What a Gift for My Mom Taught Me About Buyer Persona

Sometimes, the best marketing lessons don’t come from books or courses. They come from… trying (and failing) to buy the perfect gift for your mom.

Here’s what happened.


The “Perfect Gift” That Flopped

My mom loves simple things. She loves nice scents. She loves practical gifts.
So I thought: Easy. I’ll buy her a fancy soap kit. She’ll love it.

I gave it to her. She looked at me and said:
“Oh honey, I only use liquid soap.”

And just like that—my thoughtful gift turned into a fail.


The Buyer Persona Lesson

This little story is basically buyer persona 101.

I thought I knew her preferences. I assumed.
But I didn’t stop to confirm. And the result? A gift that didn’t connect.

That’s exactly what happens in marketing when:

  • We guess who our customer is.
  • We create messages based on what we think they want.
  • We skip research and go straight to action.

The result is wasted time, wasted money, and missed opportunities.


How Small Businesses Can Avoid This Mistake

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to “guess the gift” when it comes to your customers. You can ask, observe, and build clarity.

Practical ways to get it right:

  1. Do quick interviews. Talk to 5–10 customers and ask them what they actually value.
  2. Check their behavior. Which products or services do they choose? What content do they engage with?
  3. Refine constantly. A buyer persona isn’t “done once”—it evolves as your customers evolve.

From Mom to Marketing

If I had simply asked my mom, “Do you prefer bar soap or liquid soap?”—the gift would have been perfect.

In business, the same principle applies: don’t assume, just ask.


The Takeaway

Your buyer persona isn’t about inventing a fictional character. It’s about really knowing the human on the other side.

When you listen, observe, and adapt, you stop wasting effort on the wrong gift (or message) and start delivering exactly what your audience values.


Want More Stories Like This?

I share more real-life lessons about marketing (and how to actually apply them) on my YouTube channel. Watch here:
👉 E-volving Strategy Consulting on YouTube


✨ Final thought: Even your mom can teach you about buyer persona—if you’re paying attention.