Posted by
Matthew Stibbe
You might think good copywriting is about crafting elegant turns of phrase that flow off the page in a Byron-esque shower of romantic verbiage. Well, hate to break it to you—it’s not. What sets great marketing copy apart is its ability to speak directly to a specific audience. It’s about being readable, relevant, and, most importantly, knowing your target customer back to front.
A well-defined persona is the difference between writing that connects and writing that vanishes into the white noise of the internet. Without it, you’re like a blindfolded archer shooting arrows in the vague direction of a target you’ve only heard about in passing. The result? A lot of missed shots and a frustrated client. Not good.
So, how do you turn your words into strategic, persona-focused missiles that land squarely on target? Read on to find out.
Rule one: Don’t make assumptions, do your research
Personas and ICPs aren’t conjured out of thin air or built on “gut feelings” (unless you like wasting time on rewrites). They’re constructed through research, data, and a bit of sleuthing. So, put on your detective hat and dig in.
- Start with the basics: use existing data to sketch out a rough picture. Analytics tools, CRM systems, and sales feedback are all goldmines of information. Find out who’s already engaging with your client’s content, what they do, and what keeps them up at night.
- Talk to real people: client-side or customer-side, it doesn’t matter. Get your foot in the door with sales teams, customer support, and (if you’re lucky) a few end-users. Ask the right questions: What’s their biggest problem? What’s stopping them from solving it? How would they describe their ideal solution?
- Eavesdrop on competitors: no shame in peeking over the fence. Analyse competitor content to see who they’re speaking to and how they position themselves. Just don’t copy. The goal here is to find gaps—places where your client can stand out.
Once you’ve got a good pile of intel, distil it into a few clear, actionable personas that you can actually use. No fluffy demographics like “Susan is 35, drinks oat milk, and listens to true crime podcasts.” You need personas that tell you what kind of messaging hits the mark—and what completely misses it. We’ve written a good guide on how to craft these personas here.
Rule two: Different personas, different voices
Here’s a rookie mistake: treating all personas as if they’re just slightly tweaked versions of each other. Just because you know your audience doesn’t mean they’re all going to respond to the same tone, language, or even format.
A C-suite executive wants the 30,000-foot view: big-picture benefits, ROI, and strategies that move the needle. Hit them with concise, impactful language that respects their time and intelligence.
A technical decision-maker wants the gritty details. Forget about fluff. Bring out the charts, the data points, and the in-depth comparisons. Don’t just say it’s a “robust solution”—show them why it’s robust, and don’t skimp on the technical jargon.
An end-user or customer service manager wants usability and practicality. What will this product or service do for them today? How will it save time, reduce headaches, or just make their day a little easier? Use language that’s straightforward, benefit-driven, and (if appropriate) even a little light-hearted.
Rule three: know your ICPs—who you’re really writing for
Ideal customer profiles (ICPs) are about identifying who your best customers are and what makes them tick. Think of an ICP as your gold standard. The perfect customer who’s an absolute joy to work with, sees the value in your client’s product, and converts faster than anyone else.
To get your head around it, imagine an ICP as a profile that zeroes in on the most profitable type of customer for your client. An ICP looks like this:
- Demographics: age, location, role, level of seniority.
- Psychographics: key interests, values, motivations.
- Challenges and pain points: the problems they face that your client’s product or service can solve.
- Buying triggers: what signals that they’re ready to buy? A new business strategy? A sudden change in the market?
The key is to focus on what makes a particular customer your dream target, not just what industry they’re in or what company they work for. Understanding this lets you write content that speaks directly to their core needs, regardless of job title or sector. At Articulate, we look for clients building and using tech for good.
Rule four: Customise for the buyer’s journey
You need to consider different personas, different ICPs—and, oh yes, different stages in the buyer’s journey. What works for a first-time visitor won’t work for a finance director on the brink of signing off on a six-figure deal. Design your messaging based on where your persona is in the funnel:
- Awareness stage: don’t pitch. Educate. Create thought leadership content that addresses high-level problems and questions your persona might be asking. Blog posts, infographics, and guides work well here.
- Consideration stage: now’s the time to bring in the comparisons, case studies, and explainer videos. Show them why your client’s product is the obvious choice.
- Decision stage: here’s where you go for the jugular (politely, of course). Offer detailed product demos, ROI calculators, testimonials, and all the final proof they need to feel confident about making a decision.
Rule five: Avoid Frankenstein content
With so many personas and ICPs to consider, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to speak to everyone at once. The result? Frankenstein content. It’s clunky, it’s disjointed, and it doesn’t appeal to anyone. This is how good content gets mangled by too many voices and objectives all fighting for dominance.
Instead, keep it focused. If you’re targeting two distinct personas or ICPs, create separate pieces of content. Yes, it’s more work, but it’s worth it. Focused content is persuasive content.
"Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.” - Kurt Vonnegut
Rule six: Give your personas room to evolve
Personas and ICPs are not static. They change as the market shifts, as new pain points emerge, or as your client pivots into new industries. If your personas are more than a year old, they’re practically ancient relics. Review them regularly, every six months at least, and update as needed.
Your goal is to be in lockstep with your audience, not playing catch-up because you relied on outdated personas that no longer reflect reality.
Rule seven: Make it personal but not creepy
No one likes being stalked. Just because you know that James Smith, CEO of WidgetCo, went to Oxford and likes golf doesn’t mean you need to open your email with “Hey John, bet you’re looking forward to a round of golf at the Oxford links this weekend!” Personalisation is good. Overly specific personalisation? Borderline (or perhaps very) creepy.
Instead, use your persona knowledge to create copy that feels like a one-on-one conversation, even if it’s technically one-to-many. Address their pain points, reflect their tone, and show that you get them, without coming off like you’re tailing them through LinkedIn, or Sainbury’s.
Now it’s time to turn your pen into a laser
Think of your writing like a beam of light. Without focus, it’s diffuse, scattered and barely making an impact on anybody. But when you narrow that beam down and aim it at a specific point, it transforms into a laser (or lightsaber, if you prefer) … precise, powerful, and impossible to ignore. That’s what defining your personas and ICPs does for your copy. It gives your words pinpoint accuracy, cuts through the noise and hits the exact spot that resonates with your ideal reader, at a time when they need it most.
And if you’d like to hire a pro writer who can do this in their sleep, get in touch today.
