The following series of questions are from lectures, online events and seminars. We will add answers to questions as you ask them, here, in the Daily Tips section.

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Which of the Persona Factors is the most important?

(Asked at the Winnipeg lecture question period)

Credibility is always the most important. You must be believed. You must be credible to your main target audience. Nothing is more important than credibility in building image. As the Credibility Factor explains: "Your persona must be believable and based on values with which your target audience can empathize." Truth is important, but it must 'dazzle gradually.' This is the Persona Factor to know 'by heart.'

It is so important to your success we advise you to re-analyze your Persona Credibility Index (PCI) monthly. Depending on your target, attempt to maintain a balance of PCI 1.

Tips: In your marketing avoid words such as "best, top, lowest, guaranteed, superb, magnificent, wonderful, can't be beat, super, super low," and other unbelievable and valueless descriptions.

Persona Reference: The Persona Principle book, refer to chapter 4 of Part 3, the Credibility Factor. The entire Persona Credibility Index is contained in this chapter of The Persona Principle, in The Persona Planning Guide and is automated as part of Persona Plan software (www.personaplan.com).

Solutions: Analyze your credibilty index with either a consulted Persona Credibilty Index or Persona Plan or CogniMATRIX.

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Why do you say Image is more important than my other business assets?

(Asked at the Boston conference)

Start-up or mature venture or brand, Image is the foundation of success. In our book Image always has a cap "I". Image is what people see first. It is what they remember. Build an image, invest in your image. Image is equity – short term and long term equity.

Image is complex. It's more than being visible. To create a successful image you must become visible with a carefully crafted persona. All the other Persona Factors contribute to Image – truth, customization, credibility, growth, research.

Persona Reference: Chapter 1 of Part Three of The Persona Principle (http://www.personaprinciple.com/personabook.html).

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How do I build my Image?
(email to support@personaprinciple.com)

We wrote a book on it, and still it was Image '101'. Six years of training would only scratch the surface. This is why we automated the important principles in our software Persona Plan and why we still offer consulted Persona Plans. However, in summary, the six keys to successful image are:

Image must be anchored in truth
Your Image must be unique and differentiated
(even if you can't find a core truth that is unique)
Never stop reaching your audience with your Image
Only show those aspects of your Image that support your persona
Never show weaknesses
Conduct a complete Image audit by executing a formal or informal Persona Inventory.

More Tips: Read The Persona Principle, with special emphasis on the case study of Jerry Hind and the Persona Tips for the first chapter of Part 3.

 

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Isn't great creative advertising enough?

(From the New York city seminar)

Not usually. It certainly can generate results, but without focusing on the definition of your brand, who you are selling to, why you are different – and all of your hundred plus strengths and weaknesses – it'll come down to luck. Yes, great creative can help you get noticed. But it can also be costly. Make sure it's directed and focused where it will be most effective. Put your great ad agency on pause long enough to develop your brand or Persona Plan. If you are committed to developing a high-impact advertising campaign without the benefit of a plan, at least read and understand the 88 Persona Codes. They are the 'tactics' for building brand and Image and great advertising.

Another option: engage Persona's creative teams.
They have vast Image Marketing expertise

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My ad agency doesn't use Persona methods. What should I do?

(Email question)

If you are thrilled with your ad agency's work, your best step would be to engage Persona consultants to deliver a consulted Persona Plan that your agency can execute. This works quite well. Many of our clients continue to use their agency of record, while engaging Persona to research and plan—and often, to conceptualize creatively. Great creative and high impact (customized to the target audience) certainly will generate results if they are built on the sound principles of Persona Plan. Chances are good your agency has a good understanding of brand or image. They wouldn't likely get results for clients otherwise. Their activities might be 'experience based' or intuitive, or they might have their own more rigorous approach. But it's your brand and your venture and your money and your Persona, so you call the shots. Take their great creative and guide it with a tactical plan based on the proven techniques of Image Marketing, Branding and Persona Planning.

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What do I do if I can't afford a good ad agency?

(Asked at the Toronto workshop)

Most start-ups can't. That shouldn't be a barrier. That's why we created the self-help methods of Persona. You can be your own agency. Hire the best writers and graphic designers you could do the planning but engage Persona creatives to execute – guided by your own targeted Persona Plan. Of course, caliber of creative executions is important (if somewhat less important than the plan), so look for the best, especially their portfolios. Don't cheat yourself of success. Hire great talent. Look at their client list, awards won, and most important of all, ask about their successes. Ensure they understand and follow the Persona Principle. If their presentation to you doesn't talk results, and if they avoid this question, don't walk away – run! Results are all that matter. Saving thousands of dollars is not a sound business call if you don't get results. Results - sales, revenue, profits, growth, whatever your criteria – are all that matter, and sometimes they cost money. Look for an agency that can do the same for you. Price should be the last thing you talk about with an agency when your business is at stake. Treat your agency or design firms or writers as partners. Pay what they are worth. Most important of all – don't spend a penny until you've got a solid Persona Plan, brand plan or Image Marketing Plan.

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Your workshops haven't come to my city, and I've read your book. How do I find out more?

(Email query)

The book laid the foundation, the underlying principles, tactics and methods and case studies. Hopefully, an understanding of these case studies and principles will lay the foundation for your own 'method.' Our mission is important, and that mission includes broad dissemination of all things brand and Image. Persona Knowledge Outreach is free to everyone. It's a searchable database of all things Image and Brand.

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My Persona Credibility Index is 1.63. How bad is that?

(Email query)

Bad is relative. A 1.63 suggests you are either a start-up with limited credibility, or a very high impact exciting venture that is a 'little hard to believe'. By no means should you be satisfied with this rating. An acceptable range is 0.9 to 1.1. A little outside of this might work if you "prove" everything you do. But you'll need to keep advertising and marketing "only the facts" wherever you can. Put proof in all your collateral and advertising. Coach your sales team to lead with facts, not claims. Instead of "claim" followed by "proof" you are likely exciting enough to lead with "proof". Without seeing the details of the 17 steps to your Index, and the individual ratings, we cannot advise you on corrective steps, other than to generalize by suggesting that you do NOT need high-impact advertising. You need to tone everything down. Reverse Imaging might even be called for (refer to The Persona Principle book).

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I don't agree that you need a five year Business Plan. Yet your question 5 on the Persona Inventory rates me as a 1 out of 7. Why do you feel it is so important?

(Email query)

Like it or not, agree or not, brand is an equity position. You invest in brand. The term "brand spend" is an ad agency misnomer. You can have an "ad spend" or a "media spend" but never a "brand" or "image" spend. Every dollar you spend on brand, if invested properly, will increase in value. Properly means long term planning.

Yes, absolutely, you'll need to revise your five year plan yearly, even quarterly. But that's a beneficial process. A brand is more a ten-year, or twenty-year investment, with a Return on Investment comparable to any financial investment. Think in these terms and you'll succeed with Persona Marketing and Brand Marketing. If you are thinking only one year ahead, you are engaging in short-term marketing and advertising. While this can go to your bottom line – in that year – and even contribute to brand equity, it's not precise enough to predict. Five-year plans do not have to be accurate. But the process of thinking through your long-term goals, strategies and tactics is vital. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Don't talk yourself out of it. It takes a little time, but it is more than worthwhile.

Even if you are NOT convinced, and even if you have no plans to create a five-year plan, you MUST rate yourself as a 'one', adjust it by your PCQ. You must claim it as a Persona Liability on your PAL ratio. No cheating!

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I find it impossible to answer Inventory item 23 in The Persona Planning Guide. Where can I get help?

(Email query)

You didn't explain why you found it impossible. As much as "assume" is a 'bad' word around Persona headquarters, I'll assume your problem stems from lack of understanding of your main target audience. This is the one area you must be clear about and YOU must NOT assume. If you do not know how to profile the demographics, psychographics, motivations, preferences and buying cycle you must either use a consultant who does, or research until you know the answers. Phone your clients. Phone the prospects you haven't been able to close. Are there trade associations for your business that might have available research for members? Have you ever thought to poll your audiences? You must know – not guess. If you have the budget you might consider formal market research. If you do not, you must do it yourself. Under no circumstances guess.

For more tips: Refer to The Persona Principle, Code 47: Code of Targeting.

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Persona Inventory 56 in The Persona Planning Guide has brought our company to a halt. Our team can't stop arguing about which Fictional Character we would be. Please help!

(Email query)

This is always a challenging – and fun – rating. First, coach everyone not to let it interfere with daily work. Meet over lunch, brainstorm, discuss once a week. Remember, this is 'current' persona, NOT what you'd like to be. Use consensus, not unanimous agreement. You'll find the exercise of debating this very valuable to your company. Just last week a consulted Persona Plan revealed they all believed they were "Homer Simpson". Well, they don't want to be Homer Simpson, and this has become a number one priority in the Persona Lift ratings. It's important to characterize what you are now. And what you want to be. Have fun with this question, but take it very seriously. Decide first what TYPE of character your venture or brand is. A comedic secondary character? A hero? A supporting cast member (appropriate for some service industries). Think it through. Write everything down. Eliminate the ones that don't make sense. Construct, then deconstruct in classical brainstorming. What you are left with will be the 'right' answer. Try asking your clients, either by phoning them, and asking them with the full language of the question, or poll them by fax or mail. Find out the real answer. Don't be satisfied with a guess.

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I'm confused about the difference between Credibility and Truth. You have a Persona Factor for both. What's the difference? Which is more important to brand marketing?

(By Mail)

We'll assume you haven't read the book where (we hope) we've made this clear. We spend a lot of time distinguishing between these two important factors. Yes, they are both important. You must first understand your truth (or, more correctly, truths) before you can even determine credibility. That is why we advocate either a formal Persona Inventory - or your own version of this inventory. You must know your truths (features and benefits of your product/service do not constitute an inventory, by the way!). But which is more important to brand marketing?. Clearly, credibility. You can be the fastest, best, lowest priced (all words or phrases we advise you NOT to use in your marketing), but if you are not believed these truths can only be valuable If you can quickly prove them. Quickly is defined in seconds, not minutes. You have 7 seconds, on average, before trigger happy TV flickers change channels. You have 3 seconds, according to research, to capture a reader's attention before he turns the page. A long list of proofs is worthless if no one takes the time to read them.

Your main proposition (normally the first seven seconds of a TV ad, or the first 3 seconds - the headline - of a print ad) must be credible. They may not see, or read, any more than this unless you grab them with a credible statement. All the impact, flash, glitz and hype in the world won't help if your audience doesn't believe you. To paraphrase a cliché, "Credibility must be earned" (respect as well). The expression, "If you build it, they will come" is nonsense in this day and age of fragmented media, confusing messages, hype and over-communication. Building the best, brightest, fastest, cheapest is by no means enough anymore. In the simpler decades - the fifties and sixties of this century, for example - it was enough. It will never be enough in the 2000s. The Persona Principle is your fastest way to build credibility. All of the factors, principles, codes, rules, constructed on solid research and ten years of successful execution, are designed to build credibility quickly. You don't have to use our software Persona Plan (www.personaplan.com) to benefit. The software is the most comprehensive and authoritatively researched method. But do understand the principles and your brand will gain rapid credibility and success.

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I read the description of all of the Power Personas, but our brand doesn't seem to be any of these.

What do I do?

(By Email)

If you profiled as one of the Power Personas - Emperor, Hero, Expert, Buddy, Sympatico - you would use this in your marketing to build leadership positions. There are degrees. In the Persona Inventory you might rate a 3 out 7 for Emperor, 4 out of 7 for Buddy, 1 out of 7 for Sympatico and 5 out of 7 for Expert. Your most viable Power Persona would be Expert, however you could build up any of these - depending on your Persona Credibility Index and other factors.

Whichever way you approach it, be methodical. Adopt only ONE Power Persona. You cannot have multiple Power Personas. If there is already an Emperor, or an Expert, in your sector, and they are well established, consider choosing a different one. There can be only one of each in a sector. There can be only one Emperor, only one Hero. You can displace (usurp) an Emperor, but it's hard work, expensive, and the outcome depends on who is the better Emperor. The safer course is to establish yourself in an unassumed Power Persona position. - as long as you qualify. For example, assume your brand is clearly a Buddy Persona (see the sample chapter), but there is another Buddy who has been in business longer. You can fight them head on, or use marketing guerilla tactics and take the Sympatico position instead. Once your brand is strong enough, you can attack the Buddy head on. These are tactical decisions that only a complete Persona Inventory (or your own version of a complete audit) and Persona Plan (or an exhaustive Brand Marketing Plan) can determine.

 

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