You’re building your buyer personas and know you need to talk to people and conduct market research. Here’s a very easy yet strategic set of questions you need answered before you can hope to benefit from your efforts.

Their Role

1. What is their job title? Job role?
2. How is their job measured?
3. What does a typical day look like?
4. What skills are required to do their job?
5. What knowledge and tools do they use in their job?
6. Who do they report to? How many/who reports to them?

Company

7. In which industry or industries does their company work?
8. What is the size of their company (revenue, employees)?
9. What other locations does the company have?

Goals

10. What are they responsible for?
11. How do they measure progress/success toward their goals?
12. What does it mean to be successful in their role?

Challenges

13. What are their biggest challenges?

Watering Holes

14. How do you they learn about new information for their job?
15. What publications or blogs do they read?
16. What associations and social networks do they belong to?

Personal Background

17. Describe their personal demographics (if appropriate, ask their age, whether they’re married, if they have children).
18. Describe their educational background. What level of education did they complete? Which schools did they attend, and what did they study?
19. Describe their career path. How did they end up where they are today?

Shopping Preferences

20. How do they prefer to interact with vendors (email, phone, in person)?
20. Do they use the internet to research vendors or products? If yes, how do they search for information?
21. Ask them to describe a recent purchase. Why did they consider a purchase, what was the evaluation process, and how did they decide to purchase that product or service?