Lead Generation Strategy: Driving Leads Through Personality-Based Marketing

As marketers, we strive to understand and adapt to the dynamic needs of our target audiences. While buyer personas have been the key component of many marketing strategies, what if the key to unlocking more effective and resonant content lies not in demographic details but in the intricacies of an individual’s personality? Using personality-based marketing can provide deeper insights into what truly resonates with a person instead of basing it on demographics alone. In this exploration beyond buyer personas, we have partnered with OneNineFive to delve into the transformative potential of personality-driven content and how it can elevate your lead generation strategy to propel leads through the marketing funnel.

Appealing to Personality for Lead Generation

Often B2B demand and lead generation strategies and marketing efforts fall short due to the overwhelming volume of content bombarding the audience. Everywhere your audience turns companies are trying to grab their attention with a flurry of content assets based on their demographics. The solution to this challenge lies in moving beyond traditional marketing personas and recognizing their fundamental flaws. Despite shared demographics, individuals with vastly different personalities respond divergently to the same message. For example, a 50-year-old executive and a successful actor might share similar demographics, such as age and financial status but require distinct approaches. The focus, therefore, should shift from personas to personalities for a more nuanced understanding of your audience.

Understanding the diverse spectrum of personalities is essential. Here are the five globally recognized personality traits:

• Openness
• Conscientiousness
• Extroversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

These traits are also sometimes referred to as OCEAN. An open personality is often eager to explore new things and might respond to a campaign highlighting innovation. On the other hand, an agreeable mindset could instead be persuaded through social proof and a sense of affiliation. For the more neurotic type, who may be more inclined to seek peace of mind, a message emphasizing reliability and security would resonate more.

For example, when working on paid ads, consider crafting three versions with varied images and content tailored to different personality types to significantly enhance relevance. This approach transcends demographics, focusing on mindset and motivation instead. Content designed around personality types can be 3-5 times more effective, offering a tailored experience that appeals directly to individual inclinations.

Want to learn more about the different personality traits and how they can be used in your marketing efforts? Watch this webinar from our partner, OneNineFive.

Establishing a Personality-Based Content Strategy

When establishing a content strategy, the focus should combine targeting personality types with content aligned based on where they are in the buyer’s journey. A successful strategy involves measuring each personality trait on a scale, essentially creating a palette for relevant content creation. Once the key personality types for your organization have been selected you can start developing versions of your messaging and content that appeals to each group.

The subtleties in strategy emerge when tailoring content to each personality type. For instance, decision-makers in the C-suite generally exhibit higher levels of extroversion. By aligning your content to appeal to this specific personality trait, you could improve lead generation outcomes. In essence, the strategy extends beyond determining asset types aligned with the buyer’s journey stages; it involves understanding and adapting to the nuances of various personality types to optimize campaign results.

Crafting a Personalized Journey

Beyond utilizing the five personality traits you also want to consider motivation using McClelland’s human motivation theory. This theory dives into what drives a person, whether it be achievement, power or affiliation. Combining the personality traits with the motivators ensures a holistic approach and can help define a content strategy and determine what should be A/B tested. For instance, a focus on openness and power versus conscientiousness and achievement would guide the creation of compelling and targeted content. This personalization extends beyond graphics to encompass the entire user experience. This approach lets individuals self-identify by choosing the content that resonates with them. The key is to guide them through a personalized journey, making sure that the personality trait and motivation are considered throughout the whole user experience from social posts or paid ads to the landing page.

Operationalizing Personality-Tailored Marketing

Operationalizing personality-tailored marketing involves recognizing that individuals can shift along the personality spectrum. Thus, campaigns should offer a range of content to appeal to different mindsets and motivations. Core content can be adapted for various personality traits, ensuring relevance to diverse audience segments.

This strategic tool goes beyond mere marketing; it shapes your entire approach to target audiences. As a lens through which to view your customers, personality-tailored marketing provides a fresh perspective, enhancing not only your marketing effectiveness but also your overall strategy.

Kick-Starting Lead Generation

As the marketing landscape becomes more cluttered, the need for distinct relevance intensifies. Personality-tailored marketing offers a clear pathway to achieving this relevance, transforming campaigns and fostering a deeper connection with your audience. By embracing the nuances of individual personalities, marketers can unlock the true potential of their campaigns, making them more resonant and impactful, and ultimately driving lead generation for the business.

Need a content marketing strategy designed to meet and exceed your lead generation goals? What about B2B messaging and branding that makes an impact? Request a free marketing consultation or contact us today!