---
name: 09-customer-insight-global
description: Build deep customer profiles — Consumer vs Shopper, JTBD framework, customer journey mapping, insight validation, internal monologue research
metadata:
  version: 2.5.0
  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:

1. **What is your product / service?** (Industry, price tier, market geography)
2. **Who are your current customers?** (Gender, age range, typical price point, channels they discover you)
3. **Do you have customer data?** (CRM data, comments/inbox, reviews, surveys — share if available)
4. **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 |
| Content needed | Pain triggers, education, problem framing |
| Effective channels | TikTok (reach), Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, blog SEO |
| Example insight | "They notice their skin is worse but blame the weather — never think 'skincare routine'." |

### Stage 2 — Consideration (They are comparing)

| Element | Detail |
|---------|--------|
| State | Problem accepted, evaluating options |
| Internal question | "Which is better?" / "Is this worth it?" / "Who has tried it?" |
| Barrier | Too many options, fear of wrong choice, missing info |
| Content needed | Comparisons, reviews, case studies, process explainers, FAQs |
| Effective channels | Google Search, YouTube reviews, communities (Reddit, Discord, niche forums), email |
| Example insight | "They read 5 reviews but still hesitate — because they fear being upsold by a sales rep." |

### Stage 3 — Conversion (What pushes them to buy)

| Element | Detail |
|---------|--------|
| State | Decision made, needs final nudge |
| Internal question | "Buy now or wait?" / "Any deals?" / "Where do I order?" |
| Barrier | Cost concerns, regret risk, complex checkout |
| Content needed | Offers, urgency, strong social proof, clear CTA, friction removal |
| Effective channels | Messenger/WhatsApp 1:1, landing pages, retargeting ads |
| Example insight | "They are ready to buy but need spousal sign-off — send them shareable info to forward." |

### Stage 4 — Retention (Why they come back, or don't)

| Element | Detail |
|---------|--------|
| State | Has bought/used — deciding whether to return |
| Internal question | "Is it worth continuing?" / "Is something better out there?" / "Anything new?" |
| Barrier | Forgetting, no reason to return, mediocre last experience |
| Content needed | Follow-ups, exclusive value, loyalty program |
| Effective channels | Email nurture, SMS, in-app, VIP community |
| Example insight | "They liked the service but don't return because nobody reminds them — they need a reason, not just a discount." |

---

## Jobs To Be Done (JTBD)

Customers don't buy products — they "hire" them to get a "job" done.

### 3 Layers of JTBD

| Layer | Definition | Question | Example (Skincare) | Example (Marketing course) |
|-------|-----------|----------|--------------------|---------------------------|
| **Functional** | Practical task to complete | "What do they need to do?" | Clear acne, cleanse skin | Learn how to run paid ads |
| **Emotional** | Desired feeling | "How do they want to feel?" | Confident, well-cared-for | Calm, not afraid of mistakes |
| **Social** | Image they want to project | "How do they want to be seen?" | Beautiful, professional | Skilled, modern, successful |

### JTBD Template

```
When [situation / context],
I want to [action / solution],
so I can [desired outcome],
and feel [emotional reward].
```

**Examples:**
- "When **my skin breaks out before a big meeting**, I want to **find a fast professional treatment**, so I can **feel confident presenting**, and feel **professional**."
- "When **I don't know how to run profitable ads**, I want to **learn from someone who has done it**, so I can **manage campaigns myself**, and feel **independent from agencies**."
- "When **my Shopify store has traffic but no sales**, I want to **understand why visitors don't convert**, so I can **fix the leak**, and feel **in control of my business**."

---

## Persona Builder

### Customer Persona Template

**Persona: [Representative Name]**

#### Demographics

| Element | Value |
|---------|-------|
| Gender | |
| Age range | |
| Location | |
| Occupation | |
| Income / month | |
| Family status | |
| Education | |

#### Psychographics

| Element | Value |
|---------|-------|
| Core values | [What do they value most?] |
| Fears | [What scares them when buying?] |
| Aspirations | [What do they want to achieve?] |
| Beliefs | [What do they trust? What do they doubt?] |
| Lifestyle | [Describe in one sentence] |

#### Behaviors

| Element | Value |
|---------|-------|
| Primary info channel | [TikTok? Google? Friends? YouTube?] |
| Online time | [Morning / Lunch / Evening? How long?] |
| Shopping habits | [Online/Offline? Compare before buying?] |
| Trusted sources | [Reviews? Influencers? Friends? Experts?] |
| Purchase barriers | [Price? Time? Risk? Lack of info?] |
| Post-purchase behavior | [Reviews? Refers others? Silent? Complains?] |

#### Media Consumption

| Channel | Usage level | Preferred content |
|---------|------------|-------------------|
| TikTok | High / Med / Low / None | |
| Instagram | | |
| YouTube | | |
| Facebook | | |
| LinkedIn | | |
| Reddit | | |
| Twitter / X | | |
| Google Search | | |
| Email newsletters | | |
| Podcasts | | |

---

## Customer Journey Map

### Journey Template

| Stage | Touchpoint | Behavior | Thoughts | Feelings | Barriers | Opportunities |
|-------|-----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|---------------|
| **Awareness** | [Sees ad? Reads article? Friend mention?] | | | | | |
| **Research** | [Google search? Watches review? Visits site?] | | | | | |
| **Consideration** | [Compares competitors? Asks community?] | | | | | |
| **Decision** | [Messages? Calls? Books?] | | | | | |
| **Purchase / Use** | [Visits store? Pays online? First experience?] | | | | | |
| **Post-purchase** | [Satisfied? Reviews? Returns? Refers?] | | | | | |

### Moments of Truth

| Moment | Description | Your action |
|--------|-------------|-------------|
| **Zero Moment (ZMOT)** | Customer searches/asks before contacting you | SEO, third-party reviews, educational content |
| **First Moment (FMOT)** | First impression of product/service | Imagery, packaging, website UI, channel profile |
| **Second Moment (SMOT)** | Real experience while using | Service quality, processes, staff attitude |
| **Ultimate Moment (UMOT)** | Customer shares their experience | Encourage reviews, referrals, UGC |

---

## Insight Validation

Not every observation is an insight. A real insight must pass 3 tests:

### The 3-Criteria Test

| Criterion | Validation question | Pass / Fail |
|-----------|--------------------|-----| 
| **TRUE** | Is this grounded in real data/observation, not assumption? | |
| **TENSION** | Is there a contradiction, dilemma, or unresolved need? | |
| **ACTIONABLE** | Can you build content, product, or strategy from it? | |

### Validation Examples

| Observation | TRUE? | TENSION? | ACTIONABLE? | Insight? |
|-------------|-------|----------|-------------|----------|
| "Women 25–35 like skincare" | Yes, but generic | No tension | Not specific | NO — too general |
| "They know their skin worsens but blame weather, not their routine" | Yes — seen in comments | Yes — gap between awareness and action | Yes — educational content can shift mindset | YES — strong insight |
| "They want to try the spa but fear high-pressure upsells" | Yes — reviews and DMs | Yes — desire vs loss-of-control fear | Yes — no-upsell pledge, transparent pricing | YES — strong insight |

---

## Internal Monologue (What they think but don't say)

Customers rarely say what they actually think. This section captures the inner voice:

### Internal Monologue Template

| Stage | What they say | What they actually think | What it means for you |
|-------|---------------|--------------------------|----------------------|
| Awareness | "It's fine, normal" | "Why does everyone else look better? Is something wrong with me?" | Soft pain triggers, no pressure |
| Consideration | "Let me look around" | "Too many options. Hard to tell legit from scam — afraid to choose wrong" | Honest comparisons, not bragging |
| Conversion | "Let me think about it" | "I want it but I'm scared — afraid of wasting money or not seeing results" | Risk reduction: trial, guarantee, real reviews |
| Post-purchase | "It's okay" | "Should I keep going? Nobody has even checked in on me" | Follow-up, after-care, retention offers |

### Sources for Capturing Internal Monologue

| Source | How to extract |
|--------|----------------|
| Comments on competitor posts | Read questions, complaints, praise — especially long comments |
| Your DMs / inbox | Most-repeated question = biggest worry |
| Reviews (Google, Trustpilot, Amazon, app stores) | 3-star reviews are most valuable — mixed praise + criticism |
| Industry communities (Reddit, niche forums, Discord) | Opinion threads, vent threads, comparison threads |
| Past-customer surveys | Open question: "What made you hesitate before buying?" |
| Sales call recordings | Listen for objections, hesitations, repeated phrases |

---

## Behavioral Segmentation

Move beyond demographics — segment by actual behavior:

### 6 Segmentation Dimensions

| Dimension | Categories | Example segments |
|-----------|-----------|------------------|
| **Purchase frequency** | One-time / Repeat / Frequent | Trial buyers vs Regulars vs VIPs |
| **Order value** | Low / Mid / High | Budget vs Premium spenders |
| **Acquisition channel** | Organic / Paid / Referral | TikTok-found vs Word-of-mouth |
| **Engagement behavior** | View / Like / Comment / Buy | Lurkers vs Loyal fans |
| **Lifecycle stage** | New / Active / Lapsed / Returning | New vs Churned vs Win-back |
| **Loyalty level** | Price-driven / Loyal / Advocate | Discount-seekers vs Brand-loyal |

### Behavioral Segment Action Table

| Segment | Traits | Best content | Channels | Offers |
|---------|--------|--------------|----------|--------|
| New (no purchase yet) | Just discovered, researching | TOFU: education, social proof | TikTok, Instagram, Google | Trial, sample |
| First-time buyer | Tried once, no return yet | MOFU: added value, case studies | Email, SMS | Second-purchase offer |
| Repeat buyer (2+) | Satisfied, building habit | Retention: exclusives, VIP perks | Email, community | Loyalty tier |
| VIP (5+ purchases) | Loyal, ready to refer | Referral: bring-a-friend programs | 1:1, events, VIP group | Referral bonus |
| Churned | Bought before, now silent | Win-back: reason for absence + special offer | Email, SMS | Comeback offer |

---

## Cross-reference

- Need competitor targeting analysis? → Use `08-competitor-research-global`
- Writing content from insight? → Use `05-ad-copy-global` or `04-video-script-global`
- Mapping full customer journey? → Use `02-campaign-brief-global`
- Calculating budget by segment? → Use `10-reverse-kpi-calc-global`
- Building overall strategy? → Use `00-marketing-plan-global`

---

## Quality Checklist

Before delivering the insight report, verify:

- [ ] Consumer vs Shopper separated — if different, each has its own strategy
- [ ] Insights cover all 4 stages (Awareness, Consideration, Conversion, Retention)
- [ ] JTBD covers all 3 layers: Functional, Emotional, Social
- [ ] Persona has all 4 sections: Demographics, Psychographics, Behaviors, Media Consumption
- [ ] Customer Journey has touchpoints, emotions, and concrete barriers — not generic
- [ ] Every insight passed the 3-criteria test: TRUE, TENSION, ACTIONABLE
- [ ] Internal Monologue is grounded in real sources (comments, DMs, reviews) — not imagined
- [ ] Behavioral segmentation moves beyond demographics — each segment has a specific action
- [ ] No assumptions without backing — every conclusion sourced or evidenced
- [ ] Output drives concrete actions (content, ads, product), not just description
