Creating an effective buyer persona can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.

But what if that needle could transform your cleantech marketing strategy, fuel your growth, and make you the go-to solution for your target market?

Imagine being able to pinpoint exactly who your ideal customer is, what keeps them up at night, and how your solution can be their hero. In competitive, high-stakes cleantech markets, getting this right isn't just beneficial—it's essential.

A well-crafted buyer persona can improve Product Market Fit, drive higher Conversion Rates, and accelerate your pipeline velocity with deals that move because they are built on the precise and accurate Buyer Personas you have created.

This guide will help you understand your buyer’s pain points, goals, and how they make decisions. Then, you can use our templates to map your benefits in a GTM-Ready Buyer Persona Matrix. If you are already a friend of Cleantech Growthlab, simply enter your password to follow in the Miro board below.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Buyer Persona

When I first dived into the world of cleantech marketing, I was overwhelmed. The technical jargon, the science, the sheer breadth of it all—let’s just say I had a few sleepless nights. But, as with any complex problem, breaking it down into manageable parts helped.

One of the first steps that made a real difference was finding the right templates and tools to guide the process.

#1 Bootstrap with the right Templates

The world needs climate technology solutions, and we are the growth teams bringing these planet-changing products to market.

But what are we without the right tools?

As part of our GTM Growth Pod, we at Cleantech Growthlab have created a buyer persona template that covers everything from role responsibilities to matching solution benefits. If you already have an Ideal Customer Profile (the ICP, or target companies), you are ready to create buyer personas for these companies.

You can grab the buyer persona template here and follow along for each step (trust me, it’s a game-changer).

Buyer Persona Example

Here’s how you can put your own buyer persona into the template - imagine you’re targeting mid-sized renewable energy companies. Your back of the envelope buyer persona might look something like this:

• Name: Jane Doe

• Job Title: Chief Sustainability Officer

• Company Size: 200-500 employees

• Goals: Reduce carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency

• Pain Points: High initial investment costs, regulatory compliance

Now you can go deeper in the template for each buyer of your product.

Most organizations should start with 2-3 maximum, but you may need more if you have multiple products. If you have customers spanning different segments, there may be nuances to think about there too.

To move ahead, choose your most important 2 buyer personas based on how your product is bought, and fill them in the first column from the workbook.

#2 Use the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) Framework

The JTBD framework is a powerful tool for understanding the underlying reasons why customers purchase products or services. As you would imagine, it's about identifying the "jobs" your customers are hiring your product to do.

This perspective shifts the focus from the product itself to the value it provides and the problems it solves for the customer.

In short, it helps your team fall in love with solving the problem, and stay focused on the customer.

How to Apply the JTBD Framework

1. Identify the Job: Start by identifying the primary job your product is hired to do. This involves understanding the context in which the product is used, the specific problems it solves, and the desired outcomes for the customer. For instance, a customer might "hire" a solar panel not just for energy but to reduce their carbon footprint and lower electricity bills.

2. Conduct Interviews: Conduct customer interviews to gather insights. Ask open-ended questions about the last time they used the product, the challenges they faced, and what motivated their purchase. This helps uncover the emotional and functional aspects of the job.

3. Map the Process: Outline the steps your customer takes to get the job done. This includes pre-purchase considerations, the purchase process, and post-purchase experiences. Identifying pain points at each stage can highlight opportunities for improvement. See our Buyer Journey Map Template here.

4. Analyze Outcomes: Determine the desired outcomes customers are seeking. These could be functional (e.g., saving money), emotional (e.g., feeling environmentally responsible), or social (e.g., gaining recognition). Prioritize these outcomes to focus your product development and marketing efforts.

5. Iterate and Test: Use the insights gained to refine your product and marketing strategies. Develop prototypes, test them with real users, and iterate based on feedback. This continuous cycle ensures your product remains aligned with customer needs.

Example: Applying JTBD in Cleantech

Imagine you're developing a new energy-efficient heating system.

Using the JTBD framework, you might discover that homeowners hire such systems not only to save on energy costs but also to reduce their environmental impact and improve home comfort. Interviews might reveal that the installation process is a major pain point. Addressing this by offering hassle-free installation would the insight you draw to differentiate your product.

#3 Gather Challenge & Pain Point Data

Now that you know the jobs to be done for each persona, it is time to unearth the problems they face in reaching them.

Data is your best friend here. Start by scraping information from online job descriptions and community forums. LinkedIn is a goldmine. Look at profiles of people in similar roles to your target audience. What do they talk about? What do they share?

Use First AND Third-Party Sources to gather Pain Points from Customers

First-party data is what you collect directly—think surveys and direct interviews with your existing clients. Third-party sources, on the other hand, include industry reports, research papers, and market analysis. Both are crucial.

For instance, while interviews with manufacturing leaders are an unrivalled source of insight, you can supplement this with bigger picture understanding and macro-economic reports online.

This way, you can focus on the gritty details of their pain points when you do talk to your customers.

Pick up the phone (yes, the old-fashioned way works wonders) and ask them directly about their challenges. Once you are done collecting the challenges, you can rank them in order of importance to each persona:

Now, you are ready for the final step!

#4 Map your benefits to each Persona

This is where the magic of the buyer persona matrix comes into its own. First, clarify which solution you want to run against each persona:

Then, map the benefit of your solution to the pain points experienced. This is the most important step of building a buyer journey matrix. Why is that?

This “benefit” output will be the compass that guides all GTM messaging across outbound, email, sales collateral, paid ads or content for this persona. It will allow your sales, product and marketing teams to align on messaging.

So, what can you do with a strong Buyer Persona Matrix?

Sales Acceleration

In cleantech, the sales cycle can be notoriously long. Accelerating sales requires a deep understanding of your prospects' needs and pain points.

One effective approach is account-based marketing (ABM). Instead of casting a wide net, ABM focuses on high-value accounts and personalizes outreach.

Tip: Develop personalized content and solutions for each target account, based on the baseline understanding of that segment. Use data analytics to identify which companies are most likely to convert and focus your efforts there.

Demand Generation

Generating demand in cleantech isn't just about awareness—it's about education. Your potential customers need to understand the value and impact of your solution. Content marketing is key. Whitepapers, webinars, and case studies can position your company as a thought leader, and with your precise understanding of what buyers are actually struggling with - these investments will resonate.

Tip: Create a content calendar that aligns with events, trends, and collaborate with influencers to co-create content that reaches a broader audience.

Creating a Predictable Pipeline

Predictability in your sales pipeline comes from consistency in lead generation and qualification. Implementing the right CRM system like Salesforce or HubSpot is crucial. These tools help track interactions and automate follow-ups, ensuring no leads fall through the cracks.

Tip: Use lead scoring to prioritize prospects based on their engagement and fit. Regularly review and adjust your scoring criteria to reflect changes in market conditions and customer behavior.

I remember working with a cleantech startup last year that struggled to break into the market. They had a fantastic product but were shooting in the dark with their marketing, trying different messaging angles with different personas - no repeatable hypothesis or messages matched to specific personas.

We sat down, created detailed buyer personas, and mapped the messaging accordingly. Within weeks, their engagement skyrocketed. It wasn’t magic—it was strategy.

Common Mistakes in B2B Buyer Persona Creation

Here are some of the biggest errors startups and high growth cleantech firms make when creating personas and translating them into campaign messaging:

1. Not Basing Buyer Personas on Data

2. Overgeneralizing or Oversimplifying Personas

3. Neglecting to Update Personas Regularly

4. Failing to Validate Personas with Real Data

5. Not Involving Sales and Customer Service Teams

6. Following a B2C Buyer Persona Model

7. Not Interviewing Enough People

8. Having Too Few or Too Many Personas

9. Botching the Interview

10. Creating Personas in a Marketing Bubble

You can see our Checklist template for more information and guidance on how to correct them here.

Clean Energy Consulting Insights

The key to any effective cleantech GTM is understanding your audience deeply and practically.

Cleantech Growthlab can provide you with invaluable insights into market trends, regulatory changes, and technological advancements. Partnering with a clean energy consulting firm like us can help you stay ahead of the curve.

If you are building a Cleantech product and need help or inspiration building your Buyer Persona Matrix, reach out for free consultation.

Happy profiling!