Find Perfect Customers With Smart Research
Use data to define the audience and improve results
Strong marketing starts with knowing who to reach, what they need and why it matters. Identifying the right audience sets the stage for real results.
Research — through surveys, customer data, social trends and competitor analysis — helps businesses move beyond guesswork. By identifying ideal customers, brands can tailor strategies that convert attention into action.
One of the biggest revelations for small-business owners is how much they differ from their customers. That can change an entrepreneur’s approach.
Your Buyer Persona Mirrors What Best Customers Want From You
“Since I manage my own social media, I realized I’m not my client as my clients don’t like to manage their social media,” said Lisa Sicard. “That’s when I called myself a time saver.”
She owns the website, Inspire To Thrive, where she blogs for international clients.
Her instinct about saving time is backed by more research. Instead of throwing their message at the wall to see what sticks, businesses start with clarity on who actually cares and why.
“It takes a special skill to ‘speak’ and manage social,” said Ivana Taylor. “Not everyone is good at every platform. My ideal customers often have physical infrastructure and a team.”
Through her DIYMarketers, Taylor is “committed to helping small-business owners get out of overwhelm.”
Overrated Coaches
Coaching is an example of how entrepreneurs often feel lost, especially when advice is oversold and under-delivered.
“I’ve been ‘behind the scenes’ with a few folks,” Taylor said. “The only consistent number I’ve seen is that there are about 1 percent of students or clients who actually achieve the goals and results coaches promote.
“Coaches struggle, too, and that’s good to know,” she said. “They should share that because it’s normal to fail a lot before you optimize something.”
In addition, as Iva Ignjatovic, a marketing, strategy and business consultant, pointed out, “Modern marketing is extremely difficult. No wonder so few achieve their goals.”
Effective Branding is One of Your Most Valuable Tools
This mindset — of understanding what works and what doesn’t — applies to all areas of marketing, especially when it comes to identifying an ideal customer.
“An ideal client could test a new product or service for you,” Sicard said.
Launching without researching your ideal customer is like writing a love letter and addressing it “To Whom It May Concern.” A small-business owner might have a great product, but if it’s not solving a real problem for a specific person, it won’t gain traction.
“Getting them to test products is a practical and great way to engage with clients and have them feel special,” Taylor said. “Knowing who you’re talking to helps shape every message and product. Clarity leads to conversions.”
Too Shy to Talk
Yet, according to Google, less than 40 percent of marketers use consumer research to drive decisions.
“I thought that was a little high, but research doesn’t have to be this formal thing,” Taylor said. “However, I’ve run into so many people who don’t want to talk to customers.
“There’s this constant rush for new customers,” she said. “Meanwhile, existing customers flounder. You see this in big business, too. They give discounts to new customers but not loyal ones.”
For Ignjatovic, the technical term is “weird.”
“On so many occasions we talked about how people don’t invest in their current clients even though that’s cheaper and more effective,” she said. “Without research, you’re basically marketing in the dark. Why guess when you can know?”
Market Research Reveals What Works Best for Your Audience
Research grounds businesses in reality. According to CB Insights, 35 percent of startups fail because there’s no market need for what they’re selling.
Understanding ideal customers — what keeps them up at night, what motivates their decisions — helps shape everything from product design to pricing to marketing.
Small-business owners can do better types of research to understand their audience. As Sicard said, that can be as simple as asking a lot of questions.
Good Results for a Low Price
Entrepreneurs don’t need a research department to get meaningful insights. Some of the most effective methods are free or low-cost:
Customer Interviews and Surveys. Tools like Google Forms or Typeform help to ask current or potential customers about their needs, habits and preferences.
Social Listening. Use platforms such as X, formerly Twitter, Reddit or Facebook groups to observe what an audience is talking about.
Competitor Analysis. Tools such as SimilarWeb, SEMrush or even simple Google reviews can show who competitors are targeting — and what gaps exist.
Customer Relationship Management or Sales Data. If the business already has customers, dig into who’s buying what, how often and why.
Google Trends and AnswerThePublic. These free tools help identify what people are searching for, in their own words.
“Start small, but be consistent,” Taylor said. “Insights accumulate fast when you know where to look. Use customer interviews and surveys — start simple and personal.”
Being a Good Egg Will Attract People Who Share Your Values
DIYMarketers has an article, “How to Research Your Target Market in 5 Quick Coffee Break Moves.”
“Keyword research, social media listening and review mining — all are low-cost and powerful,” Ignjatovic said.
Technology in the form of artificial intelligence can turn research data into a clear customer profile or persona.
“With the help of AI, I can find out more about the customer profile with that data,” Sicard said.
Turn raw facts into a relatable human portrait by organizing data around key traits:
Demographics. Age, gender, income, education, job title.
Psychographics. Goals, challenges, values, interests.
Behavior. Where they shop, what content they consume, when they buy.
Pick a Name
After grouping those common traits, Taylor recommends giving the persona a name and a narrative. For example:
“Meet Alex, a 38-year-old freelance graphic designer who values time-saving tools and hates anything that feels salesy. He spends time on YouTube, buys mostly from referrals and wants his business to look polished without wasting hours learning new tech.”
HubSpot found that using personas makes websites two to five times more effective and easier to use for targeted visitors. So, the more specific and empathetic the profile, the more it can guide everything from copywriting to product features.
“Having that profile is really helpful,” Taylor said. “I still think AI is great for brainstorming and helping target and ferret out your thinking, but once it’s set up, it’s just so good.”
Artificial Intelligence is Growing, But What Do You Really Know?
According to Qualtrics, specialists in transforming data into action, 89 percent of researchers are already using AI-powered tools regularly or experimenting with them.
“The key to this high number is the use of the word ‘or,’” Taylor said. “The number of people experimenting is high, and the use of ‘use’ and experimenting is really vague.”
Assess generalities without getting distracted by exceptions.
“Look for patterns, not outliers,” Ignjatovic said. “Then distill those into a narrative of your ‘main customer.’”
Even after all the research, there are red flags hinting that small-business owners really don’t know their ideal customer.
“It’s when customers call to make a lot of changes,” Sicard said. “It could have been avoided if you knew them or their business better.”
Remove the Guesswork
Be aware of signs that entrepreneurs are still guessing:
Their message is vague or changes constantly. If they keep rewording their pitch and nothing sticks, they’re likely unclear on who it’s for.
They attract the wrong crowd. If people love content but don’t buy — or worse, keep asking for things businesses don’t offer — entrepreneurs might be talking to the wrong audience.
Assumptions outpace evidence. If most marketing is based on what owners think people want instead of what they say or do, it’s time to return to direct customer conversations, surveys or search trends.
Most telling red flag? Entrepreneurs are not excited to describe their ideal customer. When businesses truly know them, those in charge can’t wait to talk about who the customers are, what they need and how to help them.
“If you’re constantly pivoting your messaging, it’s a sign you’re not hitting the mark,” Taylor said.
These are the times when small-business owners need to take the initiative to shoot for success.
Take the Initiative to Shoot for Success
“If you have low engagement or conversions, the silence is loud,” Ignjatovic said.
Understanding an ideal customer is not rocket science. One simple action can lead to great insights.
“Run a poll on your social channels with a fun, relevant question. Instant insights,” Taylor said. “Many folks build friendships from client relationships. This is such a wonderful way to collect honest feedback that you can use to improve.
“The hardest thing to understand is your ideal customer as a person,” she said. “Listen, ask, talk, hangout, have meals, share about your family. That’s the only way to know them as people.”
Make the Call
Whether it’s a quick call, direct message or even a poll in an email newsletter, reaching out for a short, honest conversation can unlock more insight than a week of analytics.
Ask open-ended questions:
“What was going on in your life when you decided to buy this?”
“What almost stopped you from saying yes?”
“What do you wish existed that doesn’t right now?”
Reaching Out to People Gives You Valuable Customers for Life
Even one meaningful interaction can clarify who ideal customers really are and help attract more just like them.
“Read reviews — yours, your competitors’, adjacent industries,” Ignjatovic said. “It’s customer truth serum. Don’t sell. People need to be reminded of that. There’s a power in real networking without selling.”
Avoid texting when a real voice can break through.
“Pick up the phone and call clients,” Sicard said. “Ask them about their business and family. Some of my older clients love that I call them — not text or email but call.”