Hey, SME!
Well, I will just call you that since it seems your account is more about business than it is personal. No shits though.
So, speaking of knowing our customers, I think you have well mentioned some really great things to look out for when strategizing ways to get to know how customers. And believe it or not, knowing your customer is the singular most important factor that tells us how successful your business would be in the next couple of years from now.
Creating a customer avatar or buyer personal is thence important, and one of the coolest ways to do that methinks is in taking demographical approach.
This is definitely a great post man. Don't know how to upvote would have done so...but thanks for sharing this man!
Sam