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 |
| 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 |
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| Age range |
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| Location |
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| Occupation |
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| Income / month |
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| Family status |
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| Education |
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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 |
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| Instagram |
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| YouTube |
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| Facebook |
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| LinkedIn |
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| Reddit |
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| Twitter / X |
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| Google Search |
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| Email newsletters |
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| Podcasts |
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Customer Journey Map
Journey Template
| Stage |
Touchpoint |
Behavior |
Thoughts |
Feelings |
Barriers |
Opportunities |
| Awareness |
[Sees ad? Reads article? Friend mention?] |
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| Research |
[Google search? Watches review? Visits site?] |
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| Consideration |
[Compares competitors? Asks community?] |
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| Decision |
[Messages? Calls? Books?] |
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| Purchase / Use |
[Visits store? Pays online? First experience?] |
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| Post-purchase |
[Satisfied? Reviews? Returns? Refers?] |
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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? |
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| TENSION |
Is there a contradiction, dilemma, or unresolved need? |
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| 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
