When leading our career like a MeEO, connections and clients rise in importance.
Those within a corporate structure and those working outside can both benefit.
We all have customers/clients no matter what our job is.
“Customers” of our work internally can be our boss, a co-worker, or a team we manage.
We may have “clients” outside the organization who we serve.
Even outside of work, there are “customers” for things we do.
Family, friends volunteer groups, etc.
For those venturing out on their own, the “customers” we would like to work with can be vast.
In all these occasions, creating personas can help us focus and empathize with needs.
Where to Start?
For strategists in the audience, the personas you’ve created are likely popping to mind.
For others, you may be wondering what to create and where to start.
The first step is to brainstorm a list through your MeEO lens.
Identify customers you interact with, both internal to the company and external.
If you have a corporate role, customers/clients may be specific people. Internal to the company, this might be your boss’s boss or someone in another department.
Looking to go on your own or already on your own, list any current clients or target customer groups.
Expanding and Narrowing the List
Next, add to the list the customers you WANT to interact with.
Internal to a company, you might list people you know of, but don’t ever interact with. You could also consider new connections you want to have in your industry or other parts of your organization.
Freelance workers can create a list of the types of people and companies you want to have as customers. This could be an industry or someone specific.
Once the brainstorm list has been created, work to narrow down to the 2-3 you would like to focus on. You can always expand to others at a later point. Start with focus.
Create the Persona
Once the list is down to 2-3, it’s time to create the persona.
This can be as simple or complex as you choose.
Searching online can provide some inspiration.
At minimum, consider three questions: What does this persona need (functional & emotional)?
What problems do they have?
What solutions can you provide to fill their needs and solve their problems?
Your Turn
Have you ever considered the personas of your personal clients/customers?
Do you think this exercise would help focus your career direction?
How could you better serve your top 2-3 customers / clients?