Psychographics studies the ‘why’ behind your customers’ buying choices. It focuses on the cognitive and emotional factors that impact their decision-making.

By collecting data on your customer’s activities, interests and opinions (AIO), you can better understand why they do what they do – and how you can write copy specifically for them.

You need more than a buyer persona

As the traditional buyer persona goes, you need to figure out your ideal customer’s demographics, where they hang out on social media and (for some reason) what model Subaru they drive.

While these things may factor into the type of life your customer leads, it doesn’t help to know that Marketing Miranda drives a Subaru Ascent if you don’t know what lead her to that decision.

“Psychographics seeks to understand the cognitive factors that drive consumer behaviors. This includes emotional responses and motivations; moral, ethical, and political values; and inherent attitudes, biases, and prejudices.”

CB Insights

Perhaps Miranda has a golden retriever and enjoys outdoor activities – this would explain the Subaru choice.

Subaru’s done their research. They know the majority of their customers have a dog and want to take them everywhere.

For this reason, they need a car that can get dirty, handle a bit of off-roading, and has enough room for their family and a dog.

Subaru advertisment. Text reads: Go where no cat has gone before. Dog tested. Dog approved. Subaru. Confidence in motion.
Source. They also made a whole series of commercials featuring dogs. Enjoy.

Should you get more qualitative data then?

Definitely.

Brands can get to know their customers better by combining quantitative demographic data with qualitative psychographic data.

Looking not only at age or occupation but also at customers’ habits, beliefs, and behaviors allows companies to customize their messaging to specific buyer personalities.

Using both data sets gives you targeted copy that leaves the customer feeling like you’re talking to them.

Which is a good thing!

This increase in customer satisfaction is one of the main reasons marketing teams are moving away from the traditional model towards an approach that follows the jobs-to-be-done framework.

How do you find psychographic data?

Review mining, customer surveys and customer interviews are some of the best ways you can gather data.

Plus, a bit of Googling around can get you a lot of useful information.

Review mining

Even if you don’t have customers right now, digging into Amazon reviews, Reddit, Facebook and other social media can be an effective way to compile insights about your ideal customers.

Look at websites your ideal customers use, social media platforms they’re on and search for keywords that are relevant to your product.

Surveys

You can send surveys to your email list or use a paid survey platform. But one of the best ways to catch your customers at a great moment is by using a Thank You page survey.

While surveys can be informative tools on their own, you do want to get some interviews in if you can.

But if you can’t, Anna explains in this video how she wrote a full sales page only using surveys and review mining.

This tutorial includes some great links to Anna’s survey examples.

Interviews

This is where the jobs-to-be-done framework really comes into play.

Asking open-ended questions is important – you don’t want to put words in your customer’s mouth.

Adele Revella, the CEO of the Buyer Persona Institute, says there’s one question you have to ask:

“What happened on the day you first decided you need to solve this kind of problem or achieve this goal?”

Hotjar

She advises allowing the customer to elaborate on this.

Let them lead the conversation and share their thought process – you’ll begin to understand the journey they took to the point of purchase.

Whatcha gonna do with all that data?

You’ve collected the demographics, got survey results and transcribed the interviews.

Now what?

Analyze it

Go through everything you’ve collected and gather any similar ideas.

Such as:

  • What do your customers love about your product?
  • What do they not like?
  • Did they have objections before buying?
  • How does your product improve their lives?

Look for patterns in your responses and listen for anything out-of-the-ordinary to use in your copy.

Use it

With the data organized you can start segmenting your customers based on their lifestyles and personalities.

By focusing on their needs, desires, objections and motivations, you’ll find your copy and content perform much better.

Why?

Because they’re all based on the topics and values your customers care about.

For example, Patagonia knows its loyal customers are eco-conscious outdoor enthusiasts who want to buy from conscious brands.

So they share their values on their homepage.

Patagonia company values in columns. Text reads: We guarantee everything we make. Because we know prioritizing durability results in consuming less energy, wasting less water and creating less trash. View Ironclad Guarantee Know how your clothes are made. Everything we make has an impact on people and the planet. Learn more about our environmental and social responsibility program. View Our Footprint Keep your gear in play. Buy used, trade in and fix your gear through Worn Wear. Visit Worn Wear We give back for every sale. We’ve pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. View 1% for the Planet

The important part:

Use the psychographic data you’ve collected and put some of it in your copy.

The key to making the most of any data you collect about your customer is using it to meet them where they are and showing them where they could be.

Remember the out-of-the-ordinary phrasing one customer used?

That might be just the message that gets more potential customers to see themselves in your copy.