Demographics Aren’t The Whole Story

Hi reader,

If someone asked you to describe your ideal customer, how specific could you get?

Most people rattle off the basics: age, job, maybe location. It’s a start, but it’s rarely enough.

There’s a better way to really understand who you’re talking to. Let’s get into it. 

Today’s advice

Learn what motivates your customer, not just the facts about them.

Most businesses focus on demographics: things like age, income, location, or job title. But that only gives you a rough outline.

What’s more important is psychographics: your customer’s thoughts, values, beliefs, and motivations.

For example, knowing your customer is a 40-year-old professional living in a suburb is helpful. But it’s MORE helpful to know they value efficiency and feel overwhelmed by clutter. That kind of information changes how you write your messaging, structure your services, and position your offer.

This way, you can start speaking directly to what matters to them.

Why this matters

Your offers will be more focused and relevant.

Understanding your customers’ psychographics means you can create solutions that are shaped by what matters most to them. 

Let’s say you’re a fitness coach. You know that for your ideal client, family is everything. They care most about flexible scheduling and low-maintenance support. For this type of customer, your best bet is to offer short, efficient workouts they can do at home. 

Now compare that to a different type of customer…someone who’s more career-driven and wants visible results. That person might be looking for a more intense program, structured progress tracking, and personalized coaching with clear milestones.

This information will help you position your offer in the best way possible, so that it’s more likely to sell.

You’ll increase conversions by attracting better-fit customers.

Psychographics help you filter for people who actually want what you're offering, not just those who fit a generic profile. That means fewer mismatches, fewer objections, and more people saying yes.

In fact, SEMrush data shows companies that use psychographic segmentation see up to a 20% increase in conversion rates. 

And I’m not just talking about more sales – this is about more efficient sales. Yes, you’re getting more clients in the door, but they also happen to be your ideal clients. That means your marketing is working harder with less effort. 

Here’s how to start

Talk to a few of your best customers and ask some questions.

Yup, the best way to figure out your customers' psychographics is to talk to them. I know that requires time and possibly stepping outside of your comfort zone. But this is something that will drive way more value for your business than most other tasks.

Reach out to 3–5 past or current customers you’d want to work with again, and have a quick conversation via email, phone, Zoom, whatever’s easiest.

Ask questions that get inside their mindset, like:

• What matters most to you when choosing who to buy from?

• What do you believe other businesses in our space usually get wrong?

• What do you wish people understood about your situation?

• What kind of experience feels worth paying for?

You’re looking for patterns (shared values, frustrations, beliefs) that reveal why people choose you in the first place.

That’s your foundation. Build from there.

Best,

Jono