Beyond Buyer Personas: How to Really Serve Your Customer Types

Posted by
Tetiana Belevska

Updated November 8, 2023

Most marketing campaigns are awash with personas, but sales are about dealing with people. How do you bring them together? What types of customers do you need to know?

You need to get to know the different types of customers so you can reach out to them in the best way. This means going beyond the basic target customer personas that exist for your marketing campaigns.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the granularity of customer types that can exist within your personas, and we’ll show you the best ways to interact with each type to increase your chances of creating a positive customer experience.

Why Should You Look Beyond Buyer Personas?

Your company probably already has well-defined buyer personas. But these personas are just sales instruments. What happens when your target persona is having a bad day? Or they’ve just seen a tempting competitor discount that they want you to beat?

For more effective customer interactions and conversations, you need a more nuanced way to categorize your customers—one that covers the entire customer journey and its touchpoints. With this in place, you can nurture relationships that go beyond a simple sales and marketing pitch to elevate customer experience, inspire loyalty, and forge long-term relationships.

Why Do You Need to Handle and Satisfy Their Needs in Different Ways?

Customer needs change as a customer moves down your sales funnel. Regardless of their persona, prospects who are only just considering your products will have completely different requirements from those who are already using your services. Yet they both expect you to meet them right where they are on the customer journey.

By taking the time to understand and cater to these differences, you'll unlock a world of benefits:

• Roll out the red carpet: Think of it as rolling out the red carpet for each customer. When you personalize your approach, you're showing that you see them as more than just another face in the crowd. It's like that coffee shop barista who remembers your name and your usual order—makes you feel special, right?
• Speak their language: Ever tried to explain quantum physics to a five-year-old? It doesn't work. Similarly, different folks respond better to different ways of talking. By tuning in to their preferred communication style, you're ensuring your message lands just right.
• Nail the bullseye: Imagine you're playing darts, and each customer is a dartboard with their own bullseye. By hitting that bullseye—their specific needs—you're increasing your chances of making a real connection. And who doesn't love a spot-on bullseye?
• Trust-building 101: Let's be real: trust is the foundation of any relationship, and business is no exception. When you show that you "get" them and genuinely care about their needs, you're building trust brick by brick. That trust is like gold—it's the stuff that keeps them coming back.
• Meet the hidden gems: You know that saying, "There's more than meets the eye"? Well, that applies to customers too. Some have unique needs that might not fit the usual mold. By paying attention to these hidden gems, you're tapping into untapped potential.
• Ride the waves of change: Life's like a wave—it's constantly changing. People's needs change too, whether due to a new life stage or the latest trend. Being adaptable means you're riding those waves alongside them, showing that you're there for the long haul.
• Stand out in a crowd: In a sea of sameness, standing out is a superpower. When you tailor your approach to suit individual needs, you're setting yourself apart from the cookie-cutter competition. It's like being a unique puzzle piece that fits perfectly.
• No goodbyes, just hellos: Ever had a friend drift away because you stopped understanding each other? The same can happen with customers if you don't address their evolving needs. By staying in sync, you're saying goodbye to goodbyes and embracing new hellos.
• Spread the good vibes: Happy customers are like a contagious smile. When you meet their needs, they become walking billboards for your business. Positive word-of-mouth spreads like wildfire, bringing in new customers who want to experience the good vibes too.
• Dream big, innovate bigger: When you're tuned in to diverse needs, you're primed for innovation. New needs mean new opportunities to dream up fresh solutions. It's like having a magic wand that keeps your business evolving and growing.

So there you have it—a snapshot of why treating every customer's needs uniquely is the secret sauce to creating lasting relationships and taking your business to new heights. This is why you need to set up your website to cover all bases and equip your teams with tactics and tools to handle different types of customers.

11 Types of Customers and How to Serve Them Well

Let’s get down to the specific types of customers and how to handle them. We’ll show you how to convert your prospects and take care of those already supporting your business.

1. Potential customers

Potential customers are in the awareness and consideration stages of the sales funnel. They may already have taken steps to learn more about your offerings, for example, by visiting your website or by signing up for a demo. Your mission is to nurture these warm leads until they become paying clients.

How to work with potential customers

You need a clear strategy to get potential customers to take the final step. The following tips can help:

• Dial up your credibility. Ensure your website effectively shows your credibility by offering persuasive content, an intuitive interface, and an impressive user experience.
• Highlight your value offering. Make your product irresistible by highlighting how it can help the prospect reach their goal. You can do this by offering a free demo or promoting case studies and client testimonials.
• Begin a lead-nurturing email sequence. Prepare email sequences that are automatically triggered once a lead interacts with a specific touchpoint. For instance, filling out a contact form should trigger an email sequence that will keep your potential customer engaged as they make their decision.

In short, persuasive content and well-timed messaging are key for turning a potential customer’s interest into irresistible attraction.

2. New customers

Congratulations! The prospects you’ve been wooing have finally signed up for your product or service. But don’t sit back and celebrate yet—not when 55% of customers report that they’ve returned a product because they couldn’t fully grasp how to use it. It’s time to shift from sales to onboarding.

How to work with new customers

The onboarding process sets the tone for your relationship with the new customer. Make sure it goes well with these simple strategies:

• Make them feel appreciated. As soon as a sale is finalized, send a welcome email thanking the customer for their purchase. You can sweeten the experience further with a discount voucher or other freebie.
• Help them get the most out of your product or service. Ensure your customers know just how to fully enjoy the benefits of your product or service. Your welcome email should include resources such as a demo, video tutorial, or blog post to get them started.
• Establish a connection. Keep the conversation going by sending follow-up emails that provide helpful tips, highlight essential features, or share case studies. You can also offer proactive assistance. For example, marketing services firm Leadfeeder provides bi-weekly check-ins as part of their onboarding, which ensures clients are meeting their objectives and builds brand loyalty.

Your main task here is to provide a customer experience that keeps them returning for more.

3. Angry customers

No matter what type of business you run, you can’t avoid angry customers. Whether the fault lies with your company or elsewhere, it’s still your job to resolve the situation.

How to work with angry customers

Your overall goal is to de-escalate any tension or conflict. Here’s how to do it:

• Prepare a standard operating procedure. You need a specific plan for dealing with angry customers, as unsure agents will only add to the frustration. Anticipate possible scenarios and lay out a clear plan of action for agents, ideally with scripts and escalation protocols.
• Empower your support teams with the right tech tools. Advanced technology has made customers even more demanding, and your support teams need to keep up. For one, they need quick and easy access to customer information. Reliable help desk software will help them handle issues faster without asking repetitive questions.

With the right strategy, you can both de-escalate a situation and turn angry customers into loyal ones.

4. Impulse customers

These customers buy on a whim. They’re responsive to emotional triggers, such as time-constrained promotions and limited offers that up their fear of missing out. They’re also less inclined to do any intensive research or read fine print.

How to work with impulse customers

Impulse customers don’t need much nudging to make a purchase: instead, you need to focus on removing obstacles.

• Double down on buyer intent. Create a sense of urgency, such as imposing a deadline on promotions. This way, the customer won’t have time to entertain second thoughts.
• Simplify the checkout process. Make sure it’s easy for customers to see the total cost of their purchase. Also, provide a portal that accommodates all likely payment methods.
• Take the opportunity to upsell and cross-sell. Use automated tools like a product recommendation engine to offer relevant and related products. These solutions use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze a customer’s profile, behavior, and preferences and make suggestions.

With impulse customers, your primary goal is to make the buying process as smooth as possible.

5. Loyal customers

Loyal customers may prefer your superior products, reliable customer service, or better prices. But loyal customers can still switch to the competition, so you shouldn’t take them for granted.

How to work with loyal customers

With the right incentives, your loyal customers could stay for the long haul. Here are some ways to keep them happy:

• Put them in the spotlight. Feature your successful customers on your website and social media channels. They’ll love the exposure, and you’ll benefit from the positive testimonial.
• Show your gratitude with loyalty programs. Excellent loyalty programs make 80% of customers stick with a brand, 68% spend more, and 73% recommend the brand. It’s essential to invest time and resources in incentives that truly resonate with your customers.
• Learn from them. Run surveys or interview your loyal customers to learn more about the things your business is doing right.
• Turn them into advocates. Invite your customers to leave reviews on your website and on third-party platforms such as Clutch, G2, and Capterra.

It costs much less to keep existing customers than to acquire new ones, so make sure you’re giving retention the attention it merits.

6. Discount customers

Unlike impulsive buyers, discount customers take time to scout out the best deal. They may also have chosen your brand because of a promotional offer.

How to work with discount customers

Attract discount customers with offers that they simply can’t resist. Here are some helpful pointers:

• Emphasize value for money. Make sure your pricing and savings are clear to discount customers doing their research.
• Retain them with more deals. Continue to offer deals such as welcome gifts, card abandonment discounts, birthday specials, and next-order coupons throughout the customer lifecycle.

These customers can’t resist a bargain, so just keep dishing them out.

7. Insistent customers

These are customers who like to keep themselves well-informed. They’ll want to learn as much as possible about your brand, products, and services, and they’ll pester your agents with endless questions.

How to work with insistent customers

Success here requires a team with heaps of patience and information. Here’s how to develop one:

• Train your agents to be good conversationalists. Insistent customers need to interact with agents who are willing to listen to their questions and give them in-depth information.
• Maintain an informative knowledge base. These customers are more than willing to find answers on their own. Make sure your knowledge base includes highly informative FAQs, articles, and videos. You can rely on top help desk systems for user-friendly knowledge base features.

These customers require information and a listening ear. Get ready to deliver.

8. Uncertain customers

Some customers take longer to decide. You’ll have to present them with more information and reasons to finally make a purchase.

How to work with uncertain customers

• Leverage the marketing rule of seven. This rule states that it takes an average of seven encounters with a product before a customer decides to purchase it. Make sure your brand is present on all key media channels and search engines.
• Retarget customers. Use marketing automation tools like Facebook Custom Audiences and Google Ads to retarget customers who have visited your platform but did not make a purchase.

With the right retargeting strategy, you can chase these customers until they finally convert.

9. Confused customers

This category covers prospects who are already interested in your offerings but need more clarity as well as existing customers who need guidance on product usage.

How to work with confused customers

Obviously, patience and clarity are paramount here. Here are some helpful tips:

• Supercharge your agents’ toolkit. Your agents should have all resources to hand and be ready to send links to demos or instructional videos.
• Use chatbots to respond to common queries. A chatbot is an excellent way to address recurring issues and ensure customers can interact with your brand 24/7.

Be willing to spoonfeed confused customers until they feel comfortable with your products and services.

10. Curious customers

Some customers have no intention of buying your product, but they’re browsing your platform out of curiosity. Still, with just a bit of work, you can turn their curiosity into desire.

How to work with curious customers

To convert a curious customer, you need to convince them that your products are the next shiny thing worth having. These tips can help.

• Leverage persuasive marketing copy. Write content or prepare visuals that influence viewers to feel or behave a certain way. Skilled copywriters and graphic artists will make the difference here.
• Use an effective call to action. Effective CTAs are well-placed, properly worded, and eye-catching. And of course, they should inspire the exact actions you want.

With the right triggers, you can turn casual browsers into paying customers.

11. International customers

Finally, your brand may serve customers from all over the world, or you may simply be dealing with customers who speak different languages. Either way, adding another language to your support services can boost customer experience.

How to work with international customers

Prepare your platforms and agents to accommodate different language needs. Here’s how:

• Hire bilingual agents. Do you frequently get inquiries from speakers of a certain language? Then it makes sense to hire agents who will cater to this specific customer segment.
• Use a multilingual live chat. You can also use multilingual live chat solutions like Live Chat, Freshchat, Zendesk Chat, Intercom to support interactions in other languages. Both platforms have built-in tools for real-time translation.

The right tactics will help you stay inclusive and attract a broader customer base.

What’s the Best Way to Identify Customer Types for Your Business?

Be sure to put your attention to map where your customers are on their customer journey. Put yourself in the shoes of your customers as they interact with your brand and go from one touchpoint to another.

You can then draw up the scenarios your customers are likely to be in at each stage, from curiosity about your brand to confusion about your product features.

How to Understand the Different Types of Customers and Adapt Your Approach

Just as all customer journeys are different, no two customers are exactly the same. The tools and tactics we’ve described in this quick guide will help you deal with different customer types as they move through your sales funnel.

Adapting your approach to different types of customers is a crucial skill for building strong relationships and achieving success in sales, customer service, and other client-facing roles. Here's a guide on how to effectively adapt your approach to different types of customers:

• Communication style: Tailor your communication style to match each persona's preferences. Some customers may prefer formal language, while others appreciate a more casual tone.
• Content and messaging: Develop content and messaging that resonates with each persona. Address their specific pain points and showcase how your product or service can solve their problems.
• Channel selection: Choose the appropriate communication channels for each segment. Some customers might prefer emails, while others prefer social media or phone calls.
• Product/service customization: Customize your offerings to cater to different segments. For instance, you could create special bundles, discounts, or features that align with specific customer needs.
• Problem-solving approach: Different personas might have different ways of approaching problems. Adapt your approach to troubleshooting and customer support to match their preferences.
• Listen actively: Practice active listening to understand the specific needs, challenges, and goals of each customer. Pay attention to their words, tone, and nonverbal cues. This will help you gather valuable information to personalize your approach.
• Customize solutions: Tailor your products or services to meet the unique needs of each customer. Highlight how your offerings address their specific pain points and provide value. Avoid using a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Adapt to cultural differences: If you're dealing with customers from diverse cultural backgrounds, be aware of cultural nuances and customs. Respect cultural differences and adjust your approach according.

A powerful customer service system is particularly helpful. You can switch to a new provider if your current platform falls short. We can help you import your data from either your current help desk platform or a CSV file. Try a free Demo to check out how the Migration Wizard works—no strings attached!