How To Create User Personas for Skincare

. Gather Customer Data

You need real data directly from customers to create accurate personas. Here are some comprehensive ways to start gathering intel:

• Conduct in-person interviews or focus groups with your customers. This allows for a more in-depth understanding of their needs and preferences.
• Send an email survey to your existing customer list with questions like:
  • How old are you?
  • What is your skin type?
  • What are your top 3 skincare concerns?
  • What skincare products do you currently use?
• Look at your website analytics to see user demographics and what pages they visit.
• Monitor social media conversations with customers to spot common questions and complaints.
• Offer a coupon for filling out a survey on your website with more qualitative questions:
  • Why do you use skincare products?
  • Tell us about your skincare frustrations.
  • Describe your ideal skincare experience.

Expert Tip

Harpal Singh

To encourage survey participation, offer an incentive like a discount code or entry into a prize draw. Formulate specific inquiries to draw out essential information needed in constructing user personas.

. Separate Customers Into Groups

Let’s take a look at a real-world example of a skincare brand that successfully segmented its customer base using the data-driven approach outlined above.

The skincare brand, let’s call it “SkinGlow”, had a diverse customer base with different skincare needs. They wanted to create more personalized products and marketing strategies for their customers. To do this, they first gathered customer data through surveys, interviews, and website analytics. They asked questions about their customers’ age, skin type, and top skincare concerns.

After collecting this data, SkinGlow started segmenting their customers into groups based on common attributes. They identified four main groups:

1. Young women with oily skin who were primarily concerned about acne.
2. Mature women with dry skin who were primarily concerned about anti-aging.
3. Men with sensitive skin who were looking for gentle skincare products.
4. Individuals with combination skin who were seeking balance in their skincare routine.

SkinGlow assigned names to each group, such as “Acne Battling Youth” or “Aging Gracefully”. They then used these personas to guide their product development and marketing campaigns. For example, they developed an acne-fighting line for the “Acne Battling Youth” group and an anti-aging line for the “Aging Gracefully” group. They also tailored their marketing messages to address the specific concerns of each group.

Expert Tip

Harpal Singh

Have at least two team members independently segment data into groups first, then compare to see if you both organized it the same way. Differing perspectives bring valuable insights. The marketing manager and product manager each review the survey results on their own and write down groups they see. Comparing notes gives a more complete view.

. Build One Persona Per Group

Bring your user groups to life by transforming data points into persona profiles with humanizing details like:

• Give them a specific name (like Jenny or Miguel).
• Add a face photo – this helps humanize them.
• List out definitive demographics details based on your group data like age, location, job status.
• Describe behaviors – what is their skincare routine like?
• Identify motivations – what skincare results do they want and why?  What would frustrate them?
• Give them a quote that sums up what they’re looking for in skincare.

Here’s an example:

For example, meet Jenny, a 32-year-old office worker living in New York City. She has a combination skin type and is particularly concerned about maintaining a healthy complexion and preventing premature aging. Jenny’s skincare routine is thorough and consistent. She cleanses, tones, and moisturizes twice daily, and exfoliates and uses a face mask once a week.

Her main motivation is to maintain a youthful and radiant look, which she believes boosts her confidence and makes her feel good about herself. She is frustrated by the abundance of skincare products on the market, finding it overwhelming and confusing to decide which ones are suitable for her skin type and concerns. Jenny is also concerned about the impact of pollution on her skin, given her urban lifestyle.

Her quote would be: “I want a skincare routine that is simple, effective, and tailored to my needs. I don’t have time for trial and error – I need products that work.”

The persona of Jenny provides a detailed representation of a specific customer segment, helping guide product development and marketing strategies that cater to her needs and preferences.

. Refine and Finalize Personas

Carefully review personas to identify conflicting information amongst them that requires clarification through additional research.

Integrating customer feedback is a vital part of refining your personas. You can collect feedback through various channels such as surveys, customer interviews, social media interactions, or customer support interactions. This feedback should be analyzed and used to update and refine your personas.

For example, if multiple customers express a need that isn’t currently represented in your personas, it might be time to create a new persona or adjust an existing one to incorporate this feedback. Similarly, if customers indicate that they don’t identify with the motivations or pain points of a particular persona, it may need to be revised.

_{Related: Online Review Management for Skincare}

Expert Tip

Harpal Singh

Don’t just create a persona then set it aside. Set calendar reminds to revisit it often to fill gaps that arise. User research is an ongoing exercise. Put a recurring quarterly meeting on calendars of key staff to review persona details and update them based on latest customer interactions.

. Influence Business Strategy

Now, let’s delve into how your well-researched personas can guide your skincare business decisions:

• Product Development: If one of your personas is “Sensitive Susan,” a woman in her 30s with sensitive skin who is looking for gentle, hypoallergenic products, you might consider developing a line of fragrance-free, hypoallergenic skincare products. You could also focus on clear labelling and transparency around ingredients to reassure Susan that the products are safe for her skin.
• Marketing Strategies: Suppose another persona is “Eco-conscious Eric,” a millennial who values sustainability and eco-friendly products. You could tailor your marketing messages to highlight your brand’s commitment to sustainability, such as using recyclable packaging or sourcing ingredients ethically.
• Customer Service: If “Busy Bob” is a persona who values quick and efficient service, you might offer options like express shipping, easy reordering, or a subscription service for his favorite products. Your customer service team could also be trained to provide fast, efficient responses to queries to meet Bob’s expectations.

Expert Tip

Harpal Singh

Consider creating a single customer advisory panel made up of 1 real person (a customer) that represents each persona.