If you’re tired of half-baked buyer persona templates that don’t do much besides look pretty in meetings, you’re not alone. Nailing down who actually buys from you—and why—is the difference between B2B outreach that gets ignored and outreach that actually lands meetings.
This guide is for marketers, founders, and sales folks who want to use Mylighthouse to make buyer personas that don’t just sit in a folder. We’ll skip the fluff, focus on what actually works, and walk through each step so you don’t waste time.
Why Bother With Buyer Personas?
Let’s get this out of the way: buyer personas aren’t magic. They won’t double your close rate overnight. But if you do them right (and keep them updated), they make your outreach way less random.
A good persona answers practical questions: - Who is actually buying or championing your product? - What do they care about—really? - Where do they hang out, online and off? - What annoys them about solutions like yours? - How do they make buying decisions?
Most importantly, a solid persona helps you avoid generic messaging and zero-response campaigns.
Step 1: Gather Real-World Data, Not Just Guesses
Don’t start with a brainstorming session. Start with facts.
Where to look: - Customer interviews: Talk to existing users. Ask what problem they were solving, who was involved, and why they chose you. - Sales team notes: Salespeople usually know who actually signs off or kills deals. - Support tickets: These show what frustrates your buyers after they sign up. - CRM data: Pull job titles, industries, company sizes, and patterns from closed-won opportunities.
Pro tip: Ignore the “aspirational” buyer for now. Focus on who already buys, not who you wish would.
Step 2: Open Up Mylighthouse and Start a New Persona
Log in to Mylighthouse. From the dashboard, there’s an option to create a new buyer persona.
You’ll see fields like: - Name - Job title(s) - Industry/vertical - Company size - Challenges - Buying triggers - Decision-making process - Channels
Don’t worry about filling every field perfectly on the first pass. You’ll tighten things up as you go.
Step 3: Fill Out the Basics—But Don’t Overdo It
Stick to what matters. You don’t need a stock photo or fake quote like “I just want seamless integration!” That stuff’s for marketing decks, not real outreach.
Focus on: - Job titles: Who actually drives buying? (Hint: It’s rarely just the CEO.) - Industry: Are your best customers all SaaS? Manufacturing? Narrow it down. - Company size: 10-person startups buy differently than 500-person orgs. - Pain points: Use their words, not yours. If three people said “reporting is a nightmare,” write that—not “lacks data visibility.”
What to skip: - Age, gender, or location—unless your product truly depends on it. - “Day in the life” fluff. If there’s no practical use, leave it out.
Step 4: Dig Into Motivations and Triggers
Now, get into the “why.” This is where most personas get vague, but it’s where the real gold is.
Ask: - What finally made them look for a solution? - What do they fear if they don’t solve this? - What words or phrases do they use to describe their pain?
In Mylighthouse, use the “Triggers” and “Motivations” sections. Copy-paste real quotes if you have them. (No one will judge your spelling.)
Honest take: If you’re guessing here, go back and ask a customer. Otherwise, you’re just making it up.
Step 5: Map Out the Buying Process
B2B deals are rarely one call and done. You need to know: - Who’s the initial researcher? - Who’s the budget holder? - Who can kill a deal, even late in the process?
In Mylighthouse, describe these roles and their influence. If you’ve got real-world examples (e.g., “VP of Ops blocks anything not SOC 2 compliant”), add those notes.
What doesn’t work: Making it sound simpler than it is. If a deal takes five approvals, say that—don’t “streamline” reality.
Step 6: Identify the Best Outreach Channels
Stop blasting LinkedIn messages if your buyers never check LinkedIn. Use your research: - Do they answer cold emails? - Are they active in Slack groups, trade forums, or at certain conferences? - Do they rely on word of mouth?
Fill these out in the “Channels” section in Mylighthouse. Less is more—list what works, not everywhere you could find them.
Step 7: Add Real Examples and Stories (Optional, but Useful)
Mylighthouse lets you attach notes or even snippets of conversations. Use this for: - Quotes from actual customers - Screenshots of relevant LinkedIn posts - Notes from sales calls
These make your persona way more useful for anyone writing copy or planning outreach.
Step 8: Share and Stress-Test Your Persona
Before you call it done, share your persona with the sales and CS teams. Ask: - “Does this sound like the people you talk to?” - “Would this help you prep for a call?” - “Anything way off?”
If you get blank stares or shrugs, something’s missing. Go back and fix it.
Pro tip: Don’t make this a one-and-done exercise. Set a reminder to review personas every quarter or after a big product update.
What to Ignore (Seriously)
- Overly detailed demographics: Unless your buyers care, you shouldn’t.
- Fake “personalities”: Your buyer isn’t a cartoon. “Loves golf” won’t change your messaging.
- Pointless fields: If a field in Mylighthouse doesn’t help your team, leave it blank.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Real
Most buyer personas are ignored because they’re too complicated or too vague. In Mylighthouse, focus on what your team will actually use: real problems, real motivations, real channels.
Don’t stress about making it perfect. Start with what you know, get feedback, and improve as you go. The best personas are living documents—not one-off projects.
Go build something your team will actually use.