Questions to Ask in Buyer Persona Interviews
May 13, 2020
Author: Georgia Townshend
Reading Time: 2 minutes
So now you have a solid understanding of buyer personas, it’s time for the interviews!
There are a few different categories of questions you’ll want to ask to fill in your template and complete your persona profile. The following example questions are organized into corresponding categories, but feel free to add and remove questions that are appropriate for your target customers and industry.
Not everyone is as good at answering questions and providing information as others. So, it’s up to you as the interviewer to determine where to prod for more information and where to avoid. Also, not everyone will be comfortable answering every question.
Role
- What is your job title?
- What are your responsibilities?
- What does a typical day look like?
- How is success measured in your role?
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What skills are required to do your job?
- What knowledge and tools do you use in your job?
- Who do you report to? Who reports to you?
- What frustrates you the most about your job?
- What do you enjoy most?
Company
- In which industry or industries do you operate?
- What size is your company?
Goals
- What goals are you responsible for?
- What does it mean to be successful in your role?
Challenges
- What are your biggest challenges that prevent you from achieving these goals?
Information sources
- What publications, blogs or social media networks do you use or pay attention to?
- Do you belong to any social, professional or networking groups?
- Do you attend any industry events, conferences or trade shows?
- What information formats do you engage with the most (books, video, audiobooks etc)?
- How do you do your research new products and/or services for your business?
Personal Background
- Describe your personal demographics (if appropriate, ask their age, whether they’re married, if they have children).
- What is your education background? What level of education did you complete, at which school(s), and what did you study?
- Describe your career path. How did you end up where you are today?
Shopping Preferences
- How do you prefer to interact (e.g. email, phone, in person)?
- Do you use the internet to research products or service providers? If yes, how and where do you search for information (Google, reviews, Youtube, etc)?
Final Tip: Ask “Why”
Through these interviews, you’re trying to understand your customer or potential customers goals, behaviours, and what drives them so you’re able to better serve them. Keep in mind that people are not always great at reflecting on their own behaviour. So, ask “why”. For example, you don’t really care that someone measures the number of visits to their Facebook Page. What you care about is they measure that because they need a number to show their boss they’re doing a good job. You will always learn more by asking “why”!
