CUSTOMER PERSONA & VALUE PROPOSITION
INGREDIENTS
- Presentation (Slides 54- 65)
- Process Sheet
- Customer Persona Sheet
- Video platform link (if online)
Purpose/Goal
To help participants define the unique value of their solution, and identify their ideal customer.
Desired Outcomes
Participants create a clear value proposition statement, and develop a detailed customer persona.
Serving size:
one group of 2 to 5 people
Preparation time:
10 minutes
Cooking time:
30 min workshop & 30 min teamwork (optional)
As facilitators, your job is to help participants move from identifying problems and possible solutions to developing a solid, meaningful idea that can realistically be implemented in their local communities.
Some teams might already have an idea they’re set on, while others may have adjusted their ideas along the way. There will also be those who, after exploring the problem in depth, have just come up with something completely new.
Now that they clearly understand the problem, it’s time to focus on shaping their idea to make sure it truly addresses the issue. Remind them that the problem comes first, even the most creative idea won’t work if it doesn’t solve the right problem.
Encourage them to ask themselves:
- Does my idea really solve the problem we identified?
- How does it help the people affected by this issue?
- Has our research confirmed that this solution is actually needed?
- Is it truly feasible to implement my idea realistically?
Ideas should solve problems and create impact, this is their chance to refine, adjust, or even rethink their idea based on what they’ve learned. Now, let’s hear their solutions and guide them toward the next step!
INSTURCTIONS
STEP 1: 30 SECOND PITCH EXCERCISE (5 MIN)
Have each team do a quick 30-second pitch of their idea by answering:
- What is your idea?
- Why should customers choose your product/service over others?
STEP 2: INTRODUCTION TO VALUE PROPOSITION (5 MIN)
STEP 3: CRAFTING THE VALUE PROPOSITION STATEMENT (5 MIN)
- What problem does your idea solve?
- How does it improve the customer’s situation?
- Why is it unique?
Participants should write this statement down and practice and test it to ensure it’s simple and memorable.
STEP 4: CUSTOMER PERSONA CREATION (10 MIN)
Instruct teams to fill in the Customer Persona Sheet with detailed information about their ideal customer:
- Basic Details: Name, age, gender, occupation, marital status, education, and location.
- Lifestyle & Hobbies: What do they do in their free time? Where do they shop? Whatbrands do they prefer?
- Beliefs & Desires: What are their values and goals? What fears or challenges are theytrying to overcome?
STEP 5: TEST & REFINE (5 MIN)
Teams present their value proposition statement and customer persona to other participants for feedback. Based on this feedback, they can adjust their value proposition or customer persona details.
STEP 6: TEAMWORK (30+ MIN)
If time and space allow, encourage participants to seek out and engage with people who match their ideal customer persona. By conducting quick interviews, they can test their assumptions, gather real feedback, and refine their understanding of their target audience. Based on these insights, they can adjust and redefine their customer personas and value proposition statement to better reflect the real needs and behaviors of their users.
Tips & Tricks
- A well-defined customer persona is important – each persona adds focus and clarity to their value proposition.
- Let participants know they can have more than one customer segment, each with a unique persona.
- MENTORING SESSION: This is a great time to conduct the mentoring session. Following the workshop you can conduct a mentoring session where teams receive valuable feedback from their mentors on their idea, value proposition statement, and customer persona.
