• Industry: Tech Startup
• Company Size: 100-200 employees

Goals and challenges:

• Goals: Tina aims to introduce innovative tech solutions that increase productivity, reduce costs, and support scalability.
• Challenges: Her main challenge is finding solutions that are cost-effective, user-friendly, and can scale with the company’s rapid growth.

Values and fears:

• Values: Tina values innovation, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Fears: Her biggest fear is investing in technology that doesn’t provide a substantial ROI or hinders the company’s growth due to scalability issues.

Shopping preferences:

• Tina prefers a hands-on approach when choosing a new software solution. She values personalized demos, free trials, and a comprehensive onboarding process.

By understanding and addressing the needs, goals, and fears of “Efficient Eric” and “Tech-savvy Tina,” you’ll ensure your Enterprise Chatbot meets your target audience’s needs and helps you outshine your competitors.

Know your target audience for SaaS: The key to connection.

By now, you should have a comprehensive SaaS buyer persona in your hands. But what’s next? 

This persona is your north star, guiding your content creation, blogging strategy, product development, pricing, sales process, customer service, and everything in between. It keeps you connected with your target audience and their needs, ensuring your SaaS company doesn’t just survive but thrives.

Remember, identifying your SaaS buyer persona isn’t a one-and-done task. As your business evolves, so will your customers. Regularly revisit and refine your personas to keep your understanding fresh and relevant.

So, there you have it—a deep dive into the art and science of creating your SaaS buyer persona. 

Now, you’re not just selling to an abstract ‘customer’ but to ‘Startup Steve’ or ‘CTO Catherine’, making your marketing efforts more targeted, personalized, and effective. 

Happy persona-creating!