| name | 09-customer-insight-global |
| description | Use when the user needs to understand customers deeply enough to write copy and pick targeting — consumer versus shopper, JTBD, layered persona, internal monologue, pain map, objection list, journey map, and a customer language bank pulled from real reviews and DMs. Trigger on 'customer insight', 'buyer persona', 'who is my customer', 'what do they actually want', 'jobs to be done', 'why do they hesitate before buying'. Also use when the user cannot explain who the product is for. Not for — intake questions when an agency signs a new client, see `20-client-intake-brief-global`; paid audience targeting setup, see `51-audience-research-global`; competitor study, see `08-competitor-research-global`. |
| metadata | {"version":"2.5.1","category":"strategy","language":"en"} |
| triggers | ["customer insight","buyer persona","customer profile","audience research","persona","customer journey","JTBD","jobs to be done"] |
| output | A .md file with detailed personas, insights across 4 funnel stages, JTBD framework, customer journey map, and behavioral segmentation |
| related | ["08-competitor-research-global","00-marketing-plan-global","05-ad-copy-global","02-campaign-brief-global","04-video-script-global"] |
Customer Insight (Global)
Information Gathering
Ask up to 4 questions before starting:
- What is your product / service? (Industry, price tier, market geography)
- Who are your current customers? (Gender, age range, typical price point, channels they discover you)
- Do you have customer data? (CRM data, comments/inbox, reviews, surveys — share if available)
- What's the goal of this insight work? (Content writing? Ad targeting? Repositioning? New product launch? Service improvement?)
Consumer vs Shopper Distinction
The buyer is not always the user, and the user is not always the decision-maker:
| Consumer (User) | Shopper (Buyer) |
|---|
| Definition | Person who actually uses the product/service | Person who pays for it |
| Cares about | Experience, results, feelings | Price, convenience, value-for-money |
| Decides based on | "Will this work for me?" | "Is this worth the cost?" |
| Example (Skincare) | The person whose skin gets treated | Their partner / parent paying |
| Example (Course) | Student | Parent paying tuition |
| Example (Kids' toys) | The child | The parents |
| Example (B2B SaaS) | End-user employee | Manager / Procurement |
Identification Questions
- Are Consumer and Shopper the same person?
- If different: who influences the purchase decision? Who shapes the experience?
- Which audience should content target? (Often both — but with different angles)
4-Stage Insight Framework
Each funnel stage produces a different kind of insight:
Stage 1 — Awareness (They don't know they need it yet)
| Element | Detail |
|---|
| State | Problem unrecognized, or aware but no solution sought |
| Internal question | "Isn't everyone like this?" / "Should I do something about it?" |
| Barrier | Problem feels normal, no trigger to act |
