Is there any point doing Personas?

Some stakeholders seriously question doing Personas, for many of us that sounds like madness.

Here is My List of 10 Objections to Creating Personas & How to Counter Them

1. "Isn't this just making assumptions about customers?"

- Actually, Personas are built on solid data and real customer interactions, providing a foundation for informed strategies rather than assumptions.

2. "Do they really represent our entire customer base?"

- No single Persona can capture every customer nuance, a set of Personas can effectively represent key segments of your market.

3. "Aren't Personas a bit outdated in today's data-driven world?"

- Far from it! Personas complement data analytics by bringing customer data to life, adding context and narrative to numbers.

4. "Our business evolves too rapidly for fixed Personas."

- Personas are not set in stone; they're designed to be updated with new insights and data, keeping pace with business dynamics.

5. "Creating Personas seems like a resource-intensive process."

- The initial investment in creating personas pays off by making subsequent design and marketing efforts more targeted and efficient.

6. "But our customers are more complex than a few Personas can convey."

- Personas highlight common patterns and drivers in customer behaviour, aiding in the design of solutions that cater to core needs.

7. "Shouldn't we just focus on hard data for decision-making?"

- Personas don't replace data; they synthesise it into actionable insights, ensuring decisions are both data-driven and user-centred.

8. "We've managed fine without Personas so far."

- Incorporating Personas can uncover untapped opportunities and inefficiencies, providing a fresh perspective that might reveal new paths to growth.

9. "Won't Personas lead to over-generalisation?"

- When grounded in rigorous research, Personas avoid generalisation by reflecting the diverse realities of your customer base.

10. "Our competitors don't use Personas, so why bother?"

- This could be your strategic advantage, offering deeper insights into customer needs and fostering innovation beyond the competition's reach.

*Side note: I see Personas as a mirror to your customers, exactly how they are, no filters, nothing fake added and always alive.