Personas That Don’t Lie

Personas That Don’t Lie. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.

Personas are forecasts, not fiction. Use jobs, pains, and proof—never stereotypes.

Steps

1. State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
2. Document decisions in one page — People use what they can read in two minutes.
3. List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
4. Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.

Why this matters: Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: People use what they can read in two minutes. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Toolkit

• Voice ladder — From formal to playful with examples for each channel.
• Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].
• Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.

How to use it: From formal to playful with examples for each channel. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof]. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

Example

A fintech tightened palette tokens and shipping velocity rose because designers stopped re‑deciding shades.

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

• Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
• Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
• Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
• Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).

Fix: One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length. Add it to your operating checklist so teams don’t drift next sprint.

Related Articles

• Taglines: Short, Sharp, True — Field Notes #2
• Proof: Social, Data, and Demos
• Brand Guidelines in One Page
• Case Studies with a Plot — Deep Dive #2

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