Pinkberry
Determine the target market for Pinkberry using ALL four (4) bases of segmentation to describe the buyer persona.
(Note: As you might recall from your Week 1 reading in Chapter 10 of The New Rules of Marketing and PR, a buyer persona is a short biography of a typical customer.)
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a target market can be everyone! One of the best ways to overcome this trap is to think of your target market as an individual rather than a group. Here is a very simple buyer persona exercise that you will find helpful. And this is a great chance to be creative!
Visualize a specific person that you think is the Pinkberry target customer. In terms of our bases of segmentation, where does this person live? Where else could they live beyond just West Hollywood, CA? Are they in an urban environment, the suburbs, or way out in the country?
Now describe that person in terms of their demographic characteristics. How old are they? What gender are they? Where are they in their family life cycle? What is their education level? What do they do for a living, etc.?
Move on to the psychological or psychographic profile of the person you are visualizing. What are their hobbies, lifestyle, values, and attitudes? What do they hold important to them? One of the areas to look at might be the VALS research. This may help you identify more about this specific person from the inside out.
Finally, with this same person in your head, how can you describe them behaviorally? Do they eat frozen yogurt? Do they eat frozen yogurt from a competitor? Have they never eaten frozen yogurt before?
Why is it important to understand your buyer's needs and mindset when developing a marketing strategy?
Once you go through this mental exercise of visualizing your specific customer, it will be easier to use the bases of segmentation to create your buyer persona.
Pinkberry Buyer Persona: Sarah, the Health-Conscious Urbanite
Geographic Segmentation:
- Location: Lives in a trendy urban neighborhood like Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
- Alternative locations: Other major metropolitan areas with young, affluent populations and access to Pinkberry stores.
- Age: 28-35 years old
- Gender: Female
- Family life cycle: Young professional, possibly single or recently partnered.
- Education: College degree, possibly postgraduate education.
- Occupation: Works in a creative field like marketing, media, or fashion.
- Values: Wellness, authenticity, experience, quality over quantity.
- Lifestyle: Active, social, enjoys eating out and trying new things.
- Personality: Trendsetter, health-conscious, adventurous, cares about the environment.
- VALS Type: Achiever or Experiencer (driven by success and personal growth or new experiences)
- Frozen yogurt consumption: Regular frozen yogurt eater, prioritizes quality and taste.
- Brand choices: Prefers independent, artisanal brands over large chains.
- Shopping habits: Uses apps and social media to research and discover new options.
- Reasons for choosing Pinkberry: Fresh ingredients, customization options, healthy image, trendy appeal.
- Target messaging: Create marketing campaigns that resonate with Sarah's values and interests, like highlighting the use of real fruit and the health benefits of frozen yogurt.
- Develop relevant products: Offer seasonal flavors, toppings, and healthy alternatives that appeal to Sarah's desire for variety and wellness.
- Choose appropriate channels: Focus on social media platforms and influencer marketing to reach Sarah where she spends her time.
- Personalize the experience: Provide recommendations based on past purchases and offer loyalty programs to build customer relationships.