Pet Copywriter Lori

When it comes to marketing your e-commerce brand, one question matters more than any other:

Who exactly are you talking to?

If your content feels like it’s falling flat—or your emails are getting opens but no clicks—chances are, you’re missing this foundational piece to the marketing puzzle.

You haven’t clearly defined your ideal customer.

The good news? You don’t need a 15-page avatar worksheet or a marketing degree to fix this. (That would definitely help! Or grab my worksheet here.)

This one simple thing can be essential for successful marketing. That’s why today I’ll walk you through a simple 5-step formula to create a customer avatar that makes your emails, content, and offers instantly more effective. Because simple is better than nothing. 

What Is a Customer Avatar?

A customer avatar (also called your ideal client profile) is a super detailed description of the one person you’re trying to reach with your message. Often, the type of person with a high customer lifetime value. 

It’s about getting clear on what they need, want, fear, and value. This enables you to speak their language and position your offer as the solution.

Without an avatar, your marketing will always feel a little… generic.

And generic doesn’t convert.

5 Key Questions to Build Your Avatar

With done over perfect in mind. Here’s how to create your basic customer avatar. These 5 simple questions will help you have an effective avatar, without overthinking it.

1. What problem are they trying to solve?

Many companies want to start with “What we have to offer.” But I want you to take a moment and look at this a bit differently. You want to offer what your customers are willing to pay for. So, figure out their “big problem” before writing any marketing materials. 

This is the heart of your messaging.

• Are they frustrated with their dog’s itchy skin?
  
• Struggling to grow their e-commerce store?
  
• Tired of wasting money on ads that don’t work?

Let me show you an example. Pretend, just for a moment, you have a lawn care service. You run some ads talking about how nice their grass will look. No one answers. Your local audience doesn’t care if it’s dandelion-free. Okay, so switch it up. There are local code enforcers who hand out tickets if the grass is too long. So, you send out an ad headlining “Avoid the ticket all summer long!” and you offer them a summer package. Surprise, surprise, that works like a charm.

Your customers didn’t change, your offer didn’t change. Nothing changed except how you viewed your service in relation to their needs.

2. What do they value most?

Just like the example above, what matters to them will shape your tone, angle, and offers. A busy businessman values time being freed up for his family. Whereas a stay-at-home retiree has all the time in the world. You wouldn’t send them both the same message. 

• Do they care about saving time?
  
• Want high-quality, handmade products?
  
• Love simplicity and ease?

Once you learn what your ideal customer values, you can then easily relate it to your products or services. It’s almost like you’re giving them exactly what they want. 

(Hint: this is how marketing doesn’t have to feel yucky.)

3. What makes them hesitate or say “no”?

Understanding their objections helps you address them up front.

• Do they think they can’t afford it?
  
• Are they skeptical of marketing promises?
  
• Do they feel overwhelmed by too many options?

Have you ever gone to a restaurant with someone who refuses to use QR codes? And of course, that’s the only way to see the menu. In a case like this, you can easily stand out by highlighting multiple menu formats. “We still have real menus!” 

Of course, that’s a simple way to look at it. But really dig deep and look at why your customer would say no. 

Pro Tip: Take a look at companies your target audience is already saying no to and find out why. Then do the opposite.

4. Where do they hang out online?

You don’t need to be everywhere. Just where your people are.

• Are they scrolling on Instagram?
  
• Searching Pinterest?
  
• Reading their email at 7am?

And if you still believe that you have to be everywhere, do one thing. For the next 30 days, pour all of your resources into one location. That’s it. See what happens, then try another.

5. What language do they use to describe their problem?

This is key. Use their words, not marketing jargon. A car mechanic knows what a “knocking sound” is, but I promise you a first-time driver most likely will not know what a recirculation door actuator is. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few traps to watch for when creating your customer avatar:

• Making it too broad. “Women ages 25–55” is not a customer avatar. Be more specific. Not all pet owners own fish. Not all men have a boat. Get detailed with it. (That’s why my avatar worksheet is 10 pages, so you can easily go in-depth. Grab yours here.)
  
• Trying to appeal to everyone. When you try to speak to everyone, you end up connecting with no one.
  
• Getting stuck in research mode. While the more details the better, you don’t want to hold off making one of these because “you don’t know everything”. In fact, you should be revisiting and adjusting this document at least once or twice a year.
  

The 5-Bullet Avatar Formula

Now it’s time to put it all together.

Here’s what your finished avatar might look like in just five lines:

✅ Problem: She’s frustrated that her online store isn’t making consistent sales.
✅ Value: She wants clear, simple strategies that don’t require a big budget.
✅ Hesitation: She thinks she’s not tech-savvy enough to run email marketing.
✅ Hangout: She’s active on Instagram and opens her emails in the morning.
✅ Language: “I don’t want to waste time on stuff that doesn’t work.”

Once you’ve got this clarity, your entire marketing strategy becomes easier:

• Your emails become more focused
  
• Your offers hit the right pain points
  
• Your content connects on a deeper level
  

Final Thought: 

When you define who you’re helping, everything else in your business falls into place.
You’re not just writing emails—you’re solving real problems for real people.

Let’s make sure you know exactly who they are.

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